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Pontederia cordata, Pickerelweed, Howard County, MD, Helen Lowe Metzman
Pontederia cordata, Pickerelweed, Howard County, MD, Helen Lowe Metzman
Ah, such an interesting plant for bees. Pontedaria cordata....Pickerelweed. Lives out in fairly deep water, emerges in the spring...sends up a spike of blue flowers in mid-summer. This plant is very attractive to long-tongued bees which have to reach way down to get nectar and pollen. They also have to have hooked hairs on the tips of their tongues to wrangle the pollen out. There are 3 bees that only feed their young pollen from this plant...very specialized they are. Pictures and specimens from Helen Lowe Metzman, Howard County, Maryland
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