Flowers with Honeybees. 8.20.2020

 Just a mixture of photos of flowers with honeybees.

I think borage is one of the top honeybee forage flowers.  They do self-seed, prolifically, year after year.  However, the volunteer seedlings are easy to pull out if not wanted.  Borage has a long period of blooming, and is at its peak when a lot of the others are done.

A groundcover sedum, I think Sedum kamtschaticum.  These were cuttings, basically trimmings from someones plant, they left them on the break table at work for anyone who wanted them.  I just stuck them in the ground, no special care, and they took off and filled their space.  Honeybees seem to like most of the Sedums.

Milkweed.  I think this one is Asclepias incarnata.   I had covered the area this Spring with a ground fabric and tree mulch, but it came up at the edge.  I'm glad it did.  It also has an offspring in a container, which I intend to transplant.

Oregano flowers are usually covered with honeybees.  You can hear them hum before you see them.

I don't know this flower.  It came up in the uncut grass.

Some of the Chinese chives are still blooming.  Good for honeybees, who are always all over the chive flowers.

More oregano.

This is the larger, bushier perennial type sedum.  It's similar to "Autumn Joy" but I don't think it is. 

Milkweed updates. 7.5.18

Asclepias incarnata.  7.5.15

Asclepias syriaca.  7.5.18

 These are two species of milkweed.  I grew the Asclepias syriaca from seeds a few years ago, and transplanted them to the current location.  I bought the Asclepias incarnata about two years ago as a nursery plant.  As it turns out, both attract honeybees and butterfles.  Both are fragrant.  They bloom at about the same time.  The A. syriaca is a larger plant, and looks a bit like a rubber tree for a while, then looks a bit sad as it dries out.  The A. incarnata seems to have a longer bloom duration.  Both develop pods that are filled with fluffy "down", and would be interesting in dried arrangements.

Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) Transplanting Update. 6.28.17

Last fall, in September, I transplanted two milkweed plants to the front border.  At the time, these had just finished their second summer, and had bloomed for the first time, after I started them from seeds.  I had read that Asclepius syriaca cannot be transplanted, but I had also read that they are hard to kill.  These had nice rhizomes and roots, and soil fell readily from them, without much apparent damage.  I transplanted, watered them in, and tiied to a stake to prevent wind from uprooting them.

This milkweed species is very slow to emerge from dormancy in the Spring.  I tried not to disturb them, and weeds more or less took over that spot.  I gave up on them, thinking they died.  This week I cleaned up the area, and noted new growth for both plants.  That's nice, since I did want them to grow there.  They are behind the others in size, and a bit scrawny due to weed competition, but now I think they will establish and mature nicely in their new home.

Regenerating Milkweed Plants.  6.28.17

This is the root mass for the transplanted milkweed, Sept, 2016.

Milkweed Plants, year #3. 5.24.17

Milkweed Asclepias syriaca.  Year#3.  5.24.17

These are common milkweed, Asclepius syriaca, that I grew from seeds in 2015.  They have a beautiful, unique, fragrant, pink flower.  During their first year, the plants were delicate-looking, very thin fragile stems and small plants.  During their second year, they grew much sturdier stems, and bloomed during the summer.    Flower photo is same plant, July 2016.

Last fall, I dug up two of the milkweed plants, and transplanted them to a front yard flower bed.  They do not appear to have survived.  I read they are difficult to transplant, interesting for such a sturdy-looking plant.

These plants seem to be the last to start growing.  They must need a lot of warmth to break dormancy.  Almost everything else has leafed out, before the milkweeds showed any sign of life.  I thought they were dead.  The same thing happened last year.  Then I was walking around, and saw they fooled me once again. 

Asclepias syriaca.  Jul 2016.

Transplanting Milkweed Plants. Asclepias syriaca. 9.23.16

Milkweed Asclepius syriaca.  7.4.16

Asclepias syriaca is a fragrant native flower that goes by the names, common milkweed, butterfly flower, silkweed, among others.   Honeybees love them, as do many other pollenizing and nectar collecting insects.  They are fragrant and have distinctive balls of soft pink flowers on a tropical, rubber-tree looking perennial plant.  They are native to prairies, and considered weedy by some but attractive to others. 

These plants were grown from seeds, planted in early 2015 and planted in my fig tree row.  Some bloomed this year, especially the ones in sunnier locations.  I wanted to plant a few in the rock garden border, which is very sunny and will show them off better.

Milkweed Asclepius syriaca.  7.4.16

 Most of the web info states that milkweed is not transplantable.  They need to be grown from seeds, or in containers to be planted when small.  However, these plants were not in an ideal location, and were too close together.  This may be a good time to transplant, now that they have finished growing for the year, have collected their nutrients and stored them in the rhizomatous roots, and the hottest parts of summer are long gone.

A few hours ahead of digging, I watered generously to loosen up the dry soil.  Then I cut a wide circle under the plant, and dug under it, lifting it out carefully.  The soil fell away, leaving healthy-looking roots.

Milkweed Asclepius syriaca.  7.4.16

The pictured roots were the best looking of the three plants that I moved.  The other two had much less root mass.  I quickly re-planted and watered them in, and mulched.  They are tied so that they don't fall over and pull the roots out of the soft soil

They don't look like much.  It will be interesting to see if they grow next year.  I think they will be OK.

Daylilies, Buddleias, and Milkweeds. 7.4.16

Daylily "Fooled Me".  7.4.16

Daylily "Daring Deception" - may be atypical.  7.4.16

Daylily "Chicago Apache".  7.4.16

Daylily "Strawberry Candy".  7.4.16

This daylily is very pretty.  I moved it from the Vancouver place a few years ago, divided it, and divided it again.  I don't know the variety name.  It was purchased locally.

Daylily, unknown variety.  7.4.26

Honeybee, Milkweed Asclepias syriaca.  7.4.16

I grew these milkweeds from seeds last year.  They require at least one year to bloom.  Some have not bloomed yet.  They are very fragrant.  Honeybees like them.

Honeybee on milkweed.  7.4.16

Honeybee on milkweed.  7.4.16

Milkweed Asclepias syriaca.  7.4.16

Milkweed Asclepias syriaca.  7.4.16

These Buddleia "Peach Cobbler" are not as compact as marketed.  They are more like a tree than a shrub, about 18 feet tall in their 4th year.  They make a nice windbreak for the orchard.  The "Peaach Cobbler" variety is quite fragrant, as is the "Miss Ruby" Variety.  "Honeycomb" does not seem to have much of a scent.  The Western Swallowtail Butterflies like the fragrant Buddleias, and is about the only place where I see these butterflies.

Swallowtail Butterfly on Buddleia hybrid 'Peach Cobbler".  7.4.16

Buddleia hybrid "Honeycomb"

What's Blooming. 6.28.16

Marigods

Crocosmia

Milkweed

Potato Onion

Roses

Classic Red Rose

Potato Onion

Chinese Chives

Overwintered Pelargoniums from Cuttings

Milkweeds and Lindens. 6.8.16

Asclepias syriaca, approx one year after panting seeds.  6.8.16

Asclepias syriaca at one year.  6.8.16

I planted the milkweed seeds last year.  These are the common milkweed, "Asclepius syriaca". They have a tropical appearance, beautiful fragrant flower, and I think if not native / considered a weed, they would be a nursery plant.  I planted for bees and butterflies.  They were late, coming out of dormancy.  I thought they were dead.  Then they grew with a burst of vigor.

The American Linden is blooming very nicely.  There are pollinating bees, although I have not seen honeybees.  The flowers are fragrant.  I planted this tree February, 2013.

Deer damage has occurred, but minimal.  I'm a bit surprised, since Linden leaves are considered edible.

American Linden Tilia americana "Redmond".  6.9.16

Tilia americana "Redmond" with wasp.  6.8.16

American Linden "Redmond"  about 3 years after planting.  6.8.16

Asclepius Syriaca Seedlings. Year Two. 4.20.16

Asclepius syriaca sprout.  4.20.16

I thought the milkweed did not survive our mild wet winter, and had rotted away.  I had not labeled the area.  It turns out, at least this sprout survived and is growing strong.  Others may or may not follow.  I was excited to see this, even if it's the only one to survive.

Update.   4.21.16.  All told, there are 6 milkweed plants growing through the grass clipping mulch now.  They look stout and healthy.  Much larger and more robust appearing than last year.

Bee Garden Observations and Progress Report. 9.13.15

First Year Bloom, Agastache.  9.13.15

Buckwheat Falling Over.  9.13.15

Most of these are first year growth on perennials.  Expected to reach full bloom and maturity next year.

Agastache / Anise hyssop  is blooming now, first year.  Maybe I should start some earlier next year, for more plants and earlier start on blooming.  As it is, I'm surprised.  No bees on them yet.

Buckwheat now falling over.  Very few flowers appear to have set grain, so far.

Joe Pye Weed starting to bloom.  No bees on that so far.  It's just one plant.  Maybe they need more.

Milkweed, Asclepius syriaca remaining fairly small.  Expect full growth and bloom next year.

Chinese chive, Allium tuberosum, discussed already today.

I also planed two grocery store packs of ornamental alliums.  "Gladiator" and a giant blue one.  They bloom Spring or early Summer.

First Year Bloom, Joe Pye Weed.  9.13.15

First Year, Milkweed and Chinese Chive.  9.13.15