Crepe myrtles, also known as crape myrtles, are fast-growing flowering plants that range from short shrubs to sizable trees. They have beautiful flowers that range from red to white.
These brightly colored plants have the potential to beautify your entire home with their large, showy blooms when their blooming time comes.
The plants are easy to maintain since they have moderate water requirements, plus can grow literally on any soil. Their newest varieties can survive full sun with limited watering.
However, you have to put in more effort when it comes to pest control. This is because the plant has intensive foliage that attracts very many pests.
Considering their flowering nature, one may wonder if honey bees visit crepe myrtle. Read on to find more about the crepe myrtle shrubs, what it attracts and how to maintain them.
Does crepe myrtle attract bees
Beautiful and bright colors are a common feature of all flowers that attract bees. The crepe myrtle has brightly colored flowers that can easily be spotted by bees foraging. Their wide petals make it easy for bees to land on and comfortably feed.
Interestingly, crepe myrtles produce two types of pollen grains; one for fertilization and the other is false pollen which is most liked by bees because of its easy digestion. The plant also produces nectar, the sweet part of flowers that bees collect and use to make honey.
Another aspect of the plant that makes it loved by bees is the honeydew, which is produced when aphids infest the plant and get out of manageable control measures.
Honey bees feed on the honeydew whenever nectar is scarce. If you have a garden with crepe myrtles, then it is most likely that you will have a lot of bees in late summer when the plant flowers become brighter and showy.
Typically, the crepe myrtle is a good plant for bees. The bees benefit from feeding on the false digestible pollen grains, flower nectar, and the honeydew residues that are present on the flower leaves when aphids attack the shrubs.
Do bees pollinate crepe myrtle
Bees are the most common insect pollinators. As such, you can be sure that they will pollinate crepe myrtle when they land on them.
Honey bees are good agents of cross-pollination. They land on one flower, feed on or collect nectar and carry pollen grains to another plant. If they are of the same species, then pollination will occur.
Of significance, for crepe myrtle; the bees do not digest the fertilization pollen grains even if they manage to feed on them. They mostly carry the true fertile pollen on their bodies and deposit them on the next flower they land on.
What does crepe myrtle attract
Other than the common honey bees that you will likely see buzzing on top of the crepe myrtle flowers, these colorful blooms attract other insects. Some are beneficial, while some are completely harmful. Here are some of the common visitors of crepe myrtle.
- Hummingbirds: hummingbirds are nectar-loving birds that you find near flowering plants. The birds are attracted by crepe myrtle to feed on the nectar produced by these showy flowers. While searching for nectar, pollen grains can attach to the hummingbird’s beak, facilitating cross-pollination when the bird moves to another flower of the same species.
- Butterflies: Butterflies love bright colors. They will be attracted to the crepe myrtle flowers because of their easily identifiable color and land on them. Butterflies also benefit from the numerous pollen grains produced by these flowers.
- Wasps: Wasps visit crepe myrtle mainly to feed on nectar and the honeydew residue.
- Aphids: Aphids are common pests that like crepe myrtle. They are beneficial because they will leave behind honeydew which attracts pollinators.
- Japanese beetles: They are common insects that attack crepe myrtle, and if not controlled, they can damage the plant flowers and leaves.
- Primrose flea beetles: Primrose flea beetles are common pests that crepe myrtle attract. They love the plant’s flowers and use them as a feeding and hiding place.
- Ladybugs: Ladybugs are attracted to crepe myrtles mostly to feast on aphids. They are a natural control for aphids, even though they may not completely eradicate them.
- Assassin bugs: The assassin bugs are attracted to crepe myrtles to feed on glassy-winged sharpshooters, like feeding on the flowering plants like the crepe myrtle.
Do Honey Bees Like Crepe Myrtles: Conclusion
If you love to hear the buzzing sound of bees in your garden, then crepe myrtle is one low-maintenance shrub that you can choose to plant.
When they bloom, they attract swarms of bees that feed on the numerous false pollen grains, nectar, and honeydew.
Related Article: Crepe Myrtle Bark Peeling