Gardening is a journeying filled with vivacious blooms , bombinate bee , and fluttering butterflies — and it ’s such a boot when you see pollinators dart from flower to flower in your garden ! But sometimes , despite our best intentions , we might be opt plant that in reality do more harm than good for our wanted pollinator friends . I make love how thwarting it is to carefully plan a flowerbed only to recover very few bees visiting — or bad , to learn that some of those gorgeous blossoms offer piffling to no nectar or pollen at all .
In this clause , we ’ll search ten common flower option that can inadvertently deprive pollinator of the imagination they postulate , disrupt their nest behavior , or even introduce harmful chemicals into their surroundings . I ’ve rambled through my own garden test — trust me , I ’ve had moments of “ Why are n’t the bees here?!”—and I ’m activated to share what I ’ve hear so you may create a really pollinator - friendly seaport . Let ’s dig in and make every bloom count !
Ornamental Miscanthus Grass
Mass plantings of ornamental Miscanthus grasses might look graceful swaying in the walkover , but they offer virtually no ambrosia or pollen for bees and butterflies ! Unlike flowering perennials , Miscanthus spp . are wind - pollinate and lack the showy blooming that attract pollinator . It ’s such a bummer when a beautiful belt of silver grass does n’t support a unmarried nesting bee .
aboriginal to East Asia and often planted as an invasive in North America , Miscanthus can crowd out aboriginal wild flower that would otherwise provide substantive forage and nesting sites . Many ground - nesting bee trust on assailable territory patch that Miscanthus ’s dense source mats can suffocate . If you ’re seek texture , look at aboriginal locoweed like little bluestem or else , which coexist much more harmoniously with local pollinators !
Hybrid Tulips
Ah , those heralds of leaping — tulip ! But most of us institute the hybrid , double - petaled varieties that see like colorize pom - poms . While they ’re undeniably stunning , these twofold - flowered tulips often conceal or eliminate the fundamental anther and nectary altogether . I think thirstily waiting for bees to visit my pastel tulip only to see … cricket !
As bulbous plants aboriginal to Central Asia , lawful wild tulip offer nectar that betimes - emerging bees urgently need . However , the common horticultural hybrids bred for form over social occasion leave behind pollinators high and dry . If you ca n’t resist the tulip craze , immix in species tulip ( Tulipa clusiana , T. tarda ) with round-eyed blooms to give the bees a fighting chance .
Exotic Groundcover Periwinkle (Vinca)
Periwinkle carpets in shifting spectre of purple and bloodless might seem like an eco - friendly groundcover pick , but Vinca minor is an aggressive encroacher across many region of North America . I once admired its glossy folio until I realized it had colonized an entire patch of forest boundary , pushing out aboriginal violet that would have fed local butterflies .
Moreover , its small , sterile bloom bring forth minimal nectar , allow for pollinators with scant rewards . That ’s one of my garden regrets — installing periwinkle where aboriginal creeping phlox or wild strawberry mark would have spread more benefits . trade in native groundcovers can hike up forage and maintain the delicate residue of nesting habitat !
Neonicotinoid-Treated Ornamentals
You ’ve probably seen the warning labels : “ Neonicotinoids may be harmful to bee . ” Yet so many bedding plant at big - box stores are pre - process with these systemic insect powder . I remember buy a flat of bright marigolds , only to watch bees avoid the entire patch . Such a heartbreaker !
Neonics , derive from nicotine , persist in plant tissues and ambrosia , undermining bee navigation and brood development . These chemicals originated from pesticide trials in Japan and have since become a global concern . To protect pollinator , always ask your baby’s room if plants are untreated or prefer certified organic options instead !
Double-Flowered Begonias
One of my preferent begonias dazzled me with its frilled double bloom — but the bees were n’t impressed . Double - floweredBegonia × semperflorens - cultorummay look like fluffy pom - poms , but breeders breed away the stamen and honey gland , leaving nothing for pollinators to pull in .
Begonias hail from tropical regions of Central and South America , where they coexist with hummingbirds and bees that calculate on their simple , nectar - rich efflorescence . If you adore begonia , opt for individual - bloom type ( Begonia grandis ) that showcase the reproductive part , assure a welcome snack for your pollinator pals !
Mass-Planted Petunia Beds
A ocean of bright hued genus Petunia can be a dramatic focal point , but when hundreds of selfsame blooming open at the same time , it creates a monoculture buffet that ’s nutritionally imbalanced . I ’ve detect that even the most eager bumblebee shoot the breeze only a handful of Petunia before move on in search of more diverse options — sound conversant ?
Petunia hybrida , native to South America , produces some nectar but lack the pollen smorgasbord and bloom timing that benefit different pollinator species . rather of paries - to - wall petunias , interplant with salvias , penstemons , and native asters to extend the florescence time of year and ply to a panoptic range of bee and butterflies !
Invasive Butterfly Bush (Buddleja davidii)
Butterfly bush is tempting — its name much begs you to found it ! ButBuddleja davidii , native to China , is listed as trespassing in many states for outcompeting native milkweed and goldenrods . I once planted a “ pollinator magnet , ” only to learn it was crowding out monarch larval nutrient source .
While butterflies do sip its ambrosia - laden panicle , the plant ’s rearing spread can trim overall home ground quality , hale pollinator into monoculture corridors . A better bet is to select native bush like New Jersey tea ( Ceanothus americanus ) or elderberry ( Sambucus canadensis ) , which offer nectar and serve up as host plants !
Scentless Oriental Lilies
Oriental lilies ( Liliumspp . ) are showstoppers , but many forward-looking hybrids are bred for gigantic , highly bleached blooms with minuscule scent and minimal nectar . I ’ve sniffed those giant petals only to find them empty inside — such a letdown for bees and moth that bank on fragrance cues to locate flower at crepuscle .
True wild lily native to North America and Asia often have both odor and ambrosia . For a pollinator - favorable bend , try species lilies likeL. michiganenseorL. superbum , which retain their natural traits and actively contribute to local bee and butterfly dieting !
Sterile Hydrangeas
Hydrangea macrophyllais the darling of shaded borders , but garden varieties often have mophead blooming that are alone sterile . I planted hydrangeas under my oak tree tree and expected honeybees , but the sterile florets meant no pollen , no nectar , and no visits .
Native to Japan , Korea , and China , wild hydrangeas produce fertile , pollinator - well-disposed lacecap blossoms . Lacecap cultivars ( Hydrangea serrata ‘ Bluebird ’ ) include both uninspired show petals and productive disk flowers teeming with nectar . Mixing these into your shade garden see you ’re not just adding color but also nourishing pollinators !
Double-Flowered Peonies
peony are a nurseryman ’s joy with their lush , threefold bloom that unfold like pastel pyrotechnic . ButPaeonia lactiflorahybrids often envelop their stamen in layers of petals , hiding or do away with pollen . I ca n’t tell you how many fourth dimension I ’ve poke around , hoping for a bee , only to realize there was nothing to harvest !
Traditional single - blossom peonies and heirloom varieties aboriginal to Asia still retain their procreative structures , proffer pea plant - sized halcyon stamens tamp with pollen . If you cherish peony , seek out single or semi - doubled cultivars to ascertain you ’re supporting those early - spring mason bees in their nesting boot !
credit: wikimedia commons
Credit: Unsplash
credit: unsplash
Credit: Unsplash
Credit: Unsplash
Credit: Unsplash
Credit: Unsplash
Credit: Unsplash
Credit: Unsplash
Credit: Unsplash
