Bee Plants

Beginning as early as midsummer the branching stems are cloaked in 1/2" wide white daisies with a contrasting yellow eye eventually becoming reddish. The nectar and pollen laden flowers attract mainly smaller pollinators like bees providing an important late summer source for winter stores. The Ontario Aster, Symphiotrichum ontarionis, is a native perennial that colonizes via rhizomes and grows to about 30-40"H. It is found mainly in the central US from coastal Louisiana north to Canada commonly in semi-shaded sites along stream banks, bogs, and similar consistently moist locations. Deadhead once flowering is complete to minimize reseeding if desired but songbirds may enjoy the small seeds if they are left to ripen. This species is very similar to and is often confused with other white flowered late summer and fall flowering asters. Caterpillar host: Field Crescent, Pearl Crescent, Texan Crescent, Roadside Checkerspot, Hoffman's Checkerspot, and American Lady. Item# 12775

The exceptionally dark purple to near black foliage provides the perfect foil for the numerous 2-3' high spikes of light lavender tubular flowers that appear white against their backdrop. Onyx and Pearls Penstemon or Beardtongue begins flowering in late spring to early summer providing weeks of color and a feast of nectar for hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. Even when not in flower the cloak of dark foliage provides a wonderful contrast for its neighbors. This easy to grow, clump-forming perennial is a selection of our native Foxglove Beardtongue, Penstemon digitalis, and will perform best in a moist to average moist, well-drained soil and a full to mostly sunny site will provide the darkest foliage color. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12308

Add a little tropical punch to your summer! Brilliant orange, 5-6" wide, full rounded flowers centered by a narrow pink halo that surrounds the deep magenta eye and is centered by a contrasting red tipped staminal column adorned with bright yellow stamens. Orange Lagos Tropical Hibiscus is a deservedly popular Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cultivar that begins flowering even at a very young age and over a long period throughout the warmer months to potentially year-round under warm tropical conditions. This is a naturally evergreen, heat and sunloving tropical shrub that develops into a well-branched, small to medium-sized plant which is perfectly suited to container culture and also makes an excellent garden and landscape shrub in areas with mild winter climates. Provide a full to partly sunny location in an average moist, rich fertile soil for optimum vigor and ocntinuous flowering. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Item# 12644

Tall dense spikes of golden-orange nectar rich flowers are produced throughout the year in mild winter climates atop an upright growing shrub with dense velvety gray foliage. Orange Sceptre Butterfly Bush is a hybrid Buddleja that remains evergreen in mild winter climates like zone 9 and warmer. The flowers attract larger bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Provide a full to mostly sunny location in an average moist well-drained soil for optimum health and flowering. Developed by Jon Lindstrom at the University of Arkansas by crossing Buddleja stachyoides x B. tubiflora. Item# 11664

A 2020 Missouri Botanic Gardens Plant of Merit selection! 3-5" wide light pale pink to purplish pink coneflowers with drooping petals are held well above the rosette of narrow foliage on sturdy stems. Flowering normally occurs in late spring and summer and the nectar rich disk flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. The Pale Purple Coneflower, Echinacea pallida, closely resembles the Sanguin Purple Coneflower, E. sanguinea, and like its cousin it is a taprooted, clump-forming perennial found mainly in the central US in meadows, glades, and other open areas. Its clump forming habit lends it to use in the garden and landscape as well as in naturalistic settings. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 12392

Tall spikes growing to 36" high are adorned in whorls of deep fuchsia, foxglove-like flowers beginning in mid to late spring and contuing into fall and attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Parade of Parrots Penstemon or Beardtongue is a clump-forming, herbaceous perennial developed from US native species and was selected for its brilliant color, excellent flower power, and vigor. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Remove spent flowering stems to help keep the plants flowering and looking clean. Parade of Parrots Penstemon is small enough to enjoy as a container plant but will also make a statement in the garden and landscape. Photos courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc., www.terranovanurseries.com, all rights reserved. Item# 13324

Possibly the brightest colored trailing Lantana on the market and both our staff and our pollinators have totally fallen in love with it! The rounded flower clusters open a deep orange-yellow, deepen through orange tones, and mature to deep fuchsia attracting a variety of bees, butterflies, and other garden beneficials throughout the growing season. Passion Fruit Lantana is a trailing selection perfectly suited to hanging basket and container culture whether as specimens or in mixed company and will also make a statement in the garden and landscape as a groundcover or enmasse. These heat and sunloving plants are sure to provide continuous color from spring to frost. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a fertile, average moist soil for optimum vigor and continuous flowering. Images courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 13310

Large clusters of deep purplish red tubular fragrant flowers open to display white and creamy yellow throats. Peaches and Cream Honeysuckle begins flowering in late spring and will continue into fall. It was selected not only for its ability to flower continuously throughout the growing season, exceptionally large flowers and flower clusters but also for its pest and disease resistance. Like most Honeysuckles, Peaches and Cream flowers on new growth so provide it with a full to mostly sunny position in a well-drained fertile soil. An easy mannerly vine for medium sized trellises, arbors, pergolas, and along fences. Caterpillar host: Chalcedon Checkerspot. Images courtesy of Star® Roses and Plants, all rights reserved. Item# 11719

Large 3" wide, deep blue, cornflower-like daisies are produced on sturdy stalks starting in late spring and lasting through much of summer on well established clumps. Peachies Pick is a dense clump forming and exceptionally long flowering selection of the Stokesia Daisy. Its dense compact habit make this the perfect Stokes Aster for gardens and landscapes. Did we mention that it doesn't flop like older cultivars? This southern selection originated from the gardens of and was named for Peachie Saxon of Mississippi. It originated to us from one of the people who helped to make it known to gardeners and landscapers everywhere, noted horticulturist and author Gail Barton of Meridian, Mississippi. Item# 10810.

A slightly more compact Joe-Pye Weed-like hybrid, in summer Phantom Eupatorium produces large rounded clusters of purplish-pink flowers that sit atop sturdy dark maroon stems adorned with large medium green Joe-Pye Weed-like foliage. This clump forming herbaceous perennial was selected for its shorter branchier habit, excellent flower power, and mildew resistance but in all other regards is very similar to its larger growing parent. At maturity Phantom Eupatorium develops into a large rounded perennial to about 5'x5' whose stems are topped in 12" wide clusters of nectar rich flowers for weeks attracting a bevy of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Provide a full to mostly sunny location and a wet to moist soil and can be used in bog gardens and near ponds or other water sources. Received 4 out of 5 stars in Joe Pye Weed trials at Chicago Botanic Gardens. Images courtesy of North Creek Nurseries, all rights reserved. Item# 11976

1" long recurving light lavender petals are topped by a large boss of starkly contrasting deep red to purplish red filaments that are tipped by contrasting yellow stamens and are produced in about midspring. Pollinated flowers may be followed by greenish oblong tropical flavored guava-like fruit. Pineapple Guava, Acca sellowiana or Feijoa sellowiana, is a medium to large evergreen shrub, sometimes trained into a small tree, that is cloaked in deep grayish green to olive gray green foliage that has a silvery reverse. The plants have a naturally rounded habit at maturity and typically do not require pruning and the plants have few disease or pest problems so long as they are grown in a well-drained soil. Wait for ripened 2-3" long fruits fall to the ground and allow them to continue to ripen in a cool dry area. Once they soften and the fragrance intensifies you know they are ready for eating. They have minty-ish pineapple-like flavor and fragrance. For the best fruit production plant at least two different varieties or seedlings. Ours are seed grown plants. The flowers themselves are edible also and would likely be best used in a salad. Item# 1207

Clusters of pale pink trumpets with dark pink throats are produced throughout the growing season or year round under warm frost free conditions on this easy to grow twining climber with fine-textured, glossy, deep green foliage. The Pink Bower Vine is a vigorous, naturally evergreen vine that is well suited for covering sunny arbors, fences, and trellises and yet can easily enough be enjoyed as a container plant where not hardy. Provide full to mostly sunny conditions for the best flowering although the Bower Vine will tolerate light shade and still flower moderately well. Item# 11164

Large soft pink flower clusters, to 3" wide and 8-10" long, composed of tiny fragrant nectar rich flowers adorn the weeping stems of this fountaining Butterfly Bush in summer and fall are held against softly contrasting a backdrop of fresh minty green foliage. Pink Cascade Buddleia is a vigorous hybrid and a 2018 Walter's Gardens introduction developed by crossing Buddleia davidii with Buddleia lindleyana. The flowers attract loads of butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 11636

Hundreds of 1" wide deep reddish-pink daisies are produced in fall atop these dense mounding perennials that could easily be grown in the place of fall mums. Pink Crush New England Aster, a selection of Aster novae-angliae (a.k.a. Symphyotrichum novae-angliae), is a clump forming native perennial with a densely branching, naturally rounded habit requiring no pinching, and producing a superior fall show. It doesn't lodge or break over like the species can. The flowers attract bees and butterflies. Use these perennials where you would normally buy Chrysanthemums whether as part of the perennial border, landscape, or as container plants. Provide a full sun to mostly sunny site in an average to well-drained, fertile soil with average moisture for optimum vigor and flowering. Caterpillar host: Field Crescent, Pearl Crescent, Texan Crescent, Roadside Checkerspot, Hoffman's Checkerspot, and American Lady. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12841

Huge conicle flower spikes can reach 18" long and 4" wide at the base! Hundreds of small, orange-eyed, fragrant, nectar rich flowers compose the more typically 4-8" long and 2-3" wide concile flower spikes and are produced from late spring to fall attracting a host of different pollinators from butterflies, to bees, to flower flies, as well as the occasional hummingibird. Pink Delight Butterfly Bush is a medium to large, deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub and may act like a die-back perennial freezing back to near ground level in the northern most portions of its range. The plants are cloaked in grayish green foliage during the growing season and mature to about 5-7' high and wide by the end of the growing season. An excellent choice for butterfly gardens. Item# 558

The large and showy, cupped, 2-4" wide pink and white full flowers of this Primrose make it one of the most desirable and recognizable members of its genus. The many common names attest to the affection that has been doted upon it over the years. Pink Ladies is a low growing colonizing, groundcover like perennial that flowers for an extended period beginning in mid spring with established plants producing a display of showy flowers well into summer under good conditions. Tolerant of a wide range of soil types this easy to establish perennial readily reseeds making this a great choice for naturalistic settings, roadside plantings, and meadows. Attracts a variety of pollinators. Item# 10911.

Hundreds of Japanese-lantern like buds open to display the unusual, downward facing, deep rosy pink flowers with strappy petals, that lighten toward their tips and are red speckled on the inside, are produced in late spring and early to midsummer with some repeat into fall. The flowers are held in large clusters of up to 50 flowers from the upright flower stems. Pink Octopus Japanese Bellflower, an unusually heat and humidity tolerant Campanula hybrid, is a clump forming, slowly spreading, 12-16" high perennial with feathery edged deep green foliage that makes an easy groundcover in full sun to part shade conditions. Provide an average moist soil in full sun but tolerant of drier soils in shaded areas once fully estagblished. Soils should be well-drained for optimum growth and flowering. Pink Octopus Bellflower was recommended for green roofs by Jimmy Turner while he was at the Dallas Arboretum and it performed quite well in their Perennials for Purgatory trials. Photos courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc., www.terranovanurseries.com, all rights reserved. Item# 12861

Received a rating of 4.87 out of 5 in the UGA Trial Gardens and was a staff and visitor favorite in Terra Nova Nurseries trials! The dense spikes of deep rosy pink, tubular buds open to a soft pink creating a wonderful two-toned effect from late spring through summer and into early fall. The nectar rich flowers of Agastache are a favorite of hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. Pink Pearl Agastache was selected for its exceptional flower power, compact habit, and garden performance, so compact in fact it could be used as a groundcover. Hummingbird Mint's excellent flower power ensures that it will keep your hummingbirds happy throughout the growing season. Provide a full to mostly sunny location with excellent drainage and good air circulation for the best results. Enjoy this Hummingbird Mint as a low maintenance container plant or use it en masse in the garden and landscape. Moderately drought resistant once well-established. Deer and rabbit resistant. Photos courtesy of TERRA NOVA® Nurseries, Inc. www.terranovanurseries.com, all rights reserved. Item# 13083

Loads of 1-1/2" wide, starry, hose in hose flowers are light pink blushed white and have a slightly darker pink blotch and flecks in early to midspring and nearly hide the dark green foliage in peak flowering. Pink Pearl Azalea, originally named Azuma Kagami in Japan and imported and renamed by E.H. Wilson as part of the 'Wilson's Fifty', is a moderately vigorous, medium sized, heirloom, Kurume evergreen azalea with a mounding habit to about 4-5'H. Its moderately vigorous habit lend this large growing evergreen azalea to use as an informal medium-sized hedge, specimen plant, and as a spring flowering backdrop for mixed perennial gardens as well as in the landscape. Azaleas do best in average moist, acidic soils that are rich in organic matter but have good to excellent drainage and should be top dressed with an organic mulch such as pine straw and pine bark. We recommend using a slow-release, non-burning fertilizer that is labeled for acidic loving plants. Azalea flowers attract a variety of pollinators including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Item# 12804