There is a beautiful large, bright, orange-flowered tree, the African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata), which grows vigorously in our Northern Rivers.
You will see it on any drive around your area. Unfortunately, its flowers are highly toxic to our native bees. Research from Uni of Qld (UQ) has found that the flower’s nectar contains compounds that quickly paralyse and kill native bees.
It is classified as a pest tree in Qld, NSW and the Northern Territory, an invasive tree which can dominate local gullies and waterways.
In our coastal regions, native bee-attracting trees include the coastal banksia, broad-leaved paperbark and coastal cypress pine, while for inland rainforest and alluvial plains areas (e.g. Lismore, Mullum), pink bloodwood, weeping lilly pilly, tulip wood and guioa.
Smaller shrubs like grevillea and bottlebrush are ideal attractors. Basil, rosemary and thyme can also help our native bees bridge seasonal flowering gaps.
Australia’s native bees are vital to our ecosystems and our agriculture, but sadly their long-term survival is increasingly precarious.
We can all do our bit whether it be planting native bee-attracting flora, limiting our use of harmful garden pesticides or removing the African tulip tree from our gardens and footpaths.
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