r. Do other
> people find that rhodies are attractive to wildlife?

> > It may be that they are just very visible to me, at my kitchen window,
> > in my neighbor's yard. But, the bumblebees bees love her Rhodes. And
> > as unlikely as it may seem, I have seen hummingbirds there, more than
> > once. And, the bushtits and chickadees use them for cover all the time.
> > Of course, her's are not manicured nor sprayed.
I just saw this message after being signed off for a few days, so
forgive if I repeat someone else's reply:

I would like to point out the big difference between our native
Rhodies - R. macrophyllum and R. occidentale, and the more common
hybrids that you probably see at a commercial garden. Most hybrids
have Asian parents, and many do not have viable pollen, (are
sterile) and usually do not support our native birds.

I have R. occidentale (seedlings grown from Northern California
plants) in my yard and they are very popular with the bees. The
chickadees gleem small leaf eating caterillars early in the spring.
> > >(Jerry notices lack of insects and birds at Butchart Gardens;
Many hybrid annuals and perennial plants do not have viable pollen, (are
sterile)- in fact, some breeders try for this - they are called
"mules" because they postulate that saving the energy used for
creating pollen and seed can be diverted to supporting bigger and
better flowers. Some growers remove the stamens (pollen producers) in an effort to make
their flowers last longer .
Clarice Clark
jbroadus at seanet.com
Puyallup, WA. 98371