Guest Blog by Rachel Shaw
Last month I wrote about Penstemon,
calling it a bee magnet. A week or so after I had written that, my Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) came into bloom
and I was reminded that for attracting bees, nothing in my yard beats this
native holly. The flowers on this small tree are tiny, but when they are in
bloom the plant literally hums with pollinator activity. My bee identification
skills are not well honed, but I can say that the number and types of bees
attracted to Winterberry is amazing. There are honeybees, bumblebees, the
occasional wasp, and a variety of smaller native bees.
Winterberry is also a very pleasing plant in winter, with
its prolific crop of bright red berries. These remain on the tree for part of
the winter season. The berries are a sort of back-up food source for birds;
apparently their relatively low fat content means that other food sources will
be eaten first, but the winterberries become more important later in the season
when other berries have been eaten. Fruit production requires a male and a
female plant.
One of my plants was unfortunately put in as a foundation
planting, and I have hacked at it ruthlessly when branches obscured the house
number or got in the way of the path; it is a little misshapen at the moment,
but the bees don’t care. The other, in a better spot, has never needed any
pruning, and has a very pleasing form.
The Winterberry blooms for a relatively short time in June.
As for what’s currently blooming in my yard: Beebalm (Monarda didyma), Butterfly Weed (Aesclepias tuberosa), Swamp Milkweed (Aesclepias incarnata), Blazing Star (Liastris spicata), and Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea). I’ve even seen a couple of blossoms of Wild
Petunia, Ruellia humilis, one of my
more recent acquisitions.
What native plants are blooming in your yard or nearby?
About the Author
Rachel Shaw focuses on vegetable gardening and growing
native plants in her small yard in Rockville, Maryland. She blogs at http://hummingbirdway.blogspot.com/.
Check back on the 10th of each month for the next installment in this series
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Also blooming are Culver's Root (Veronicastrum virginicum), Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens), some late Indian Pink (Spigelia marilandica), and a bit of coreopsis.
ReplyDeleteNice that you have Indian Pink blooming; mine didn't last long and has been gone for a while. My Culver's Root is starting. I wish I had a place for Trumpet Honeysuckle...
ReplyDeletetree-doctor-houston.com Your arborist can help you maintain attractive shrubbery with a properly timed shrub care plan that addresses your aesthetic, health, winter protection needs.
ReplyDeleteRachel's Winterberry is a buzzing paradise for pollinators. Those vibrant red berries offer a winter lifeline for birds. A true ecological gem!
ReplyDelete