I recently got the chance to assess a university campus for bee-friendly landscape plants. Large trees and sprawling lawns made up the majority of the campus, creating a plush and welcoming blanket of greenery that encircled tall buildings and trees like draped velvet. I’m delighted to report that it provided a quiet retreat for students and many families using or passing through the campus with young children.
The campus had so many trees that they formed an almost closed canopy, giving the impression that the trees had given permission for structures to be placed amid them for our benefit.
On the university grounds, a variety of trees including oaks, American elms, ash, mimosas, catalpas, mulberries, willows, golden chain trees, lindens, flowering crab apples, hawthorns, cedar, fir, pine, horse chestnuts, honey locusts, and eastern redbuds flourished in harmony and profusion. Many of the huge shrubs and trees were pollinator-friendly.
Willows were the first bee-friendly trees to blossom in the spring, and they were soon followed by hawthorn, horse chestnut, red buds (both eastern and western), and flowering crab apples.
Up to the end of July, golden chain tree, honey locust, linden, catalpa, mimosa, and linden all produced continuous tree bloom.
As long as there are other pollinator-friendly plants blooming before and after them, each tree holds a significant amount of floral resources during bloom time and is beneficial to pollinators; bees require sustained floral resources during the growing season.
Conifers, ash, elm, and other wind-pollinated trees are generally unwelcoming to bees.
On campus, hydrangeas were widely planted, so it was fascinating to see which ones were good for pollinators and which weren’t. Although we don’t typically think of plants as being friendly to bees, some are actually quite alluring to bees while others are not.
There was a fairly lengthy planting of lacecap hydrangeas on the east side of a sizable structure. The more popular mop-head hydrangea macrophylla hortensis is unsuitable for bees since its flowers are all sterile and, while attractive to humans, provide neither pollen nor nectar for bees.
Although hydrangeas’ fruitful blossoms are little, unimportant, and not particularly eye-catching, bees are very drawn to them. A large core cluster of fertile flowers is surrounded by stunning sterile flowers on lacecap hydrangeas.
They combine grace and delicacy with flowers that are friendly to pollinators, giving you the best of both worlds. These beautiful flowers are available in a variety of hues, including white, blue, and purple.
Hydrangea aspera, sometimes known as rough-leaf hydrangea, is a too rarely planted lacecap variety. Zone 9 locations with maritime influences, enough water, and annual composting are best suited for its use. This lovely big shrub, which grows to a height of 8 feet and flowers in the late summer, needs filtered shade.
A ring of light purple sterile blooms surrounds the bright purple, extremely fragrant fertile flowers. Both we and the bees adore its blossoms.
The appeal of the various hydrangea paniculata varieties to bees varies. The elongated, white flower heads typically contain a mixture of viable and sterile blooms.
Some varieties have non-scented, primarily sterile flowers whereas others have highly fragrant, bee-friendly blossoms. All are garish.
It is better to visit a nursery and distinguish between plants with a lot of bees visiting them and others that are not aromatic. The plants can range in size from three feet to roughly six or eight feet. Numerous cultivars exist.
Native to the eastern United States, hydrangea arborescens is frequently planted along the coast or in regions that receive a lot of coastal impact. ‘Annabelle’ is a popular cultivar.
It features very enormous umbels of white flowers that resemble mopheads, but each blossom is somewhat smaller than the mophead varieties, giving the flowering plant a softer and more elegant appearance.
The leaves are a brighter shade of green, much smaller, and less waxy. Large flower heads and weak stems can cause flowers to occasionally topple down.
While cultivars like “Haas Halo” have lacecap blooms made up of both fertile and sterile flowers and are exceedingly spectacular and bee-friendly, this cultivar only has sterile flowers. H. arborescens has exclusively viable blooms in its wild form. The scent of hydrangeas can help determine whether they are bee-friendly.
What hydrangeas are good for bees?
You should carefully look at specific cultivars of Hydrangea paniculata, or choose from one of the climbers, Hydrangea anomala, or lace caps, if you want to choose a hydrangea shrub that will be well-liked by bees.
Hydrangea paniculata
Bees do not frequent all varieties of Hydrangea paniculata, so double-check.
I have a Hydrangea paniculata ‘Confetti’ in my garden, and I’ve noticed that bumble bees find it very alluring. It is sprouting along my border. It’s a gorgeous shrub with lovely, loose flower heads, and in contrast to some extremely compact ornamental hydrangeas that develop flower heads in tidy spherical ball-shaped bunches (the “mop head” kind”), the shrub has a soft, informal appearance.
You could also try the following if you prefer white, cream, or greenish-white flowers:
- Kyushu
- The White Moth
- Floribunda
- Belgian Lace
- ‘Praecox’
- ‘Greenspire’.
If pink or a flush of pink is what you’re after, even if it’s just later in the flowering season:
- Hugh Ben
- Little Dot of Dart
- Early Awareness
- ‘Dharuma’
- ‘Floribunda’ (becomes pink-tinged with age).
Climbing hydrangea – Hydrangea anomala
Utilizing climbing plants and shrubs to grow upwards can help maximize growing area.
Because hydrangeas are usually robust climbers, you’ll need a lot of room and strong support. This category of hydrangeas include the following varieties:
Are wasps and bees drawn to hydrangeas?
Quick Fire hydrangeas frequently attract swarms of pollinating bees, butterflies, and wasps, which is very normal. If you leave them alone, they will carry out their task without hurting you.
Which varieties of hydrangea don’t draw bees?
You might think that hydrangeas are a bee attraction given their huge blossoms, but that isn’t necessarily the case. While certain varieties of hydrangeas draw bees, others do not. Flowers on mophead hydrangeas are sterile and lack nectar that would draw pollinators. Lacecap hydrangeas do, however, produce fruitful blossoms that draw bees. Pollinators like bees are also drawn to Climbing Hydrangeas, Oakleaf Hydrangeas, and Smooth Hydrangeas.
Mophead hydrangeas are the best choice if you want to keep bees away. On the other hand, if you want to make a space that attracts pollinators, consider growing Lacecap, Climbing, Oakleaf, or Smooth hydrangeas. The Lacecap and Oakleaf Hydrangeas appear to draw the greatest number of bees and other pollinators among these types.
You might ask why hydrangeas don’t draw in more pollinators given their opulent blossoms. Don’t pollinators want big, vibrant flowers, like bees do? It turns out that the nectar and pollen that the pollinators are truly pursuing are not present in every Hydrangea bloom. Most of the spectacular flower clusters that Hydrangeas are valued for are sterile. The cluster’s only viable flowers, which have nectar and pollen, are located inside.
The “petals on Hydrangeas are technically sepals, not blooms,” as the saying goes. Normally, these sepals would be green in plants. However, the outer part of hydrangeas mimics the shape that we usually refer to as a flower.
In the natural, hydrangeas produce more little, fruitful blossoms rather than large, spectacular flowers. The proportion of fertile to sterile flowers has changed as Hydrangeas have been bred by growers to produce larger blooms.
Because they don’t create a lot of pollen, hydrangeas are a suitable choice for allergy sufferers. Since there is no need to worry about pollen allergies, Hydrangeas are excellent for cutting and bringing indoors.
Do hydrangeas entice bees and butterflies?
When it comes to pollinator plants, hydrangeas are not often the first thing that come to mind. However, lacecap types like Little Quick Fire, which conspicuously exhibit their fertile florets that are rich in nectar and pollen, do a great job of generating buzz. Little Quick Fire is also a panicle hydrangea, which requires little maintenance and thrives in both hot and cold areas. Even though mophead kinds—those that produce the large, full, fluffy flower heads—are typically regarded as more showy, choosing lacecap variants guarantees that you’re also improving the aesthetics of your landscape.
What draw things to hydrangeas?
Meet Hydrangea paniculata, often known as a panicle hydrangea, and its various forms if you’re searching for a lovely, low-maintenance shrub with interest throughout all four seasons. One of these incredible shrubs belongs in every sunny environment, and here are four reasons why we believe you’ll agree.
A Reliable, Four-Season Show
Panicle hydrangeas never fail to fill your landscape with an abundance of color. They establish their blooms on new growth in the spring, protecting this year’s crop of buds from the harsh winters. Starting in the middle of July, panicle hydrangeas produce abundant clusters of white or creamy-white blooms after a spring covered in beautiful, bright green foliage. As late summer transitions into October, many other summer bloomers are starting to lose their vibrant colors. Depending on the variety, the blossoms gradually turn pink or lime-green, then colors of strawberry or burgundy. When the first frost hits, they become an appealing tawny-brown and stay on the plant, adding lovely texture to the winter landscape. Furthermore, unlike the well-known pink or blue mophead hydrangeas, none of these color changes are caused by a unique soil chemistry; rather, they take place as the evenings get cooler in the late summer and early fall.
A Perfect Fit for Any Sunny Space
There is a panicle hydrangea for every requirement in your landscape, whether it be a gorgeous anchor for a perennial bed, a magnificent blooming hedge along a border, a natural living screen, or a tiny splash of color in a smaller corner. Some cultivars grow large—five to eight feet tall and wide—and can fill a large area with several lovely blooms. However, some, like “Little Lime” or “Bobo,” are significantly smaller and can fit almost anyplace.
Even panicle hydrangeas in the shape of trees can be found, with their stunning blooms and leaves perched high above a single trunk. Even the smallest places may accommodate the lovely hydrangea blossoms thanks to tree hydrangeas. There is a panicle hydrangea to fit any landscape design thanks to the variety of form and function.
There are several designs for the clustered panicle blossoms as well. Some cultivars produce clusters that are more compactly packed and rounder, like the traditional mophead hydrangea that is common in formal gardens. Others, like Quick Fire and the tiny Little Quick Fire, have more open, airy blossoms that blend in well with the local vegetation in a setting that is influenced by nature. Additionally, some, such as Pinky Winky, develop large, highly conical clusters that resemble enormous aster flowers.
An Easy-Going Personality
Hydrangeas in a panicle are not picky. They won’t require much more care from us if they are placed in a location with four to five hours of sunlight every day, well-drained soil, and a little mulch to retain moisture in the summer. Pruning is also simple. A trim in late winter or very early spring won’t have any impact on the flowers of the next year as long as you avoid doing so when the buds are emerging in the spring and summer. Additionally, panicle hydrangeas are resilient enough to survive many of our harsh winters.
A Benefit to the Garden Community
Most harmful insects, including the vile Japanese beetle, seem to disregard panicle hydrangeas. However, panicle hydrangeas are even better because they draw beneficial insects that prey on some of the pests that may be harming your other garden plants. Soldier beetles and their larvae love the pollen and nectar from panicle hydrangeas; these voracious predators eat cucumber beetles, aphids, spider mites, and other pests that harm plants. The steel-blue cricket hunter parasitoid wasp, which feeds on the nectar of hydrangeas before employing insects like crickets and cutworms as incubators for its eggs, is attracted to panicle hydrangeas. A variety of bees, butterflies, and other significant pollinators are drawn to your landscape by the lovely white and pink blossoms.
Need an Amazing Shrub?
It’s difficult to match panicle hydrangea for aesthetic appeal, dependability, year-round interest, and adaptability. Visit the Nursery Yard on your next trip to view all the beautiful types we have. Please ask us any queries you may have.
Are wasps attracted to hydrangeas?
The nectar and pollen-rich flowers of hydrangeas draw a variety of bee, fly, and wasp species as well as other flying pollinators. They don’t draw houseflies, hornets, yellowjackets, or the majority of predatory wasps because these insects are generally carnivores that eat carrion or trash and rarely consume nectar or pollen.
One of the main reasons that flowering plants exist and why most flowers are as beautiful as they are is because they attract pollinators. The color, form, and shape of a flower are created by nature to draw the type of animal she wants to help with fertilization. If you don’t want the pollinators, you must get rid of the plants, or at the very least, the flowers, or move them to an area where they won’t bother you.
How can hydrangeas be protected from bees?
May is here! Sunlight is present! Bees are humming loudly. However, might you not perhaps prefer the bees to buzz a little farther away from you? Here are some all-natural strategies for repelling bees.
We are spending more and more time outside as the weather warms up. We might be organizing a fun outdoor dinner party or spending time in our garden once more. Bees buzzing all around you, though, can completely destroy the pleasant air. This means it’s time to make plans for how to avoid harming the environment while enjoying time in the sun and keeping bees and other insects at bay.
Insecticides are often used by many individuals to get rid of bees, but it has been shown that this is not the greatest solution. Insecticides play a significant role in the fall of the bee population that has been occurring since 2006. It’s important to steer clear of measures that will eliminate bees because they are useful to humans for a variety of reasons. Fortunately, there are simple, natural ways to deter bees from your outdoor activities without harming the bees or the ecosystem in the long run.
Cucumber skin
Bees can be effectively kept out of certain, constrained regions by using cucumber peel. For instance, you might start opening your windows and doors to let the warm air inside. But if bees also decide to enter, you might want to think about placing pieces of cucumber peel on or near your window frames. This is effective in some garden areas as well.
Peppermint
Cinnamon
A fantastic approach to scare away bees from a location is to spread cinnamon there. It will have a long-lasting effect, but you must be sure you do it every day for at least a week.
pulverized garlic
You can create a fantastic bee repellent by chopping up garlic and soaking it in water for a few days. Place it around your plants or in areas where people congregate outside.
Vanilla concoction
Perhaps your skin is more attractive to bees than your house or yard. Bees love vanilla extract, so use it to keep them off your skin. Even in a region where bees are common, a tablespoon of vanilla extract diluted in water will keep them away from you (baby oil will also work if you don’t like vanilla).
infant powder
Finally, while organic baby powder is a helpful deterrent for bees, not all varieties of baby powder are really natural. Then just sprinkle it in any locations you think are essential. Bees must be eliminated!