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Attract Birds And Butterflies To Your Yard With One Stunning Plant
By PEG ALOI
Attracting pollinators like bees, butterflies, and birds to your garden requires plants that produce either nectar or seeds for food. One plant that does both is the coneflower.
The deep orange cone-shaped center of these perennial flowers not only produces ample nectar but is also adorned with seeds that, upon drying, become a source of food for birds.
Purple coneflower is a great variety to have around because their large flowers are easy to spot and bloom for up to eight weeks, providing nectar until early autumn.
After the blooms have faded, the seedheads will provide food for birds in the fall and winter, add winter interest in the garden, and a shelter for hatching insects in the spring.
While purple coneflowers can rapidly produce large clumps of flowers, they are not invasive. They can grow up to three feet tall, are drought-tolerant, and easy to care for.
Make sure you obtain coneflower plants that have not been treated with any pesticides, particularly neonicotinoids, which have been associated with the loss of honeybee populations.