By By JAMES TABABA
Pollinators play a vital role in the reproduction of plants by transferring pollen from the male parts of flowers to the female parts, enabling fertilization and the production of fruits and seeds. Without pollinators, many plants would struggle to reproduce and could even face extinction.
In addition to their role in plant reproduction, pollinators contribute to biodiversity, ecosystem health, and food production. They ensure the genetic diversity of plant populations, which helps them adapt to environmental changes. Moreover, pollinators contribute to the production of fruits and vegetables in agriculture.
By attracting pollinators to your garden, you are not only fostering a thriving ecosystem but also ensuring the continuation of essential ecosystem services and the availability of fresh and healthy produce. Here are five plants that you should keep to attract and foster pollinators in your garden.
Sunflower
Sunflowers are a popular choice for attracting pollinators, thanks to their bright yellow petals and nectar-rich centers. These vibrant flowers are known to attract bees and butterflies. Their tall and sturdy stems make them a visually striking addition to any garden. Sunflowers thrive in sunny locations with well-drained soil.
Sunflower (Alexas Fotos/Pexels)
When planting sunflowers in your garden, it’s important to consider their potential impact on other nearby plants. Some sunflowers produce chemicals that can affect the growth of neighboring plants. To minimize any negative effects, make sure to give each sunflower enough space so they don’t crowd out other plants or block sunlight.
READ: Planting mistakes to avoid: Exploring incompatible crop combinations
Santan
Santan is a great plant for attracting pollinators. It is a very common plant used for landscaping due to its beautiful and vibrant flowers. Santan plants typically bear flowers throughout the year, providing a consistent source of nectar for pollinators.
Santan (Wander Fleur/Unsplash)
In addition to its aesthetic appeal and low maintenance requirements, santan also serves as a host plant for certain butterfly species. Butterflies lay their eggs on the leaves of the plant, and the caterpillars feed on the foliage. This interaction further enhances the ecological value of santan in supporting a diverse range of pollinators.
Gumamela
Gumamela is another great plant for attracting pollinators. It is a popular flowering shrub that is widely cultivated for its vibrant and showy flowers. It blooms in a wide range of colors, including shades of red, pink, orange, yellow, and white, which make it visually appealing to both humans and pollinators.
Gumamela (Vincent Gacutan/Unsplash)
One of the features of gumamela is its ability to bear flowers almost year-round. This characteristic ensures a continuous supply of nectar and pollen for pollinators, even during different seasons.
Coconut
Coconut trees are not only iconic crops in the country but also serve as a vital food source for local bees. Among the various coconut varieties, dwarf coconuts are particularly remarkable as they bear flowers earlier than tall varieties and also flowers all year round. This continuous flowering provides a consistent and abundant supply of nectar and pollen, making them an important resource for sustaining bee populations. Bees, in turn, play a crucial role in pollinating coconut flowers, facilitating the fertilization process, and ensuring the production of coconuts. This relationship between coconut trees and bees highlights the interconnectedness of ecosystems and emphasizes the importance of preserving pollinator-friendly environments.
Coconut (Huynh Phuong/Pixabay)
READ: Five most popular coconut varieties according to a certified coconut trader
Native grasses and weeds
Incorporating weeds and grasses strategically in your backyard garden can create a natural habitat for pollinators. Instead of eliminating all weeds, selectively weed and remove invasive ones while leaving native flowering that provide nectar and pollen for bees and butterflies. Regularly mow and trim the grass to a suitable height but leave patches of longer grass to serve as shelter for ground-nesting pollinators. Designate areas for wildflower meadows where native grasses, wildflowers, and flowering weeds can grow freely, providing abundant resources for pollinators.
Weeds and grasses are food sources for native pollinators (Beau Carpenter/Unsplash)
A pollinator-friendly garden offers numerous benefits. It increases the chances of successful pollination for your plants, leading to better fruit and seed production. It also enhances the diversity of wildlife in your garden, attracts beneficial insects, and contributes to the overall health of the local ecosystem.
