- In May, it’s easy to have a garden that is fluttering, crawling, and buzzing with pollinators. So many plants are in bloom, there’s something for everyone.
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Tiger swallowtail on Verbena bonariensis, a non-native plant that can attract native pollinators.
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- Pollinators, especially native insects, also need flowers early and late in the year. Think ahead and plant Asters (Symphyotrichum subspicatum – Douglas aster – is a lovely native) and Goldenrod (Solidago) for a long-blooming autumn pollinator magnet.
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Native bumblebee on Solidago canadensis.
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- For early spring bloom, tuck in lots of Crocuses, and plant early-blooming native shrubs such as Oregon grape (Mahonia–
now Berberis) and Kinnikinnick.
now Berberis) and Kinnikinnick.
See our blog for more – npkpost.blogspot.com
What else besides flowers?
Pollinators also need water, food for their larvae, and nesting and over-wintering sites. With a little knowledge and forethought, your garden can provide these necessities too.
- Water:bird bath, pond with shallow areas, dripping faucet.
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Lorquin’s Admiral on birdbath.
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- Larval host plants:Native plants that provide food for native butterfly and moth caterpillars. Be prepared for some chewed leaves!
- Nesting and Over-wintering Sites:Bare undisturbed soil for ground-nesting bees. Un-cut tall grasses. Plants with hollow stems. Nest blocks for mason bees.
See these links for more information:
PolliNation. Podcast on all things pollinator, by Andony Melathopoulos, OSU’s Pollinator Health Extension specialist, and an array of guests.
Here’s a short list of great pollinator plants for western Oregon gardens:https://expo.oregonlive.com/erry-2018/05/427bc00a688157/25_plants_guaranteed_to_attrac.html
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