In My Garden: Butterflies and more!

Above: Buddleia bush, or butterfly bush full of butterflies and bees

Because I have lots of fruit trees in my garden pollination is very important. Most people think of European honey bees when they think pollination. Wild honey bees are only one of at least three dozen pollinators we have here in San Diego. To provide a good environment for these native pollinators they need an assortment of native and non-native flowering plants. In my yard I have planted flowering trees and bushes that provide a food source for the bumble bees, mason bees, carpenter bees, hover flies, wasps, and butterflies, to name a few. I have sage, buddleia, cactus, mallow, wild roses, rock roses and a host of non-native but known-to-attract native pollinators, like orange honeysuckle hedges. Milkweed is the only plant the monarch caterpillar eats, so I always have that planted in my yard as well because they would not survive without it. I plan my pruning and dead heading so as to always have something flowering year round along with my fruit trees.