Allergy to bee's

[Pepperqueen]

Hello again! Yes to those that have asked my friend is seriously allergic to bee's. She heard about one flowering plant she thinks it was called sweet gum??? She wants to plant them this coming spring. We live in southern , Ontario. She has plenty of shrubs, but would like to add some colour to her garden. She would appreciate any suggestions! Thanks, Deb

[paghat]

Sweetgum is a large tree. It is wind-pollinated & not particularly attractive to bees. Its true flowers are barely visible at a glance, but its prickly fruits are kind of pretty. Other wind-pollinated trees that bees aren't too kean about include ash trees, sycamores, birch, alder, hornbeam, elm, hazels, beeches, oaks. A very few wind-pollinated trees (some southern species of oaks & elms I think) do attract bees to the flowers, but most of these genera don't need or attract insects. Wind-pollinated trees produce high amounts of pollen from which people with pollen ellergies suffer. WInd-polliknated trees often have nearly invisible flowers, but many have attractive catkins &/or nuts. And wind-pollinated conifers have the cones.

-paghat the ratgirl

[Vox Humana]

You can get color from plants with colorful foliage. Coleus comes to mind. It does get flowers, but most people cut them off anyway. Caladiums are great for shady areas and don't flower unless you are in a tropical area.