Home of the Practically Perfect Pink Phlox and other native plants for pollinators

Friday, April 18, 2014

A Few Favorite Flowers For Friday

Aquilegia canadensis
Columbine is found in rich rocky woods, north-facing slopes, cliffs, ledges, pastures, and roadside banks. Native to all states east of the Rockies, except Louisiana. A Duskywing skipper feeds on the leaves and hummingbirds seek out its nectar.
Phacelia bipinnatifida 

Purple Phacelia is common biennial wildflower in Middle Tennessee where it's found growing in moist woodlands and rocky slopes. Phacelia is all about the bees and that makes this gardener happy.
 Trillium luteum
Yellow trillium can be found in deciduous forests, open woods and along rocky stream banks in Eastern Tennessee, but, it grows happily in my Middle Tennessee garden.

 Phlox pilosa
The Practically Perfect Pink Phlox has just begun blooming~It has had a late start, which means that it might bloom into June! "Phlox flowers are the classic butterfly plant with their perfect landing pad (flared petals), a narrow tube that is accessible to the long proboscis of butterflies and fragrant flowers that occur in loose, rounded clusters.  The long bloom time means there's plenty of nectar for pollinator visitors from early to mid-spring. I've seen butterfly, skippers, bumblebees, Minor bees, carpenter bees and Flower flies visiting. I've read that Hummers visit as well and since it's blooming late here, they might stop by, too." It's happy in shade, sunshine, dry open woods, along roadsides and prairies. I am sad to report that the bunnies have discovered the PPPP and have taken a toll on the population~Not to worry, I bought new plants!
Hydrophyllum appendiculatum

Appendaged Waterleaf is a northern species of Waterleaf that is frequently found in rich woodlands in  Middle Tennessee. You'll recognize it and its near relatives by the mottled/waterstained leaves. You'll be able to tell this from the others by its maple leaf shaped leaves. Like its distant cousin Phacelia, it's a bee magnet.
Just a few of my favorite blooming wildflowers for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day! Yes, I'm late, but, you can still pop over to Carol/May Dreams Gardens blog to check out gardens from all over this great big beautiful world.

xoxogail

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.

13 comments:

  1. I love them all ... I'm so glad spring has made its way to C&L!

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  2. Oh how lovely!!! Thank you for sharing your fave five. ~~Dee

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  3. I love all of our various native Columbines, it's such a pretty flower. Here we have Aquilegia formosa. That's a great shot of your A. canadensis.

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  4. i only wish i could get in your head with all your wonderful knowledge of natives. i'm trying but i feel so far behind. i love your woodland lovely wildflowers.

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  5. That's a pretty columbine and great shot of the flower. The PPPP is on my list. I tried it several years ago, obviously planted in the wrong place. It's worth another try.

    Your love of native plants is inspiring.

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  6. None of the native plants are blooming here. Only the coltsfoot which isn't native.

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  7. Beautiful photos! You always do a great job at catching the pollinators in action.

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  8. I let my columbine go crazy last year and I have so many coming up this year. Thanks for the info about the plants that bees really like. I'm getting my first bees today!

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  9. I've seen several wild patches of the Aquilegia blooming blooming recently, and was very pleased to see them for sale at Lowe's and hoped people will snatch them up. Your other blooms are strangers here, but their cousins show up every now and then.

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  10. Gail so many gorgeous natives coming up...mine are beginning to wake nut with your pink phlox I can tell you are way ahead!!

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  11. Oh no, the rabbits have found your PPPP! They sabotaged my tulips, so I hope they didn't find the PPPP here as well. I saw the first bumblebee and the first butterfly here on Friday, but I they're having to make do with hyacinths and daffodils for now. I know they'd much prefer some of your tasty natives! Hope you had a Happy Easter!

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  12. Well that does it. I've heard enough about your PPPP that I'm finally ready to plant some myself. Do you have a nursery that you recommend to purchase from?

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"Insects are the little things that run the world." Dr. E O Wilson