What’s Blooming

Most of the Tilia trees growing in Mecklenburg County are instead Tilia heterophylla, white basswood; their leaves are light colored and downy on the undersides. They are sometimes called “bee tree,” because while they bloom for a relatively short time, they shed pollen densely and offer nectar profusely so that they attract an abundance of attention from our bees.

Common Name: Garden Onion, Field Garlic, etc.Botanical Name: Allium cepa L., A. linealePlant Type: Perennial bulbTypical Bloom Period: June-AugustNectar Usefulness: excellentPollen Usefulness: very good A national restaurant chain offered a free “Bloomin’ Onion” on Monday. Of course, I heard about it on Wednesday after. Had it been a blooming onion in the proper sense, Allium … Continue reading Blooming in June: Allium

Common Name: Lyre-leaf Sage Botanical Name: Salvia lyrata Plant Type: Perennial herb Typical Bloom Period: April-May Nectar Usefulness: good Pollen Usefulness: good “Kick Me” is what we would write on the paper with tape, and a gentle pat on the back would mark the victim in such a way that s/he couldn’t see or remove … Continue reading Blooming in May: Lyre-leaf Sage

“Good fences make good neighbors” sings the proverb, and while Robert Frost may beg difference, an urban or suburban beekeeper would certainly agree. In Charlotte, it is as easy to grow a fence as to build one, and one of the favorite screen and hedge plants is Prunus laurocerasus, the Schipka Cherry Laurel, sometimes called … Continue reading Blooming in April: English Laurel