Look at the list of 7 Bad Plants For Bees, Butterflies, and Pollinators. This guide will provide you with information on what to avoid.
Encouraging pollinators in your garden is crucial for both the natural ecosystem and the production of fruits and vegetables. It’s not only beneficial for those who grow food, but also for those who don’t. Selecting the right plants is vital, and it’s equally important to keep away from plants that can be harmful to bees or are unattractive to them, especially considering the declining numbers of these essential pollinators. This guide will help you inform about Bad Plants For Bees, Butterflies, and Pollinators.
Read: Grow Firebush to Attract Hummingbirds
Bad Plants For Bees, Butterflies, and Pollinators
1. Cucurbits
A group of plants that don’t attract bumblebees or honeybees includes the cucurbits, such as cucumbers, squashes, and melons. Consuming cucurbit pollen can potentially harm bumblebees and restrict their reproductive capabilities.
While cucurbits do have pollinators, as shown by their fruit production, it’s advisable to avoid planting them in your vegetable garden if you’re specifically aiming to attract and support bumblebees and honeybees.
2. Yellow Jessamine
The vining yellow jessamine, a plant often found in the southeastern U.S., can be harmful to bees. It’s a common ornamental with bright yellow flowers that smell nice. However, the nectar and pollen from this plant can be deadly for some bees. If a honeybee eats from it, it might die within a day. While it doesn’t hurt the native pollinators, it can be dangerous for introduced bees commonly found in gardens today.
3. Red Flowers
Supporting bees is crucial as their numbers have declined due to colony collapse. To aid bees by offering nectar-producing flowers, it’s important to select blooms that attract them. Bees have the ability to perceive various colors, including ultraviolet, which is invisible to humans. Interestingly, bees don’t see red well, so while red flowers don’t harm bees, they may not effectively attract them.
Read: What Attracts Ladybugs?
4. Some Tilia Species
A few plants can be harmful to bees because they are poisonous. It’s important to stay away from these plants to keep our helpful pollinators safe. Some lime trees, also known as linden, from the Tilia group can be toxic to bumblebees. If bumblebees eat from these trees, they can get sick or even die.
Choose safe Tilia trees like small-leaved and large-leaved lime or linden. Avoid toxic ones such as weeping silver lime, Caucasian lime, silver linden, and Chinese lime.
5. Swallow-Wort
It’s not just the plants that harm bees that you need to be cautious about in a pollinator garden. Pale and black swallow-wort are invasive species that are harmful to monarch butterflies, which rely on milkweed for reproduction.
Because butterflies mistake these species for milkweed, they lay their eggs on them. Sadly, the larvae cannot survive on these toxic plants. Originally from Asia and Europe, these climbing vines cause harm in the U.S. If you spot them growing in your garden, it’s important to remove them promptly.
6. Swamp Titi
Similar to yellow jessamine, swamp titi is found naturally in the southeastern U.S. and beyond, but it can be harmful to non-native species like honeybees. Swamp titi, scientifically known as Cyrilla racemiflora, is a small shrubby tree with beautiful clusters of white flowers.
While the fragrant flowers draw in honeybees, the nectar they collect and bring back to hives can be damaging. Beekeepers have observed a condition known as purple brood, where bee larvae turn purple and perish as a result.
7. Any Type of Invasive Plant
Avoid planting any species listed as invasive in your area, as they can be harmful to bees and other pollinators. Even if these invasive plants produce flowers and nectar that pollinators like, they can indirectly cause harm by crowding out the native species that pollinators rely on. Some pollinators can adapt to various plants, while others depend on specific ones for food. If invasive plants outcompete these crucial plants, certain pollinators may suffer. Do not introduce invasive plants, and immediately remove any you find in your yard.
The negative impact of invasive plants extends beyond your garden. Birds and other animals can spread seeds from gardens to wild areas, contributing to the spread of invasives that can take over natural spaces and harm pollinators.
Note: While plants that directly harm bees are rare, there are varying choices when it comes to supporting bees and other pollinators in the garden. Choose species that attract and nourish your pollinators, and stay away from problematic plants.
