Redbuds and Pollinators
Easy-to-grow native redbud trees bloom gorgeous royal-purple flowers in the spring, but their importance to wildlife, even native bees, makes them triple the value in your landscape.
This time of year, the seedpods hang dainty and dry from the yellowing tree, and many will remain through much of the winter. Apparently not a preferred food for wildlife, these seed pods provide “emergency” fodder, later in the year when other supplies run low. Cardinals, raccoon, and deer, may eventually dine on them, but even if they don’t, redbuds are valuable to our native pollinators.
When redbuds bloom in late March and early April, the tiny pea-like flowers provide nectar to our important native bumblebees and other species of mining bees who emerge early in the year. Then later the foliage provides multiple functions. Larvae of the tiny Henry’s Elfin butterfly feed on the leaves, but another, little-known purpose, is how the leaves can be used as building material. A female leaf-cutting bee, a beneficial native mason bee, will often cut near-perfect circles from the leaves to seal up her brood for the next year. If you see holes like these pictured, don’t dismay. Your redbud is providing an important service to local native bees that will complete the cyle of pollination in the spring.
Easy-to-grow native redbud trees bloom gorgeous royal-purple flowers in the spring, but their importance to wildlife, even native bees, makes them triple the value in your landscape.
This time of year, the seedpods hang dainty and dry from the yellowing tree, and many will remain through much of the winter. Apparently not a preferred food for wildlife, these seed pods provide “emergency” fodder, later in the year when other supplies run low. Cardinals, raccoon, and deer, may eventually dine on them, but even if they don’t, redbuds are valuable to our native pollinators.
When redbuds bloom in late March and early April, the tiny pea-like flowers provide nectar to our important native bumblebees and other species of mining bees who emerge early in the year. Then later the foliage provides multiple functions. Larvae of the tiny Henry’s Elfin butterfly feed on the leaves, but another, little-known purpose, is how the leaves can be used as building material. A female leaf-cutting bee, a beneficial native mason bee, will often cut near-perfect circles from the leaves to seal up her brood for the next year. If you see holes like these pictured, don’t dismay. Your redbud is providing an important service to local native bees that will complete the cyle of pollination in the spring.
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