Plant these succulents to attract pollinators to your garden
There’s so much to love about succulents.
There’s so much to love about succulents — the fascinating patterns of their foliage, their incredible ability to hold water and their flowers.
Flowers?
Yes, all succulents produce beautiful flowers — some each year, and some aloe succulents can even bloom several times a year. And these flowers can attract a wide range of beneficials — hummingbirds, bees and many more — to our gardens. Most of the beneficials will be drawn in by the colorful flowers to feed on their nectar. But others, like the praying mantis, come to eat insects off the flowers.
If you want to add some succulents to your garden, come to the Marin Master Gardeners’ annual succulent sale from 9 a.m. to noon May 18 at the Falkirk Demonstration Gardens at 1408 Mission Ave. in San Rafael.
The following are just a few of the more than 90-plus varieties of succulents that will be available at the sale.
• Aeoniums. These belong to a group that will flower in Marin’s cool, wet winters, perhaps because many originate off the coast of Africa with its similar Mediterranean climate. Aeonium simsii is one species with sunny yellow flowers that attract bees and butterflies in the spring. This plant makes a lovely ground cover with rosettes that spread by pups.
• Aloe is a genus with hundreds of species, one of which is Blue Elf Aloe. Like most aloes, this species has thick, fleshy leaves with tubular flowers loved by hummingbirds. The spikes of orange flowers appear in winter and bloom through April in Marin. They look great in containers or planted in mass.
• Rock purslane (Calandrinia grandiflora) is native to Chile. This succulent has stunning magenta flowers on long stems, which are often visited by carpenter bees. This plant works well in rock gardens.
• Hens and chicks is a name commonly associated with sempervivums, but also with echeverias. Although both have interesting flowers, the sempervivums are particularly gorgeous. This beauty comes with a price, as the plant will die after flowering, whereas the echeverias flower year after year. Both are spread by pups.
• Dudleya is a genus easy to grow in coastal places. Hummingbirds love the bell-shaped flowers. One native species is Catalina Island Live Forever (Dudleya hassei), which has red or yellow flowers. The foliage forms white “fingers” that turn pinkish in the dry season. It grows well in pots or rock walls, in full sun or part shade. (Dudleya farinosa is another similar native.)
• Sedums. Members of the Sedum family display clusters of tiny star-shaped flowers that attract bees, birds and butterflies. They bloom in winter, spring and fall. Some plants are short ground covers, while others, like the Sedum Autumn Joy, are taller plants.
The Marin Master Gardeners’ succulent sale will have many varieties available, each chosen for their suitability for Marin gardens. With the right mix, you can enjoy these fascinating plants while feeding beneficials in your garden year-round.
Sponsored by UC Cooperative Extension, the University of California Marin Master Gardeners provides science- and research-based information for Marin home gardeners. Email questions to helpdesk@marinmg.org. Attach photos for inquiries about plant pests or diseases. Please call 415-473-4910 to see when a master gardener will be at the office or drop off samples 24/7 in the sample box outside the office. To attend a gardening workshop or subscribe to Leaflet, a free quarterly e-newsletter, go to marinmg.ucanr.edu.