Bee Educated Before Planting Just Any Wildflower Seeds
Many of you saw the announcement from General Mills (Honey Nut Cheerios) that it has given away 1.5 billion wildflower seeds across the country. Some of you may have requested wildflower seeds. While it is great they are raising awareness for bees and encouraging people to create pollinator habitat, they are sending out seeds that may contain invasive species in some areas. Different plants are native to different regions and grow differently depending on the climate, soil, etc. It is best to do research on what is native and grows well in your area. Be sure to avoid invasive species!
What is the difference between non-native and invasive?
A non-native plant is a species that was introduced, but does not cause harm.
Many common perennials are non-native to Colorado and readily available.
How do you know what to plant? Native plants are a great place to start because they are adapted to grow well in Colorado and many of them attract pollinators.
The Xerces Society has a list of websites and resources specifically for Colorado and the Rocky Mountain Region.
Happy spring planting!
Photo: Micaela Truslove
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