Kelly AllsupKelly Allsup Horticulture Extension Educator

serving Livingston, McLean and Woodford Counties

http://web.extension.illinois.edu/lmw/kallsup@illinois.edu

Flowers, Fruits and Frass Blog

http://web.extension.illinois.edu/lmw/eb255

Livingston, McLean and Woodford Master

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POLLENPOLLEN• The male reproductive

structure is called the stamen. It is composed of the filament and the anther. Pollen develops within the anther.

• Pollen consists of proteins, starch, sugars, fats, minerals, vitamins and free amino acids.

• Bees collect pollen to feed their larvae.

POLLENPOLLEN• When the bee goes to get nectar they trigger the

male structures hence getting pollen on themselves.

• Bees tend to confine their attention to a single flower species when foraging.

• They will move from plant to plant within that species hence favoring cross-pollination.

• Chemistry plays a role in pollination: bees are positively charged while flowers pollinated by bees have negatively charged pollen

Bees Bees

Flowers that Flowers that Attract BeesAttract Bees

• Bee pollinated flowers tend to be brightly colored in the shades of blues, yellows and ultraviolet.

• Fruits-apple, blackberry, peach, pear, plum, raspberry and blueberry

• Vegetables- cucumber, squash, pumpkin, watermelon, tomato, eggplant and potato

• Herbs- basil, chives, oregano, marjoram, mint, lavender, rosemary and thyme

• Annuals- cleome, cosmos, lantana, snapdragons, sunflowers, verbena and zinnias

• Spring/Summer Perennials-, agastache, baptisia, chelone, coneflower, columbine, caryopteris, catmint, coral bells, coreopsis, echinops, fox glove, grape hyacinth, liatris, penstemon, rock cress, salvia, sedum, verbascum and yarrow

• Fall Perennials- aster, eupatorium, monkshood and solidago

UltravioletUltraviolet

Nectar Guides Nectar Guides “Landing Platforms” “Landing Platforms”

University of Illinois University of Illinois PollinatariumPollinatarium

http://www.life.illinois.edu/pollinatarium