{"id":14722,"date":"2022-04-22T10:38:59","date_gmt":"2022-04-22T17:38:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/?p=14722"},"modified":"2022-04-22T10:38:59","modified_gmt":"2022-04-22T17:38:59","slug":"woolly-blue-curls-attractive-plant-native-to-southern-california-that-feeds-bees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/woolly-blue-curls-attractive-plant-native-to-southern-california-that-feeds-bees\/","title":{"rendered":"Woolly blue curls: attractive plant native to Southern California that feeds bees"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The name is strange but it fits. Woolly blue curls has long candles of velvet-covered, purple-blue flowers that bloom to the sky in April. And the male parts of the flowers, the stamen, arch out just waiting for native bees to land on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I get a kick out of watching these native Anthophora urbana<\/em> bees grasp the stamen and dangle as they collect pollen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Notice the blue pollen load on its hind legs?<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Anthophora urbana<\/em> bees are a type of digger bee, meaning they dig holes in the dirt to make their nests. Check out these amazing close-up photos of A. urbana<\/em> bees taken in Orange County<\/a>. Also, read some more about how A. urbana<\/em> bees differ from honey bees here<\/a>. If you haven’t seen them in your yard before, you might start noticing them after checking out those photos and info.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyway, woolly blue curls also goes by the name Trichostema lanatum<\/em> and is native to Southern California. According to this Calscape map<\/a>, it is also found in the wild up to Monterey Bay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I planted mine (pictured above) a handful of years ago. I don’t irrigate it, I don’t fertilize it, I don’t prune it. It’s evergreen, but it looks as best while in bloom here in April.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Sprigs of bloom everywhere.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The foliage of the plant is also aromatic. Some call it a cedar-like smell. I brush against the plant occasionally because it’s next to a path and the smell that comes off is very clean and pleasant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I built a Bee Garden<\/a> around my woolly blue curls and chose bush sunflowers (Encelia californica<\/em>) to go around it because I thought the sunflowers’ yellow would look nice next to the purple-blue curls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
This is Southern California, folks: woolly blue curls, bush sunflowers, a poppy, an avocado, and a palm.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

While I have learned to appreciate the colors, I really grow woolly blue curls for the bees and other insects. (See my post, “Oh, the mistakes I’ve made: Thinking flowers were for girls.”<\/a>) In addition to native bees, honey bees often visit the flowers too. I even see hummingbirds and butterflies and hover flies on them sometimes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Considering that this plant gets no input from me, woolly blue curls gives a lot in return. How could you not want one? And how could I not plant a few more?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s a short video of my woolly blue curls:<\/p>\n\n\n\n