Spring Plants that Attract Butterflies and Bees
Those of us with hope in hearts know that Spring is on its way.
This year, why not plan for some very welcome visitors in your garden? Let’s spend a moment familiarizing ourselves with several plants sure to attract butterflies and bees.
Milkweed has traditionally been one of our most popular butterfly plants.
Our Butterfly Flower Milkweed (Asclepias spp) and our Giant Milkweed (Calotropis Gigantea ) are perfect choices. Milkweed grows five nectar cups with incurved horns around the petals. This allows butterflies or caterpillars to move easily from one leaf to the next, collecting fallen pollen from the plant’s horns. Milkweed is also where Monarch butterflies prefer to lay their eggs.
In the last several years, those of us who love gardening have seen an alarming downward trend in the bee population. That’s why committed gardeners and environmentalists are paying more attention to attracting bees, by planting their favorite flowers and plants. As we all know, bees are one of the most important pollinating insects – so central to our gardens’ well being. This year, let’s plan to make our outdoor spaces more welcoming to these crucial critters.
