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Edge Of The Woods Native Plant Nursery, LLC

Specializing in plants native to mid-Atlantic ecosystem

January 22, 2018

Native Bees in Pennsylvania

Green Sweat Bee

By Anita Collins, Ph.D.  USDA, ARS retired

Pennsylvania has about 400 species of native bees. Bumble bees, sweat bees, carpenter bees, squash bees and many more, some with no common name.  Honey bees are an invasive species,  introduced to the Americas by the colonists.

Most native bees are solitary, one mated female makes a nest, collects pollen and nectar, and lays an egg on these provisions. She only lives about six weeks. The young bees develop on their own and emerge the following summer. Bumble bees are social: a mated queen starts a nest and raises a few daughters who help rear more sisters. The family grows in number over the summer, raises new queens who mate in fall, then the nests die off.

The mated queens find a safe place for the winter and starts again. Each type of bee has a typical nest either in the ground, in stems, or in holes in wood. Bees are hairy to collect pollen and have long tongues to suck nectar. Most of them specialize on one type of native plant, sometimes only one species, and are active when their plants are in bloom.

Native bees and native plants need each other!

[easy-image-collage id=4219]

Top: Sweat Bee

Bottom Left: Bumble Bee. Bottom Right: Leafcutter Bee

Photos courtesy of Bonnie Pancoast

Article by Louise Schaefer / Insects

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Monday - Saturday 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

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Trees, Shrubs, Vines by botanic name

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Perennials by Botanic Name

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16 hours ago

Want some blueberries this season? We have some beautiful blueberry bushes that will bear fruit this year.

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18 hours ago

We just released gallon-sized native deciduous and evergreen azaleas/Rhododendrons. Color of flowers is noted after the botanical name :)

Azaleas (deciduous):

Flame azalea (R. calendulaceum) ORANGE
Pinxter azalea (R. periclymenoides) PINK
Piedmont azalea (R. canescens) PINK
Rose shell azalea (R. prinophyllum) PINK
Onocee azalea (R. flammeum) ORANGE
Swamp azalea (R. viscosum) WHITE
Sweet azalea (R. arborescens) WHITE
Coast azalea (R. atlanticum) WHITE

“Rhodies” (evergreen):

Great laurel (Rhododendron maximum) WHITE
‘Roseum Elegans’ (Rhododendron catawbiense ‘Roseum Elegans’) MAGENTA-PINK
‘Boursalt’ (Rhododendron catawbiense ‘Boursalt’) MAGENTA-PINK

We also have limited amounts of some in larger containers:

Great laurel (R. maximum) WHITE
Sweet azalea (R. arborescens) WHITE
Coast azalea (R. atlanticum) WHITE
Flame azalea (R. calendulaceum) ORANGE
Swamp azalea (R. viscosum) WHITE

We also have plenty of mountain laurel left (Kalmia latifolia) including:

Straight species
‘Olympic Fire’
‘Elf’ (dwarf)
... See more

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2 days ago
Climate-Wise Landscaping

Replace the seasonal non-native plantings that need to be replaced every few months with native perennial borders. And instead of wide spaces of mulch between the plants, place them close together so that there is little room for weeds. This practice is part of climate-wise landscaping because it reduces soil disturbances, which reduces the carbon released to the air and it reduces the large footprint of repetitive production and transport to supply new plants every season. The perennials will last for many seasons and require much less labor.
www.climatewiselandscaping.com
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2 weeks ago

Trees, trees, and more trees! Oh, and shrubs, shrubs, and yes, more shrubs! We have a wonderful selection of native trees and shrubs available now. Woody plants provide interest all year long, height to the garden, vital habitat for wildlife, and years of satisfaction as you watch your plant grow into a mature specimen! They are the foundation of our greater, forested ecosystem spanning most of eastern North America, which historically covered nearly 100% of Pennsylvania’s landmass. Today, forested land still makes up the majority of Pennsylvania’s total land area, at about 58% coverage. Below are some of the trees we have now, keep an eye for another post soon about shrubs :)

Available now:

*Trees*

Shagbark hickory
Shellbark hickory
Red maple
Sugar maple
Red oak
Willow oak
Black oak
Shumard oak
Pin oak
Beech
Sycamore
Fringetree
Red bud
Carolina silver bell
White pine
Red pine
Virginia pine
Pitch pine
White spruce
Red spruce
Eastern Red Cedar
American linden
Sassafrass
Bald cypress
Franklinia
Sweetbay magnolia
River birch
‘Heritage’ River Birch
Yellow Birch
Mountain ash
... See more

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« ‹ 1 of 10 › »

Testimonials

The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. They will take the time to listen to your wants and needs and make recommendations. We go here for all our nursery needs.

Robert

Edge of the Woods Native Plant Nursery, LLC
A WBE Certified Woman Owned Business
Promoting Native Plants Since 2003

2415 Route 100, Orefield, PA 18069
(610) 395-2570
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