I’m as big a fan of Midwestern native plants as anybody, and I’m aware of the argument that you need natives to draw in the pollinators, but I’ve observed this year that it’s been the non-natives that have really been drawing in the bees. This fall in particular I have three plants that have been doing yeoman’s work in this regard.


Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners

My first surprise came at the end of August as caryopteris ‘Sunshine Blue’ started to bloom (origin China). Suddenly, there were bees. Lots of them. There are several caryopteris for us to choose from these days, and mine are a pair of the yellow-leaved variety. I’ve been pleased to see that the flower color, while not the strong blue depicted in the catalogs, seems to be turning into a nice deep lavender. This has taken a while to develop, so if you get one, expect the bloom to be a bit wimpy the first couple years.

Photo Courtesy of Bailey Nurseries

My Japanese anemone ‘Robustissima’ is also a magnet for the bees. This plant is aggressive in the garden and I regret to say that my clump, now 5 feet wide and 8 or 10 feet deep isfar too large and I’m going to have to dig out at least half of it before the snow flies. It’s in a nice sunny spot where I really do need to grow tomatoes next year. (By the way, my neighbors around the corner have Japanese anemones doing quite well in part shade.)

Photo Courtesy of Bailey Nurseries

Third, there’s Heptacodium miconioides, the seven-son tree, also from China. (Don’t you just love to say that name?) By the end of September, it’s in full bloom, and the bees are buzzing.  This is the tree that seems to play tricks on us by blooming twice—first with its clusters of white flowers and second, when the calyxes turn rosy.  It’s fast-growing, too, a special benefit in a climate like ours with a garden season that’s always far too short.

—Carolyn Ulrich