Robyn Stewart
Pollinators are a vital part of a balanced ecosystem and critical to the well-being of humans. There are over 100,000 different varieties of insects and over 1,000 other species that serve as pollinators. These species are essential for the reproduction of over 225,000 different flowering plant species, including over 150 food crops. The annual value of pollinators to U.S. agriculture is estimated between $4.1 and $6.7 billion dollars. Increasing evidence shows that the health and population of many pollinator species is in decline, which threatens biodiversity, food availability, and human health. More than 50 species of pollinators are listed as threatened or endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the lack of knowledge and data on pollinator species makes it difficult to understand the entirety of the pollinator decline. In line with existing data, the 2015 Center for Urban Agriculture advisory committee identified six topics with 10 issues each that are considered priorities for the Center’s mission. Three of the six topics (local food, environmental issues, landscape and nursery) identified pollinator health concerns as an issue of importance.
The health and long term survival of pollinators in a habitat is dependent on the availability of food, shelter, water, living space, nesting space, and a place to reproduce. In a completely natural environment, most of these needs are provided for. In urban centers, the loss of habitat, food supply, and safe nesting places, as well as the misuse of pesticides, has led to a great decline in pollinator populations. Pollinator species include but are not limited to bees, flies, wasps, beetles, ants, butterflies, and moths. While most people recognize the honey bee and have heard about its decline, very few people understand the impact of other pollinator species and their decline.
A new initiative from the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, partnered with the State Botanical Garden, Georgia Green Industry Association, and Georgia Department of Agriculture is a new Pollinator Plants of the Year program. The primary goal of the program is to help develop habitat for pollinators using native plants in both commercial and home landscapes. The Pollinator Plants of the Year program identifies four key plant species that are native to Georgia and provide good habitat to pollinator species. The plants were selected by a committee of horticulturalists, entomologists, ecologists, and industry professionals. In order to be chosen, the plant had to be aesthetically pleasing, marketable, and provide shelter and food to a variety of native Georgia pollinators.
The spring Pollinator Plant of the Year is Conradina, also known as wild rosemary. Conradina is an evergreen shrub characterized by fine-textured, aromatic needle-like leaves. In spring, the plant blooms with small lavender flowers. It is ideal for container gardening or garden walls. The summer Pollinator Plant of the Year is Sweet Pepperbush. It is a small shrub characterized by dense foliage, ideal for rain gardens. In the heat of summer, Sweet Pepperbush blooms in white flowers. The fall Pollinator Plant of the Year is Downy Goldenrod, which should not be confused with ragweed. Downy Goldenrod is a small goldenrod (1-3 feet tall) that blooms in dense clusters of yellow spikes from August to October. The last Pollinator Plant of the Year is the Georgia native Butterfly Weed. Butterfly Weed is a perennial wildflower that is drought resistant and excellent for meadows, containers, and sunny borders. The Butterfly Weed is a great host for larval forms of many butterflies and moths.
If you are interested in adding native pollinator plants to your home garden or landscape, please reach out to the Lincoln County Extension Office at uga3181@uga.edu or 706-359-3233 with any questions.
