Camellia sasanqua ‘Kanjiri’ and Amaryllis

Here is a photo of my Camellia sasanqua 'Kanjiri'. It is blooming on time for Christmas this year. For the winter, I move the pot from its normal sunny spot to the shelter of my front porch. It lost all its flower buds to the bitter cold spell we had over Thanksgiving week in 2010, so I now provide the protection of a covered area next to the house. It is a small tree, as I bought it quite small three years ago.

While I am writing about Christmas plants, I'll include a photo of Amaryllis that are blooming for me now. I staggered the planting of bulbs, so I hope to have blooms over several weeks. Instead of planting in the plastic pot that comes in the package, I pot in a ceramic pot. This gives it more weight to help anchor it and prevent it from falling over (hopefully).

Gardening for Pollinators

Here is the content from an essay I wrote to use as a handout to go with my Gardening for Pollinators presentation.

Each of us can enhance our landscapes while supporting pollinators that are essential to life. We can add habitat and adopt pollinator-friendly landscape practices for bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. These animals move pollen between flowers to ensure the growth of seeds and fruits. Pollinators are necessary for the reproduction of most of the world’s flowering plants, and about one third of our food crops.

Pollinators are in decline in many areas due to habitat loss, disease, excessive pesticide use, and other factors. The loss of commercial bees to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has received much attention recently, leading to research to understand and mitigate threats to bees. The nonnative European honey bee is the most common domesticated pollinator in the US.

Native bees are our most important pollinators. Nearly 4000 species of bees are native to the US. Honey bees, bumble bees, and some species of sweat bees live in large social groups. Most native bees live as solitary individuals, and they are normally gentle and unlikely to sting. Bees prefer flower colors of white, yellow, blue, and purple (they can’t see red).

Hummingbirds are our primary bird pollinator. Our most common hummingbird, Anna’s Hummingbird, stays in Washington State throughout the year. The Rufous Hummingbird is also common here. Hummingbirds have long beaks and tongues to get nectar from tubular flowers. Their beaks and feathers carry pollen to other plants.

Butterflies also pollinate many plants. To best support butterfly populations, gardens should include host plants for caterpillars, along with nectar plants for butterfly food. Different butterfly species prefer particular plants. Butterflies are guided by scents. They are nearsighted and generally look for bright-colored composite flowers with a landing pad (such as Coneflower, Zinnia, and Aster). Plan an area for butterflies in full sun, with protection from wind, large stones for basking in the sun, and moist soil/mud for needed moisture and minerals.

Support pollinators with these landscaping practices:

• Provide a variety of plants with diverse flower shapes, colors, and bloom times. Include several plant species that flower each season, forming a sequence of blooms from spring through fall.
• Emphasize native plants in your garden design. Most pollinators greatly prefer native plants to exotic varieties.
• Plant flowers in drifts of at least four feet. Masses of single species will attract more pollinators, and allow more efficient pollination, than individual species scattered throughout the garden.
• Follow Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices. Target specific pest concerns with the least harmful solution. Learn to live with some damage.
• Provide a water source with shallow or sloping sides.

Consider that neighboring property may already provide some essential elements to support pollinators. Focus your landscaping efforts on habitat needs missing in the area. Complement existing plants with pollinator-friendly plants, such as those listed.

We each can make a positive impact by providing pollinator-friendly habitats. Let’s all take steps to help pollinator populations thrive.

Gardening for Pollinators - Plant List

I hadn't posted for a couple months, so I am writing several posts today to make up for it!

I put together a presentation for garden club - and other groups - about gardening to support pollinators. Part of the presentation included a handout with plants that I have grown that are good for bees, hummingbirds, and/or butterflies.

Here is the content from the Pollinator Plant List.

Trees and large shrubs – mostly native - for background plants on North or East side of sunny pollinator bed.

Remember that you can ‘borrow’ from adjacent properties, which is useful for large shrubs and trees.

Pseudotsuga menziesii – Douglas Fir

Thuja plicata – Western Red Cedar

Acer circinatum – Vine Maple

Acer palmatum - Japanese Maple

Malus spp. –Crabapple

Omeleria cerasiformis - Indian Plum

Crataegus douglasii – Black Hawthorn

Rhamnus purshiana - Cascara

Lonicera involucrate – Twinberry

Sambucus spp.– Elderberry

Syringa spp. –Lilac

Philadelphus lewisii – Mock Orange

Cornus stolinifera – Red Osier Dogwood

Cornus sericea – Red-twig Dogwood

Cornus alba ‘Elegantissima’ -Variegated red-twig
        dogwood

Ribes sanguineum – Red Flowering Currant

Viburnum tinus ‘Spring Bouquet’

Viburnum plicatum tomentosum ‘Mariesii’

Viburnum trilobum – American Cranberry Bush

Holodiscus discolor – Ocean Spray

Symphoricarpos albus – Snowberry

Ceonothus spp.

Hibiscus syriacus – Rose of Sharon

Lavatera – Rose Mallow

Vines

Lonicera spp. - Honeysuckle

Clematis ssp.

Smaller shrubs

Hebe spp.

Spiraea spp.

Rosa spp.

Rhododendron spp.

Weigela florida ‘Red Prince’& ‘Midnight Wine’

Vaccinium ovatum – Evergreen Huckleberry

Vaccinium - Blueberries

Mahonia spp. – Oregon Grape

Sarcococca ruscifolia (in a shaded area)

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi – Kinnikinnick

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi – Kinnikinnick

Cornus Canadensis – Bunchberry

Heuchera

Iberis spp. - Candytuft

Perennials

Agapanthus africanus

Agastache

Alcea – Hollyhock

Allium

Alstroemeria

Aster spp.

Coreopsis verticillata ‘Zagreb’

Delphinium

Dianthus

Echinacea purpurea – Coneflower

Fuchsia spp.

Gaillardia  spp.

Liatris spp.

Lobelia ‘Queen Victoria’ – Cardinal flower

Lupinus  spp.

Malva – Mallow

Monarda didyma – Bee-balm

Potentilla

Penstemon spp.

Rudbekia – Black-eyed Susan

Salvia microphylla 'Hot Lips'

Sedum telephium 'Autumn Joy'

Annuals

Antirrhinum - Snapdragon

Begonia

Callibrachoa spp.

Canna (red)

Clarkia spp.

Heliotrope

Lantana

Lobularia maritime – Alyssum

Pelargonium – Geranium

Petunia spp.

 Trapaeolum majus – Nasturtium

Zinnia spp.

Pollinator-friendly Landscaping Tips:

·         Select plants with simple flowers (single instead of double).

·         Practice Integrated Pest Management (strive for no pesticide use).

·         Plant in drifts (many of a few varieties is better than many of a few varieties).

·         Emphasize native plants.

·         Include several plant species that flower each season.

·         If you want butterflies, place bird feeders in different areas of your yard.

·         Provide a sunny, sheltered area for butterflies.

References:

http://www.xerces.org/

http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabaws/links.htm

http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/attracting/

http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/butterflies/

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pdf/ec/ec1549.pdf

http://www.pollinator.org/PDFs/PacificLowlandrx8.pdf