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Shrubs


Honey Bees and Shrubs

Shrubs and trees provide significantly more flowers for the ground space they take up as compared to annuals and perennials.  In most cases they are easier to take care of and more reliable than perennials.

The suggestions we have made below are all deer resistant but then if a deer is hungry that may alter the situation.

In several of the pictures below we have picked out one of many, many varieties.  The actual height and spread depends on the variety as do the growing instructions in some cases.  Some of them will grow in part shade but usually they produce more flowers in sun and with the right soil and water.

One in particular deserves a special note.  Most hydrangeas are sterile and so bees will not have anything to use there.  Only the oak leaf variety and the tardiva variety have both fertile and sterile flowers.  A great article on hydrangeas for bees can be found at:

greengardenbuzz.com 

Osmanthus (tea olive) also has many options.  They bloom in late fall or early spring and are often fragrant.  They differ widely in heights and widths.  The one we have below can be a tree or kept as a shrub.  There is one variety right next to the bicycle stand at the library.  It has large, rubber tree-like leaves.  Look at in November on a sunny day to see it covered with honey bees.


 

Quince / Gooseberry  (Chaenomelesjaponica spp.)

Blooms:  March to April

Zone:  4 to 8

Height:  3’ to 4’ depending on variety

Spread:  4’ to 5’ depending on variety

Sun:   Full sun to part shade

Water:  Medium

Fruit:  Showy, edible

Tolerates:   Drought, clay

Other:  Thorns;  prune after flowering; deer resistant

Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium)

Blooms:  March to April

Zone:  5 to 8

Height:  3’ to 6’

Spread:  2’ to 5’

Sun:   Part shade to full shade

Water:  Medium, well-drained

Fruit:  Dark blue-purple edible berries in late   summer

Other:  Oregon State flower; native; deer resistant

 
 

California Lilac (Ceanothus spp.)

Blooms:  Late spring

Zone:  7 to 9

Height:   6’ to 9’ depending on variety

Spread:  4’ to 9’ depending on variety

Sun:   Full sun

Water:  Low

Tolerates:  Drought once established

Other:  Evergreen;  protect from wind; light pruning in summer; fast grower; deer resistant

Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)

Blooms:  Late spring and  summer

Zone:  5 to 10

Height:  3’ to 4’

Spread:  3’ to 4’

Sun:   Full sun

Water:  Low

Tolerates:  Drought

Other:  Cut back to ground in early spring, deer resistant

 
 

Mock Orange (Philadelphus lewesii)

Blooms:  Spring and summer

Zone:  4  to 8 

Height:  5’ to 12’

Spread:  6’

Sun:   Full sun to part shade

Water:  Very low, well-drained

Tolerates:  Drought

Other:  Very fragrant; deer resistant

Spirea (S. Japonica spp.)

Blooms:  late spring to mid summer

Zone:   4 to 8

Height:  3’ depending on variety

Spread:  3’ depending on variety

Sun:   Full sun to part shade

Water:  Medium

Other:  Easy to  grow; prune in spring before new growth begins;   cutting back spent flower clusters  will produce a second bloom; deer resistant

 
 

Escallonia (E. langleyensis spp.)

 Blooms:  June to October

Zone:   8 to 10

Height:  5’ depending on variety

Spread:  5’ depending on variety

Sun:   Full sun

Water:   Medium, well drained

Tolerates:  Most soil types

Other:   Grows fast; evergreen;

prune to keep compact after blooming; deer resistant

Bluebeard (Caryopteris clandonensis spp.)

Blooms:  July to September

Zone:   5 to 9

Height:  2’ to 3’ depending on variety

Spread:  2’ to 3’ depending on variety

Sun:   Full sun

Water:   Medium

Tolerates:  Drought

Other:   Fragrant; flowers grow  on new wood;  deer resistant

 
 

Abelia (A. grandiflora spp.)

 Blooms:  May to September

Zone:   6 to 9

Height:  3’ to 4’ depending on variety

Spread:  3’ to 5’ depending on variety

Sun:   Full sun

Water:  Medium

Other:  Arching branches; quick growing;  deer resistant; blooms on new wood; prune as needed; thin to ground up to 1/3 of old stems in late winter to early spring.

Hydrangea Oak Leaf (H. Quercifolia spp.)

Blooms:  June to August

Zone:   5 to 9

Height:  3’ to 4’ depending on variety

Spread:  2.5’ to 3’ depending on variety

Sun:   Part shade

Water:  Medium

Other:  Easy to  grow;  blooms on old wood; mulch to retain moisture; blooms fade to pink

 
 

Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia spp.)

Blooms:  July and August

Zone:   4 to 8

Height:  4’ to 6’ depending on variety

Spread:  3’ to 5’ depending on variety

Sun:   Part shade

Water:  Medium to wet

Other:  Easy to  grow; fragrant; deer resistant; don’t let it dry out; remove suckers unless a naturalized look is desired.

Tea Olive (Osmanthus spp.)

Blooms:  October to December

Zone:  5 to 10

Height:  16’ depending on variety

Spread:  5’ depending on variety

Sun:  Full sun to part shade

Water:  Medium

Tolerates: Drought after it is established

Other: Large differences depending on variety. Fortunei is very fragrant up to 20’ away; columnar; deer resistant; fast growing; can be a shrub or a tree; juvenile foliage is spiny

 


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