I’m not a big native plant person. Growing up here I have seen the native plants in so many places, including open fields, forests, ditches, ponds, roadside edges, and yes, even parking lots.  I probably should not go into my opinion of ferns and mahonia in parking lots, that’s another topic.   I do, however,  have native pollinating plants in my garden. The earliest blooming plants are fabulous Mahonias.   The statuesque Mahonia x media ‘Charity’ (Zone 7-9, part shade, drought-tolerant), the mahonia repens (Zone 5-8, part sun, average moisture),  and the newly popular Mahonia ‘Soft Caress’-Mahonia eurybracteata ’Soft Caress’ (Zone 4-7, Shade to part shade, acid soil).     These three together are my favorite combination to attract bees that need native plants.   The Mahonia Soft Caress blooms first in my garden from December through January.   Charity starts after that and blooms until February.  Then Mahonia Repens, with its soft, papery, red-purple leaves finishes the cycle in February and March.   By the time these are finished there are many other native pollen sources blooming in the forest, and edges of the stream.

A more common, yet still lovely, plants are the winter-blooming Camellias.   Camellia sasanquas are blooming in gardens all around me.    The best ones for pollinating are the single blossoms like Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’ – Yuletide Camellia (Zone 7-10, part sun).  The brilliant red blooms have a yellow center with prominent stamens.   Sometimes blooming as early as December.   Camellia sasanqua ‘Setsugekka’ is a clear, brilliant white that is a semi-double.  The golden yellow center calls out to any passing bee.