Summer Plant-for-Pollinators Sale
(Mission, TX) – It’s time to take advantage of a great offer from the National Butterfly Center (NBC) and plant for pollinators, this summer. Saturday, June 28, from 9am – 1pm, the nursery at the NBC will have a ‘buy 4 get 1 free’ sale on all of their flowering native plants and trees, so you can start or augment your own drought-hearty garden.
“Our nursery currently features about sixty varieties of Rio Grande Valley native plant species, including several kinds of milkweed,” states Marianna Trevino Wright, executive director of this 100 acre nature reserve. “Many of the plants we produce are host plants for butterflies, which means these plants will be devoured by caterpillars if you are lucky! The plants are designed for this and bounce back after fulfilling their purpose in the butterfly’s life cycle, so there is no need to worry. We also have plants like Turk’s Cap and Coral Bean to attract hummingbirds to your yard.”
Planting your own pollinator garden for butterflies, bees and birds will not only enhance your landscape, but also support these special creatures in the critical role they play in the ecosystem. An estimated 75% of all flowering plant species need the help of animals to move their heavy pollen grains from plant to plant for fertilization. This includes many agricultural crops, where pollinators help deliver nearly $20 billion worth of food products, annually, in the United States.
“Planting your own pollinator-friendly garden supplies these animals with nectar they need to live,” explains Belinda Pena, nursery keeper at the National Butterfly Center. “Creating breeding and feeding habitat for butterflies, birds and bugs is important, but it’s equally important to choose plants that belong here and will benefit the environment. Most importantly, you should select ‘clean’ plants grown without herbicides or pesticides that will harm or kill pollinators. Most nurseries and big retail outlets buy plants from commercial growers that use systemic poisons to keep weeds and ‘pests’ away from plants they intend to sell, so the only way to know you are getting untreated plants is to know your grower.”
The National Butterfly Center is proud to be a ‘clean, green’ grower. Staff will be on hand Saturday, June 27, from 9am – 1pm to answer your questions, assist with plant selections and make suggestions for your garden, which should be ready to receive migratory birds and butterflies this fall. As always, members of the National Butterfly Center will receive a 10% discount on top of sale pricing.
The NBC is located in Mission, before Bentsen-RGV State Park, and open to the public seven days/week. To learn more about our mission and how you can join us, call 956-583-5400 or visit www.nationalbutterflycenter.org; it’s a great place to download a volunteer application, explore the Texas Butterfly Festival, or register your child for Critter Camp. You can also find out more about us on our family-friendly Facebook page.
The National Butterfly Center is committed to ‘Growing Connections’ between people, plants, and the winged wonders that pollinate and propagate all that grows around us. We do this through educational, environmental initiatives that cultivate meaningful understanding of sustainable ecosystems. Your annual membership or charitable gift impacts the beauty of our community and helps preserve the biologically diverse, natural treasures of deep South Texas.
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