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.

Spring blooming pollinator plants

Lots of flowers bloom in the summer. Yet pollinators, especially bees, are active early in spring and many others need food later into the fall. So, if you are planning to add flowers to your garden specifically for pollinators, early and late bloomers might be the first flowers to add.

I know dandelions are the target of much angst and herbicide from gardeners. But these perennial bloomers are one of the first things to flower and are widely used by early foraging bees. My friend, a late-blooming but very enthusiastic bee-keeper, used to be a huge fan of herbicides. Now she has a lawn full of dandelions. She keeps them for her bees that come out of winter dormancy and are desperate for sustenance. She feeds them of course, but her spring lawn is a sea of yellow flowers covered with bees. Then once the flowers fade, she keeps her lawn well mown and only a few dandelions bloom during the summer months.

Spring bulbs are a more satisfying solution as early flowers. Crocus, tulips, daffodils, hyacinth, and other species of bulbs will bloom over several weeks of cooler weather and are visited by early bees and other insects. They need a long period of cold and have to be planted in the fall. You can find cheap bulbs in spring, but everybody sells bags of bulbs in the fall.

Amaryllis blooms

Here is my $3.89 Big Box store amaryllis! It has 3 blossoms/stem which are opening over about 1 week. Pretty FAB!