Honeybees are invaluable to our survival, without the honeybees fruits, vegetables, and other plants wouldn’t be pollinated. Many species including us would eventually die. For such tiny remarkable creatures they have a tremendous job to do every year.
They help sustain life on this planet and they need our help for their survival. The destruction of their wild habitats, wildflower meadows and the use of toxic pesticides are devastating to the bees, reducing their populations dramatically.
Make sure you diversify the shape of the blooms from flat, tubular and open to accommodate the different kinds of bees. Also don’t use hybridized or treated plants and avoid using any insecticides, herbicides or pesticides on your plants. Single blooms are better for pollinators than double bloom plants.
Consider planting the following plants this spring to help ensure the bees survive, as many species are endangered.
Early Spring Flowers and Trees
Spring flowers are vital to bees who have had a meager diet during the long winter and they need to forage. These flowers are easily grown and give you beauty after a long winter and the bees’ food.
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) don’t kill your dandelions! Ok, Ok I know most people don’t like dandelions, it’s the bane of their yards. But the leaves, roots, and flowers are food for you and the flowers are food for the bees. Give the bees a chance to sustain their hives in the early spring.
Pansies (Viola tricolor var. hortensis) are early bloomers with their bright cheery faces, they are a welcome sight for us and bees.
Pussy Willow (Salix discolor) has a beautiful grayish hue and fur-like blooms. Their blooms mark the arrival of spring, making them a perfect treat for early foraging bees.
Siberian Squill (Scilla siberica) this tiny, delicate-looking plant, pictured above, is actually very hardy. This plant self-seeds readily, forming a very nice cluster of beautiful flowers.
Snow Drops (Galanthus spp.) provide both a nectar and pollen source for bees and native pollinators in late winter and early spring when other food may still be very hard to find.
Crocus (Crocus spp.) are early bloomers that are perfect for bees as crocuses are a pollen source for the bees. The flower’s enticing aroma attracts bees and native pollinators alike.
Spring and Summer Flowers
Peony (Paeonia) is a nectar and pollen source for bees.
Milkweed (Asclepias) provides a very good flow of nectar for bees and Monarch butterflies.
Bee Balm (Monarda Didyma) is a valuable nectar plant, bees need both nectar and pollen for them to eat and feed their young.
Lavender (Lavendula augustifolia) are rich in nectar and bloom in mid-summer when bees are most active.
Zinnias (Zinnia violacea) are great nectar plants for bees.
Calendula (Calendula officinalis) provides nectar and pollen that attracts bees and other pollinators.
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) flowers provide nectar for bumblebees, honeybees, mason bees and leafcutter bees.
Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) honeybees flock to coneflowers because they provide both nectar and pollen. They bloom throughout most of the season and well into fall.
Joe-pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum) the nectar is highly attractive to bees, butterflies, skippers, and moths.
Salvia (Salvia officinalis) produces nectar the bees just love, plus you can use it in medicine and cooking.
Late Summer and Fall
Liatris (Liatris spicata) bees are drawn to the rich nectar.
Sage (Salvia officinalis) honeybees are drawn by its blue-purple flowers plus the nectar and pollen.
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) is a source of both pollen and nectar and the flower shape provides a landing platform for insects.
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) bees love feeding on its nectar and pollen-filled center.
Borage (Borago officinalis) bees love this plants nectar, you’ll find many bees on these plants. Plant this to increase honey production. It’s great as a companion plant alongside tomatoes and cabbages because it helps to ward away harmful insects and worms.
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) produces both high nectar and high pollen. The bees eat the nectar and use the pollen for their larvae.
Oregano (Origanum vulgare) produces a lot of nectar that feeds the bees.
This is just a small list of beneficial plants to help the bees. By providing plants that have both nectar and pollen from spring through fall, gardeners can make a big difference to the survival of the honey bees.
