Yukka

[steve1958]

This plant has flowered the past couple of years.
I took this photo this morning. The flowers are quite large and full of pollen, and there were loads of Bees exploring it

 

[steve1958]

 

[steve1958]

 

[Floss]

Wow - amazing! Is this like a house yukka but planted outside? The bees seem to like these "hot house" flowers. I have a new zealand flax in the garden, high, and was considering moving it but the bees went mad for its lovely red pollen - it stays!

Floss

 

[DulwichGnome]

Wow - amazing! Is this like a house yukka but planted outside? The bees seem to like these "hot house" flowers. I have a new zealand flax in the garden, high, and was considering moving it but the bees went mad for its lovely red pollen - it stays!

Floss

"The rigid flower stalks can be up to five metres long, projecting high above the foliage. In November (in New Zealand) they produce clumps of curving tube-like flowers which turn bright red when mature. These produce unusually large quantities of nectar to attract all nectar feeding birds such as the tui and insects. The seedpods that develop after pollination, each contain hundreds of seeds which are later widely dispersed by the wind." from Wikipedia.

Sounds like you might have hundreds more plants next year!

 

[steve1958]

This looks like a House Yukka, but its definately an 'Outdoor' type. I think it will probably grow into a tree in about 100 years time

 

[RoofTops]

We had a thing like that in our garden, now we have several. After it flowered the first time the original plant expired and several "daughter" plants sprouted up around it. One of these flowered again this year.

 

[RoofTops]

New Zealand Flax

Like, Floss our bees went mad on the New Zealand flax this year, but they get a lot of nectar as well as pollen. The plant was about 10 feet tall. See pictures below:

 

[RoofTops]

Sedum

They also particularly liked the Sedum when it was in flower, although it was only attractive to them for about two weeks. No pollen just nectar. The flowers are still there now but the bees are not touching them. Might be the drought.

This picture is a bit of a "Where's Wally?" shot. There are at least 8 bees and possibly 9.

 

[Bcrazy]

Hi Rooftops,

Re Sedum

Common name Reflexed Stonecrop
Botanical name Sedum reflexum

Produces nectar and pollen.
Pollen grains are between 20-30um (microns) and triangular in shape.

Regards;

 

[Bcrazy]

Ref. the Yucca plant.

It produces pollen grains that are oval in shape and about 67.5um (microns).

Regards;

 

[RoofTops]

I am sure the plant produces pollen, I guess all flowers do, but I've not seen the bees collecting it. They only seem to go for the nectar.

 

[Bcrazy]

Hi Rooftops,

am sure the plant produces pollen, I guess all flowers do,

Please don't think I am censoring your posts because I am not, but its that you mentioned all flowers produce pollen.

I'm afraid that's not strictly true, as some plants/flowers only produce nectar and no pollen, then again there are plants/flowers that produce pollen and no nectar.

I'll try and dig out the names of the plants if you would like.

Regards;

 

[oliver90owner]

How about primsoses?

Regards, RAB

 

[Frisbee]

I don't think (but also don't know for sure) that strawberries produce nectar..............I have the opportunity to take some of my hive to the local self-pick, but a beek friend says strawberries weren't any good. Of course the self pick has other soft fruit such as raspberries, but the strawberries predominate.

Frisbee

 

[Bcrazy]

How about primsoses?

The flowers are an important source of nectar for bees and other insects and the seeds are used commercially for making evening primrose oil.

The pollen grains are some of the bigger variety, up to c.150um.

Regards;

 

[RoofTops]

Bcrazy - I know from a beekeeping perspective there are flowers which are good for pollen or nectar and some for both, but from a botanical point of view surely all flowers produce pollen, even if it isn't of any use to the bees? If the flower did not produce pollen what would be the point of the flower? I assume there are plants that don't produce nectar, attracting pollinators in some other fashion, but pollen is essential surely?

And at risk of contradicting myself there are plants which can only be propogated vegetatively (like lemon grass), but they are rare and may still produce flowers. And the flower industry might have bred pollen-less flowers but I would class that as non-natural.

 

[Bcrazy]

Ref; Strawberry plant.

The stamens contain viable pollen, they are a deep gold. Nectar is secreted by the receptacle and held at the base of the stamens next to the outer row of pistils.

Regards;

 

[Bcrazy]

Hi Rooftops,

To my knowledge there are two plants that do not produce pollen and they are;
Gooseberry - Ribes uva-crispa
Currents - Ribes spp

You are correct in saying that all flowers produce pollen and they are either cross pollinated, or self pollinated to maintain the species.

Regards;