Archives

MY FAVORITE BUTTERFLY BUSH

Aug27

       Over the years, my wife and I have planted a number of butterfly bushes.  The flowers produced by these plants varied from yellow, to lavender and dark purple.  While they all attracted butterflies, bees, and other pollinators, the one that is most often visited by these amazing insects is a dark purple variety named Black Knight.

       As long as I regularly prune the spent blossoms, it produces flowers from late spring into fall.  In late August, it is often difficult for pollinators to find food.  Since Black Knight is still profusely blooming every time we visit these butterfly bushes, I see several eastern tiger swallowtails, skippers, buckeyes and other attractive butterflies.

       While Black Knight does well in our yard, it may not do as well in your yard.  If you do try it, I would like to know how it does.  In addition, if you have a variety that attracts lots of pollinators in your yard, I would like to know about it.

THE BLACK-EYED SUSAN – A BEAUTIFUL HOST PLANT

Jun11

       If you are searching for a native plant that has stunning blossoms, provides food for pollinators, and is a butterfly host plant, look at the black-eyed Susan.

       I doubt there is a Georgia gardener that cannot identify the black-eyed Susan.  It provides beauty to the countryside and backyard gardens alike.  It also does well in containers; my wife has raised black-eyed Susans in large containers on our deck for the last couple of years.  While we enjoy the beauty the plants provide just outside our backdoor, we also like the fact its blooms are favorite dining spots for many pollinators.  While we occasionally see butterflies such as pearl crescents on the blooms, small bees seem to visit the blossoms more often than any other insects.

       On top of all of these virtues, this tall native plant also serves as a host plant for the silvery checkerspot butterfly.

       If you do not have the black-eyed Susan growing in your gardens, give this one a try.

BACKYARD SECRET – STAGERING SOWING ZINNIA SEEDS PROVIDES BUTTERFLIES WITH NECTAR UNTIL FROST

May19

       Zinnias have long been a favorite of Georgia gardeners. They not only adorn our flower gardens with a wide variety of blossoms, they provide food for a wide range of butterflies and other pollinators.  However, since we typically sow zinnias seeds only in the spring, zinnia blooms are scarce in autumn… This is unfortunate as pollinators often find food hard to find late into the fall. Here are a couple of ways you can alleviate this situation.

       One way that you can prolong the zinnia’s blooming period is by deadhead plants.  This will stimulate the plants to produce more blossoms.  The downside of this practice is you eliminate a food source for songbirds.

       Another way that you can enhance the availability of zinnia blossoms until frost is stagger the times you sow seeds.  By sowing seeds every few weeks well into the summer, when some zinnias fade away, they are replaced by plants just coming into bloom.

       This simple practice will enhance the available of nectar and pollen well into autumn a when food is often scarce and add color to your gardens.

BLACK-EYED SUSAN – A NATIVE PLANT OF VALUE TO WILDLIFE THAT CAN BE GROWN IN CONTAINERS

Apr23

        If you are looking for a native plant that can be grown in containers, is both beautiful, hardy, and benefits wildlife too,  the Black-eyed Susan  (Rudbeckia spp.)  just might fit the bill.

       My wife and I have grown Black-eyed Susans in containers on our deck for several years.  The tall plants produce a profusion of gorgeous long-lasting blooms.  While the blossoms are visited by pollinators, I would not call it a butterfly magnet.  This is because, at best, butterflies only sparingly nectar at the large blossoms.  The pollinators I see most often on our plants in search of nectar and pollen are small, solitary bees.

       In addition, the Black-eyed Susan is a host plant for the Silvery Checkerspot butterfly.  Well after the plant’s blossoms have withered and died, a number of songbirds eat plant’s seeds.

       The fact the plant is deer resistant make a favorite among gardeners plagued by hungry deer.

THE COMMON BLUE VIOLET – A GREAT CONTAINER PLANT

Apr2

       If you are looking for a native plant that does well in containers, consider the common blue violet Viola sororia).

       This Georgia native grows throughout the state; it has attractive heart-shaped leaves and gorgeous blooms.  Typically, the plant’s flowers are blue-violet; however, they are sometimes pink, purple, white and yellow.

       One of the neat things about this violet is it is also a super wildlife plant.  It is a host plant for 29 species of moths and butterflies including the giant leopard moth and variegated fritillary butterfly.

    

       It also produces nectar used by sweat and mason bees, and even ruby-throated hummingbirds.

       The common blue violet’s seeds are eaten by juncos and sparrows.

       In my neck of the woods (middle Georgia), it blooms from as early as February into August.

       To top it all off, even gardeners that do not have a green thumb can grow this plant.

       If you try it, I am sure you will like it.

BEEBALM IS A HUMMINGBIRD, BEE AND BUTTERFLY MAGNET

Mar26

       Beebalm (Monardo didyma) is also known as Oswego tea or monarda), is a plant that anyone trying to attract hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and other pollinators need to plant in their backyard. This perennial native is easy grow and produces flowers from June into September.  It grows to a height of one to five feet.  Beebalm grows best in moist to dry soil types.  It will grow in partial shade to full sun.

       The plant’s flowers attract a number of species of butterflies ranging from the eastern tiger swallowtail, and fritillaries, to whites and sulphurs.  It is also visited by snowberry clearwing moths (better known as hummingbird moths).

       Some of the native bees attracted to the plant are sweat bees, carpenter bees, digger bees, leaf-cutter bees and mason bees.

       After the colorful blooms die, American goldfinches, sparrows and others eat beebalm seeds.

IT IS GLOSSY ABELIA TIME

Aug18

       If you are searching for a shrub that produces an abundance of blooms and nectar for hummingbirds, butterflies, bees and other pollinators, glossy abelia just might be the plant for you.

       From summer well into fall, a time when many flowering plants have already quit blooming or are slowly fading away, glossy abelia is in full bloom.

       This shrub is a hybrid that was once commonly  grown around homes during the first half of the 20th century. However, for reasons I do not understand, it fell out of favor. Consequently, it rarely graces new homes.

       However, there are a number of reasons for folks to find a place for it in their home landscapes. Glossy abelia is a medium sized shrub.  It is both deer and drought tolerant, produces beautiful flowers that provide food for honeybees, native bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators.  However, it does not produce seeds.

       The shrub requires little maintenance.  About all you need to do to ensure it produces lots of flowers from year to year is the prune it in the winter or early spring. This is due to the fact  its blossoms form on new wood.

       Since the glossy abelias are in full bloom, this is a good time to check them out  at your local nursery.  If you are not familiar with the plant, I am sure you are going to fall in love with its small pinkish white, bell shaped blossoms and the fact this hard shrub requires little care.

HOSTAS ARE HUMMINGBIRD PLANTS THAT WILL GROW IN THE SHADE

Jul21

       When we think of hummingbird nectar plants the plants that immediately come to mind are those that do well in direct sunlight.  However, if you are one of those homeowners that has a shady yard or portions of your yard remains shady throughout most of the day, you will be pleased to know that hostas are nectar-bearing plants that grow well in shady locations. In addition, hummingbirds regularly visit many of them.

       Hostas are native to Asia and are widely grown across Georgia for their attractive foliage.  There are some 70 species and more than 300 varieties of this hard perennial.

       While I am far from a hosta expert, the hostas that I grow in my yard produce beautiful long pink bell-shaped blossoms. Since my plants are pass-along plants, I do not know the name of the variety is rooted in my yard.

       One of the varieties that been people say is a hummingbird magnet is a variety known as lance-leaved hosta (Hosta lancifolia).

       While some gardeners report that the varieties of hostas they grow attract hummingbirds, others say the birds rarely use them. With that mind, if you are looking for a hosta that will attract hummingbirds in your neck of the woods, talk to local hummingbird gardeners as see what works for them.

       Another thing to keep in mind is some hostas are more deer resistant than others are.

       If you are lucky enough to locate the right variety for your yard, please share the name of this special plant with your fellow bloggers.

BACKYARD SECRET – MILKWEEDS BENEFIT MORE THAN MONARCHS

Jul8

      Whenever you think about trick-or-treat it is impossible to think of any other holiday than Halloween.  Similarly, with all of the interest swirling around milkweed plants, we cannot help but think of monarch butterflies when we think of the milkweeds.  This is understandable since the milkweed is the host plant for this colorful orange and black butterflies.  However, ecologists now tell us that a wide range of range of pollinators and other insects also depend on milkweeds to survive.  These insects include the likes of native bees, hoverflies, true bugs, moths, and even ants.

       This is once again an example of how plants and animals are often linked to one another in an unimaginable number of ways.

 

BLOGGER REPORTS MONARCHS NECTARING AT ENCORE AZALEAS

Apr17

        Native azaleas are nectar plants used by butterflies and other pollinators. However, such is not the case with ornamental azaleas.  While these showy exotic spring bloomers are beautiful, they are not known for their production of nectar.  However, a few years ago I was surprised to find that a hybrid known as Encore Azalea does indeed attract butterflies. 

       Since that discovery, I have witnessed eastern tiger swallowtails, cloudless sulphurs, painted ladies, ocolas, common buckeyes, and long-tailed skippers nectaring at Encore Azalea blossoms. 

       An April 13, 2024, post by an anonymous blogger stated that monarchs also nectar on the shrub.

       If you have noticed other butterflies nectaring on Encore Azaleas, please let me know.