Does a Pink Princess Shrub Attract Bees?

"Pink princess shrub" is the common name for Weigela florida 'Pink Princess,' a flowering shrub with pink, funnel-shaped flowers that flair out into rounded petals. Botanist Martyn Rix, writing in "The Botanical Garden," says that weigelas are most likely pollinated by bees. They would therefore be attracted to weigela.

Attracting Bees

Bees see colors in the ultra-violet range of the color spectrum, which is invisible to humans. The insects would not be attracted to princess shrub's pink petals, but might be lured by the flowers' fragrance or possibly, ultraviolet patterns on the petals.

Foliage

Weigela are deciduous, losing their leaves in the late fall. The leaves are medium green,opposite and serrate or toothed. An offspring of 'Pink Princess', 'Sunny Princess', has the same pink flowers, but a creamy yellow edge on each leaf.

Culture

Weigelas, including 'Pink Princess', flower in May and June, a time when many flowering, bee- pollinated species, including roses, pyracantha and raspberries, come into bloom. The more of these species included in a garden space, the more likely the plants will receive pollination during the flowering period.

References

• University of Connecticut: Horticulture: Weigela
• Michegan State University Extension: Weigela florida--Old Fashioned Weigela
• "The Botanical Garden"; Roger Phillips and Martyn Rix; 2002
• Earth Sky: Biodiversity: Can Bees See Colors That We Can't?
• University of California at Berkeley: Urban Bee Gardens