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Ceanothus for bees/butterflies?

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  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    I must have been blind and deaf to the bees on the ceanothus in previous years. I was crawling under it yesterdayand it was a-buzz



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • clkclk Posts: 95

    Nutcutlet, I have just experienced the same thing but perhaps I only noticed the bees on my ceanothus because I was looking for them after reading this thread. Anyway, really pleased to see them there.

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    Yes, clk I shall make an effort to preserve mine now, half has died, so I've chopped it off. It may be the end, there is honey fungus in that part of the garden. I'll get another for somewhere else



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • clkclk Posts: 95

    That's a real shame nutcutlet. Heartbreaking I should think. I nearly cry when I knock the heads of things when I'm gardening.

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    I live with HF clk. It's not the end of the world. Two big willows died of it a few years ago now, far to big to consider removing roots. I may be losing the ceanothus but the only other loss has been a couple of clematis. There's an ash sapling gowing right up against the stump and an elder in the stump. They don't mind.



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • yarrow2yarrow2 Posts: 782

    Like Matty I have ceanothus Concha and it attracts a lot of bees.  I rarely get butterflies at all other than common whites - Scottish weather, short summer the last couple of years and none appear until July for a few days.  Town garden as well though, lots of pollinator plants but the last few years the butterflies seem to have disappeared.

  • Rose ladyRose lady Posts: 107
    I have a ceanothis called Zanzibar, it's pretty vigorous, and attracts lots of bees and butterflies. I also have lots of lavender which the bees love, our raspberry bushes also have lots of bees hovering around. So very pleased our ceanothis is doing its bits for our bees image
  • Ceonothus only really goes about six years or so before something kills it off on average, I think? Mine is in its second full year and it's first in bloom. I had forgotten what it was (recurring theme) but the bright blue blooms made it easy to ID. Covered in bees. Might have to get a big pot and take cuttings, if possible.

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