Garden Experiments
For the love of gardening and wildlife habitat
Native to North America, this tall flowering perennial in the Asteraceae family makes a statement in my garden. Not only is it a prolific bloomer, but it also attracts all sorts of insects – bees, butterflies, and other insects. With a height of almost 6 feet, it towers around the base of the sycamore that I have it planted around. The leaves …
Continue Reading about Cutleaf Coneflower: Rudbeckia laciniata
Butterflies and bees love coneflowers in the genus Echinacea. You are probably familiar with purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), but many cultivars are now available in various colors: red, pink, white, orange, yellow, cream, green, and gold. There are even Echinacea flowers with double blooms. Natives vs Cultivars Echinacea is native …
Continue Reading about Echinacea species – Flowering plants for bees, butterflies, and birds
If you’re looking for a native, perennial plant to add to your garden that will be easy to care for, add great color to your garden, and attract hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies, bee balm (Monarda sp.) is a good choice. Bee balm is in the mint family; its leaves are aromatic and both leaves and flowers can be made into a tea. There are …
Continue Reading about Bee Balm Attracts Hummingbirds and Butterflies
If you like butterflies, than planting both plants that host the larvae and feed the butterflies are important. These are some of the flowering herbaceous plants (and one vine) suitable for planting in the southeast for the butterflies that we have here. Flowering plants that are host to larvae of the butterfly Flowering plants that provide …
Continue Reading about Food Plants for Butterflies and Caterpillars
Purple passionflower, also known as maypop, is a relatively quick-growing, perennial, herbaceous vine in the Passifloraceae family. You can find this native vine growing throughout the Southeast from Texas to Kansas up to Pennsylvania and down to Florida. In Mississippi, I’ve often seen it in pastures or open fields. It’s a great addition to an …
Continue Reading about Purple Passionflower: Passiflora incarnata
The plants in the genus Salvia are some of my favorite flowering plants. There are many colors and shapes to choose from when picking a plant for your garden. Salvias are great pollinator plants - butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds love the flowers. Here are some of my favorites from my garden. All salvias mentioned below are perennial in USDA …
Continue Reading about Salvia Flowers Attract Butterflies and Hummingbirds
