Native Plants

[clgs]

Looking to plant an historic property (1799 farm house) that has a creek, open meadows and woods with native species that are good nectar or pollen sources. I've gone through all the threads in this topic for plant and tree names. I know that the honey bee is not native so its evolutionary food sources would not be north american. However, I'd still like to combine my bee hobby with my current project of planting native trees, bushes, and flowers on this land. We especially need to add to the plantings on the creek banks to prevent erosion.

(not to worry that the girls will not be well fed - the property is in the middle of an agricultural county, no matter what I plant they will probably fly to "sweeter" pastures)

Hope someone is out there with expertise in this area - would greatly appreciate any advice.

[BEES4U]

If you are low in your willow population you can propagate your own along the erozion zones.
Ernie

[Tom G. Laury]

Be sure to check with your local Farm Service Agency. ( USDA ) There may be programs ( =money& advice ) for habitat enhancement especially on highly erodible or riparian land.

[BEES4U]

You can do a search of Pa native plants

[Michael Bush]

I can't guarantee that they are all native, but I believe they are:

Black Locust
Tuplip Poplar
Basswood
Tupelo
Most any kind of native gum tree
Red Maples (early pollen)
Pussywillow (early pollen)

Most clovers are not native, but I believe there is a prairie clover that is.

If you want to try them, the American Chestnuts are also and some seedlings are available. They are, unfortunately succeptable to the blight that almost wiped them out.

[sentientsoil]

I'm not sure about the tupelo since it doesn't grow in my area and am not familiar with it, but I can vouch for every tree MB listed, otherwise. I think tupelo is as well.

Catalpa is another native tree with huge blossoms and lots of nectar, but I've never had the opportunity to observe wether the honey bees work them. I've read varying accounts...

Redbud may be worthwhile, and is native. Sumac is also native, and wikipedia lists it as a major source.

the native raspberries may be a good choice, tho I don't know how their nectar production compares to the cultivars grown commercially.

also, milkweed and any of your native asters should be helpful...

merry hunting!

just read in another post about persimmons (thanks chandler!) that they have good amounts of nectar too, and I know they're native to NAmerica, not sure about your neck of the woods.

[justin]

you guys have not heard the story about the attempt to bring the silk trade to the us?they brought over the tupelo tree from china maybe?things got out of hand.i dont remember where i heard it but i know i also heard the same story about the mullberry trees i miss so much.dont know if either story is true.

[Michael Bush]

Silk worms live on mulberry trees... I'm pretty sure it's the only thing they can eat.

Yes, sumac is a good honey source and makes a nice red foliage during late summer into early winter sometimes.

[sentientsoil]

so I just looked it up. there are 5 species of tupelo native to eastern N America. :)

Mulberries in america come in two varieties. the red mulberry and the white mulberry. the red is native. the white is from eastern asia. so you can enjoy mulberries guilt-free!

[brooksbeefarm]

I!m like M.Bush I don!t know if these are native to your area or not.
1. Water tupelo (tree reaches 80ft. good fore creek banks.
2.paw paw (tree reaches 30ft.
3.persimmon (tree reaches 60ft.
4.Redbud (tree reaches 30ft.
5.Ninebark(shrub good fore creek banks
6.Witch Hazel (shrub good fore creek banks
7.Buttonbush (shrub
8.False Indigo (shrub,in the legume family
9.Nannyberry (shrub
10.aromatic,fragrant.and smooth sumac
11.Wild plum (tree reaches 25ft.
12.Elderberry( shrub, fruit also makes a good wine:)
These are native to Mo. and most are cold hardy.I have several catalpa trees and have only seen the bees on them heavy 3yrs ago?but the bumble bees work them every year:scratch:.Good luck hope this helps.

[sentientsoil]

that's a great list brooks! I've never even heard of ninebark, woohoo! (I'm a learning junky)

on the pawpaw, everything I've read about it says it's only pollinated by flies and it doesn't make any nectar for bees to bother with. I do love these trees tho, and they're definitely native.

[clgs]

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. What great lists and references to help! Off to the gardening stores to try and catch some of these on end of season sale. Please keep the ideas flowing.

[Fred Bee]

How about clovers? White, yellow, or crimson?

[Michael Bush]

I think there might be some native clover, but most are from Europe.

[BoBn]

I'll add a few natives:

1. Dogwood
2. Inkberry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilex_glabra)
3. Winterberry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilex_verticillata)
4. American Holly (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Holly)
5. Red Maple (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_maple)
6. Viburnum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viburnum)
7. Checker Berry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaultheria_procumbens)
8. Snowberry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowberry)

[Michael Bush]

Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus stolonifera minx)

[notaclue]

Is the Carolina Spring Beauty native to your area? Around here this weed blooms from early to mid-spring and covered in honeybees. No one I know will cut their lawn until after its blooms die away. It is that pretty.

It is a low growing plant with small blooms and usually shows up after the daffodils have peaked.

[Troy]

The original poster is from PA.

M. Bush suggested the chestnut, and also pointed out the blight. I had read about a guy who spent 30+ yrs crossing chestnut varieties to get a blight resistant variety.

He got some success with a variety that is like 95% American chestnut and though it will get the blight it recovers. He injected his test trees with 1000 times the dose a tree would ever get and it wilts and recovers.

The trees were expensive, like $30 for a 1 foot yearling, but if they grew here in FL, I'd buy a bunch of them. They are a lost tradition in America today. It is even in a famous Christmas carol "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire........"

I've never even seen a live American chestnut tree. I believe they would have been a part of that historic site, and rightfully should be there.

Look it up and find those trees and plant some.