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#1 |
Heron
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Lower Pioneer Valley
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My favorite plant comes out on top. Clustered Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum muticum). 78 different insects in 2 min, 10 week bloom time.
http://extension.psu.edu/plants/mast...-trial-results clay and limestone: Wildflower Wednesday: A Mint You and the Pollinators Will Love
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#2 | |
A Bee's Best Friend
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Chicago Illinois USA
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Excellent. 78 different insects in 2 minutes is awesome. I have never grown mountain mint but I may have to remedy that.
I can attest to the accuracy of the bumble bee favorites though numbers are highest in late summer when the hives are at maximum size.There have been hundreds of bees on the lemon queen Helianthus for days on end. Quote:
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#3 |
Heron
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: c. Mississippi
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That is a great find, rB. Any chance you know where the list is of all 88 plant species they evaluated? One of my favorites around here is Pycnanthemum incanum. I've not yet seen any P. muticum here in MS, but the USDA Plants database lists it as being around a few counties.
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"That land is a community is the basic concept of ecology, but that land is to be loved and respected is an extension of ethics." — Aldo Leopold |
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#4 |
Fox
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Wisconsin
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In my area it's Pycnanthemum virginianum, mountain mint, and I definitely have to get some more. Always nice to see info like this coming out.
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#5 |
A Bee's Best Friend
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Chicago Illinois USA
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These sort of studies also highlight how it does matter which variety of a species is best for a particular area. Most native plant species have varieties with adaptations to local conditions. Liatris as an example has mesic prairie, swamp and even a hillside gravel variety. Every variety has a different quality and will do its best under certain ecological conditions. The insect numbers will vary by where the plant is growing and time frame within the plants life cycle. We learn much by trail and error. It is good to have some accumulated data to use as resource.
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Tags |
2013, penn, pollinator, results, state, trial |
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