Spring blooming shrubs for pollinators

If spring blooming flowers weren't enough for you, some other early bloomers that pollinators like are spring flowering shrubs and fruit trees like cherries. For me, seeing a pussywillow, forsythia, or lilac in flower means that spring is here, regardless of spring snows and lack of other evidence.

If you have willows around you, watch for bees. Many willows bloom early and have inconspicuous but very useful flowers. The beloved soft pussywillows are a flower structure called catkins - which are a cluster of non-traditional flowers. They are hugely attractive to bees.

A pussywillow catkin (left) and one still in bloom and usable for bees (right) [1].

Lilacs come in such a variety of colors and heights that there should be one in every garden. The Butterfly Gardening publication from Colorado’s Butterfly Pavilion says that “lilacs are among the best nectar sources for the early butterflies, when little else is available.”

There are many great Viburnum varieties usable in western gardens. And a number of these shrubs bloom early and then produce colorful fruit.

American cranberrybush Viburnum [2]

Red twig dogwood shrubs also bloom early and has the advantage of late season berries and attractive winter stem color – thus the name red twig! This is not the large-flowered gorgeous dogwood found in the eastern states.

Red twig dogwood [2]

Western sand cherry is a small shrub [2].

If you have a xeric garden, there are numerous native shrubs that bloom early. If you have room in your garden for a small to mid-size shrub, look for:

• American plum - Prunus americana
• Western sand cherry - Prunus pumila
• Three-leaf sumac - Rhus trilobata 
• Golden current - Ribes aureum
• Cliffrose - Purshia sp.
• Serviceberry - Amelanchier sp. 

These are species that are most easily found in nurseries or garden centers that stock native plants, though a couple of these are becoming more common in the horticultural trade. They are not likely to be found in a big box store.

Golden currant also produces small fruit [2].

Serviceberries are very drought tolerant, once established. [3]

[1] Pussywillow photos from Hunters Garden Centre.
[2] Images from USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Herman, D.E., et al. 1996.
[3] Image from Sheri Hagwood, hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database.