ATHENS — With so many options available, it can be challenging to know what plants to add to your home garden that will look beautiful and help the environment. The State Botanical Garden of Georgia at the University of Georgia is helping gardeners by selecting four Georgia Pollinator Plants of the Year.
The program, a collaboration between the State Botanical Garden, UGA Extension and green industry partners, began in 2020. The program annually promotes four top-performing landscape plants that support pollinators. Plants are chosen for the following categories: spring bloomer, summer bloomer, fall bloomer and Georgia native.
The pollinator plant of the year program was designed to encourage the use of high-impact plants that support pollinators in private and commercial gardens. It is funded in part by the Vaughn-Jordan Foundation.
“Our audience has been very receptive to the program,” Heather Alley, the garden’s conservation horticulturist, said. “These plants always sell beautifully at our plant sales. One of our partner growers has enjoyed highlighting these plants, and their customers are excited about them.”
The 2023 plants in the four categories of the program are:
Spring bloomer — Blue wild indigo (Baptisia australis) Blue wild indigo is a 4-foot-tall perennial wildflower in the pea family. In spring, this plant has tall spikes of eye-catching cobalt blue flowers.
Conservation value: Supports many native bees and other pollinators.
Summer bloomer — Wild bergamotpollinator plants (Monarda fistulosa) Wild bergamot is a perennial in the mint family that grows 4 to 5 feet tall, with long-lasting white, lavender or magenta summer blooms that attract many different pollinators.
Conservation value: Supports many native bees, hummingbirds and butterflies.
Fall bloomer — Aromatic asterpollinator plants (Symphyotrichum…
Read the full article here
