For the love of bees… and birds
Grace Peterson
50plus Magazine
Growing plants for pollinators is one of the easiest tasks a gardener can do. And one of the most rewarding. Who doesn’t love seeing a furry, plump bee nectaring on a freshly opened flower you grew yourself? Or a hummingbird making the rounds on the fuchsia blossoms. We really can help nature, one critter at a time, and it feels good.
OSU Extension bee specialist Andony Melathopoulos offers helpful tips in selecting plants pollinators will approve of. “Native plants play a large role,” she says, “but many exotic plants are just as effective.”
Flowers with flat faces are more alluring to bees than fluffy, double blooms that hide their yellow insides. Tubular flowers are a favorite of hummingbirds.
Plant in swaths — critters are more attracted to a field of flowers than a single plant.
Do not use pesticides. If you see a bug or worm eating your plant, remove it with gloved fingers. Better yet, leave it for the birds to enjoy.
Grow plants that bloom at different times throughout the year, including winter.
While most bees sleep through winter, Anna’s hummingbirds stay active through all but the coldest winter days. Rather than hang a hummingbird feeder, I’ve made it my goal to provide nectar plants for them to enjoy year-round.
Following are some of my favorite blooms that grow well in the Willamette Valley that pollinators love. While bloom times are noted, many bloom well into the next season. Poke around online or visit local nurseries to discover more.
Summer blooms
Fuchsia shrub
Roses shrub
Echinacea perennial (Coneflower)
Fall blooms
Aster perennial
Persicaria perennial (Mountain Fleece)
Tall Verbena perennial
Winter blooms
Sweet Box shrub(Sarcococca)
Hamamelis tree (Witch Hazel)
Rosemary shrub (Herb)
Spring blooms
Daphne odora shrub
Allium bulb (Flowering Onion)
Hellebores perennial (Lenten Rose)
Resources
More on bees https://extension.oregonstate.edu/bee-atlas
More on Hummingbirds https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/downloads/zw12z547w