Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Friday - February 18, 2011
From: Athens, GA
Region: Southeast
Topic: Wildlife Gardens
Title: Plants for bees in GA
Answered by: Anne Bossart
QUESTION:
Hi, I'm in Georgia and I am starting beekeeping this spring and I am also hoping to plant a mostly evergreen hedge around my yard to add privacy from neighbors. There are already some well established pine and other trees so the hedge is part to semi shade, to full shade in some places. I would like to plant mostly evergreens, but some deciduous, shrub type plants that are native and will naturalize well, but that will also provide a good source for honeybees all throughout the year. Thank you!ANSWER:
Landscaping for wildlife and polllinators is a great way to "give back" some of the habitat/ecosystem that we have taken with our built environment so we applaud your efforts.
We encourage you to contact your local agricultural extension service and check out this link to the University of Georgia Honey Bee Program. They will be able to give you more locally helpful information about plants and can probably put you in contact with a local organization like our local SMABeeWranglers.
You will find that bees are not particular about where they gather nectar and so you will find many non-native plants on lists you may find by doing an internet search.
Unfortunately, our database cannot sort plants according to their wildlife benefit, but that characteristic is noted on the detailed plant information page. So if you visit the database and do a Combination Search for Georgia, selecting the plant type (shrub) and your conditions (shade and part shade) it will generate lists of plants with links to the detailed page. You can also create separate lists for bloom time (as you know, your bees will be looking for food throughout the growing season).
Here are some plants that are native to Georgia and may be of interest:
Blooms early spring
Cercis canadensis (Eastern redbud)
Fothergilla gardenii (Dwarf witchalder)
(all the hollies are good nectar sources for bees)
Blooms spring/summer
Amorpha fruticosa (Indigo bush)
Cephalanthus occidentalis (Common buttonbush)
Vaccinium corymbosum (Highbush blueberry)
Blooms mid summer
Aralia spinosa (Devil's walkingstick)
Baccharis halimifolia (Groundseltree)
Clethra alnifolia (Coastal sweet pepperbush)
More Wildlife Gardens Questions
Plants for butterflies and hummingbirds in Louisville, KY
March 31, 2009 - Mr. Smarty Plants,
I live in Louisville KY. I have a waterfall and ponds connected by a small stream. I want to plant several plants around my waterfall- approx. 20 sq ft on both sides of waterfall....
view the full question and answer
wildflowers for bees and hummers in central Texas
June 16, 2011 - I'm building a native habitat for different hummingbirds and bees at the Inks Lake Fish Hatchery, and I was wondering what kind of native plants in Texas attract these creatures but are also low main...
view the full question and answer
Keeping bugs out of a Texas home
June 29, 2015 - I'm slowly growing my gardens into natural habitats for birds, bees, butterflies and other little critters but would like to keep them outside of my house. Being in central Texas it is difficult to ...
view the full question and answer
Hummingbird plants for OH
October 08, 2011 - We live in Toledo, Ohio and would like to have a Hamelia patens or firebush to attract hummingbirds; we are in their migration path. Would it survive outdoors or do we need to pot and move it indoors ...
view the full question and answer
Perennial native plant to attract butterflies/hummingbirds
January 24, 2013 - Need 3-6 foot perennial native plant to attract butterflies/hummingbirds in Paris Texas...full sun, with sprinkler system
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |