Three Natives, in the pink

  • Post published:09/16/2010
  • Post comments:3 Comments
Bee Balm (Monarda)

I wasn’t going to miss another Three for Thursday hosted by Cindy over at My Corner of Katy. Right now I have three pink natives blooming in my garden.  I might be stretching a point to all this bee balm pink, but it is not brilliant scarlet so I am including it.  Bee balm, Monarda, is native to North America as are the other two pinks in my garden. Bee balm is in my herb garden in front of the house even though I do not use it medicinally or in tea – although I could.  It is sometimes called Oswego tea

Echinacea

Echinacea is credited with being the most used herbal plant in the world. It is considered an immuno-booster. My husband takes echinacea capsules whenever he feels a cold coming on. I do not harvest any part of my echinacea for medicinal purposes. I’m happy to let it bloom in the garden and let the birds eat the seeds.

Chelone obliqua

Pink turtlehead is another late blooming native. It is pollinated by bumblebees and I was very amused to watch the bees on this clump searching for blossoms that they could enter and harvest nectar. When they find a suitable blossom they are almost entirely hidden by the petals. My clump is about three feet tall and very healthy, even with this dry summer.

This Post Has 3 Comments

  1. Carol

    Pat, What lovely clumps of pink blooms you have here. I love them all and wish to grow Turtle head again. Your bee balm looks fabulous, whereas mine are so sad from the drought. I love watching the bumblebees going in and out of their favorite blooms. ;>)

  2. Rachelle Towne

    Bothe the turtlehead and the beebalm pictured here are selected cultivars (bred) of a native genus and not true “natives” themselves. I think the echinecea here probably is a selected cultivar as well,most likely the one sold under the name ‘Magnus’.

  3. Pat

    Rachelle – You bring up an interesting point, and one I have discussed with ‘native’ experts in my area. I did buy the echinacea from a nursery, but the bee balm and turtlehead were bought at local plant sales, divisions of plants from local gardens so I don’t know exactly what they are. Ruth Parnall, says it doesn’t matter to the wildlife if they supply what they need, and these three plants do seem to do that.

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