After the blooming of the fruit bushes and trees, the next reliable source of food for pollinators in the Florida Garden is the Dyckias. These mounds of prickly, hard, and narrow blades are in the Bromeliad family, and some people call them “ground Bromeliads.” It turns out that the Dyckia family is a large one, with a large number of varietals to choose from in Florida, varying from light silver to wine red in color (we bought one today named “grapejelly”). They also vary by color of blooms, ranging from light yellow to deep orange, and by time of bloom so by choosing the right varieties, the blooms can be enjoyed over a month or so. They have three endearing qualities to make up for their prickliness. They really attract the pollinators, so far this spring a ruby-throated hummingbird, monarch and other butterflies, and bumblebees, as they are early to provide for these newly arrived pollinators. They are really hardy, able to withstand drought and heat in full Florida sun, as well as frost. And they seem to have very few pests that eat them, though the local wild rabbits nibble a bit at their edges. The Dyckias, along with the flowering aloes, get the spring flower season going despite their affinity for desert conditions. The Florida Garden is glad to welcome them.
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