In your yard and environment, a wide variety of flowering plants will provide food for pollinators and native bees.
When exploring in your garden, pollinators are hunting for nectar and pollen. This is what they eat—the protein and carbohydrates they require to survive and breed. Native bees will consume a wide range of flowering plants in your garden and environment.
In your mind “offering a selection of blossoms from early spring to fall. Pick a variety of flowering plants that are known to promote the health of pollinators, such as annuals, herbaceous perennials, native plants, bulbs, trees, and shrubs. Since there are less floral resources available during those times, early bloomers like spring bulbs or Pachysandra, or extremely late bloomers like Sedum or Anemone, are frequently the most necessary food supplies for pollinators.
With regular dead-heading and pruning, some annuals like Tithonia and perennials like Helenium (Sneezeweed) can be coaxed to bloom again in the summer. Other popular garden plants have been engineered to bloom all season long. Regardless of the size of the insect, providing a variety of bloom sizes and shapes will encourage these insects. Foxglove and Salvia are examples of tubular flowers with extended petals that enable bees to perch and then enter the bloom. The native ironweed, which has open blooms and flat umbels, is a source of food for numerous beneficial insects.
Bees will feed on a vast array of floral plants, but they particularly enjoy violet, mauve, white, blue, and yellow blossoms. Bees can navigate directly to a flower by using UV light to perceive patterns, colors, and markings in flowers that our eyes cannot “a runway leading to the source of the pollen.
Human perception of a flower (left) and insect perception (right). Photos by MSU student Zachary Huang.
Because the nectar glands and pollen-filled stamens are harder to find on flowers developed to have dense petals, like roses or peonies, pollinators may not be able to access these flowers. Pollinators cannot benefit from a plant that was bred to be sterile (lacking stamens) or nectar-free.
Early show
When windy spring weather makes it tough to negotiate taller plants, early spring-blooming plants like Pachysandra and bugleweed buzz to life with insect activity. Smaller-sized bee species are drawn to Siberian squill, Punchkinia, and Chinodoxa bulbs. Larger bees can frequently be seen eating on perennial favorites like bleeding heart, foxglove, and allium ‘Purple Sensation’, which draw crowds to late-spring shows.
Prime time
By the time spring arrives, garden favorites like single peony start to bloom, display their pollen-filled anthers, and attract bees. Fresh bloom spikes emerge every few weeks, and new coral bell hybrids continue to bloom far into the fall. Allium christophii and Allium ‘Millenium’ are bee magnets and bring color to the landscape during the summer. Possibilities are unlimited with allium cultivars that bloom all through spring and summer.
Traditional perennial border plants in the middle of the season, such as sneezeweed, globe thistle, and blazing star, provide countless possibilities for foraging for numerous pollinators. Bees love coneflowers, both native and non-native. Sneezeweed responds very well to dead-heading and will continue to bloom up to the first frost. Herbs and annuals with vibrant colors have a long bloom season and can truly pack a visual punch. Numerous kinds of bees and hover flies find herbs like borage fascinating. You can supply fresh blooms for a longer period of time by selecting sunflowers that are branched and have days to harvest that vary by around a week. Tithonia is a tall, late-summer annual that begins blooming in early August and lasts until the first frost. These fiery orange blossoms are prized by butterflies, bees, and hover flies. Bees of all sizes make heavy use of the tall, purple Verbena bonariensis orbs and fragrant annual Heliotrope. Bees don’t frequently visit some zinnia cultivars, but Zinnia ‘Benary Giant’ and some of the more open varieties are excellent choices in annual gardens. In addition to adding color, other annuals like tall salvia (Victoria blue or white), lantana, and Pentas offer nectar and pollen for a variety of bee species.
Late show
One of the most varied plant groups in gardens must be sedum. Their petals are intoxicating for many bees and flies, from low-growing, vibrant ground covers to the upright dignified ‘Autumn Joy’ sedum. Along with garden favorites like Japanese anemone, fragrant snakeroot, and Rudbeckia ‘Autumn Sun,’ these late-season bloomers help prolong the availability of pollen and nectar.
Trees and flowering shrubs, both native and non-native, are essential for supporting pollinators. Early in the summer, panicles of yellow blossoms with a delicate aroma emerge from the foliage of linden trees. Mid-summer sees blooming of the button shrub, a favorite for moist soil or the border of a wetland, and later in the season, bees and flies visit the panicle hydrangeas with their imposing towers of blossoms. These plants provide food and shelter for numerous kinds of bees that visit the blossoms.
Putting it all togetherbee intentional!
Smart gardeners are conscious of their actions and endeavors in the garden. Early dead-heading of Hosta blooms may deprive the pollinators of a delicious feast, but dead-heading plants like sneezeweed promotes further blooms. Although a blooming coleus may be considered unattractive, a bee does not. These tiny blooms, which are from the mint family, are particularly alluring to bees. Maybe it has to do with how we define “tidiness in the garden” and how we let some things slide.
Which type of sedum is ideal for bees?
My top bee-friendly plants! I was generously requested by Interflora to contribute a guest blog post on the best plants for bees (below). This was a component of their awareness-raising campaign for bees. In the vein of a botanical Desert Island Discs, I’ve listed my top 5 bee plants. Although I was asked to write with honey bees in mind specifically, they are all simple to cultivate and beneficial for a variety of bees, including honey bees, bumbles, and solitaries. If all the others were washed away, I’m not sure which one I’d pick. What would be the top 5? Instead of this extremely quick introduction, I’d suggest Kirk & Howes, Plants for Bees if you want an authoritative guide. It’s intriguing.
Gardeners have a bigger and bigger role in helping bees when the countryside turns into a verdant wasteland. Bees in cities are often in better health than those in rural areas. We believe this is as a result of their greater dietary variety and lower chemical exposure. For them, gardens that mimic rich natural habitats can be true oasises. What then can gardeners do to assist?
All pollinators must have year-round access to food sources, which is one of the most important requirements. The amount of nectar and pollen that honeybees require depends on the situation in the hive, thus this is accurate. For all-year foraging in the garden, I’ve chosen my top 5 honey bee plants, which will also benefit other pollinators. I don’t advise you to stop at just 5 because diversity is essential for bee health as well! Additionally, have a look at some TREES.
Other straightforward general advice is useful. Avoid purchasing “double blossoms” since pollinators have a very tough time or cannot even find their nectar. Avoid purchasing plants that have been neonicotinoid-treated because these systemic insecticides will have a negative impact on any pollinator that consumes them. Query the garden center. If at all possible, avoid using pesticides in your garden as well; rather, it should be a refuge of natural peace.
Viper’s Bugloss (Echium vulgare)
According to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Viper’s Bugloss (Echium vulgare) may be the ideal bumblebee plant, and honeybees don’t mind either. Gardens don’t grow enough native flora. This is a typical illustration of a plant that looks great in a border, especially when grown in clusters. Our native flora is beneficial to our native wildlife by definition. Viper’s Bugloss is a biennial with abundant nectar, much like the wild Foxglove, except it blooms nonstop from June to September. In dry, well-drained, even sandy soils, it thrives in the sun. It is found in the wild all over England, and every garden should have some of it.
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
The fact that bugloss flowers during a midsummer lull is one of the reasons it is such a useful plant. Despite the fact that honey bee populations are at their largest and hungriest, there is shockingly little available feed. You might be shocked by how little color you notice in gardens or the countryside in June or July. One of our top experts on honey bees, Professor Francis Ratnieks, is passionate about supporting colonies during this time. Francis will answer without hesitation that lavender is the finest plant for gardeners to grow in order to attract honey bees. Why? The fact that lavenders flower through the gap is more significant than the fact that they are nectar-rich. According to research, the finest cultivars of lavender for bees are the bigger varieties. Varieties range from rich dark purple to fragrant white. For individual plants or to create a charming hedge, look for the hardier and less finicky Lavandula angustifolia or Lavandin x intermedia cultivars.
Sedum (Sedum spectabile)
Bees work much harder to bring in food to preserve for the winter months when the honey bee colonies start to collapse in the middle of the summer. Ivy is the finest late nectar provider among native plants, but Sedum spectabile, which blooms in September, is excellent for bees and butterflies. Sedums are resilient, simple to grow plants that look great in clusters at the front of a border. Honey bees can quickly access their flowers thanks to their comparatively short tongues. They’re also well-liked by butterflies and young queen bumblebees who are putting on weight in preparation for the winter.
Mahonia
The winter months can be extremely difficult for bees, but not because of the cold; rather, warmer winters might present challenges. Why? Honey bees will travel on warm winter days, but if there isn’t any food nearby, they run out of honey too quickly and die. As they deplete their fat reserves, active bumblebee queens will likewise perish. By giving them winter nectar to get through, gardeners may do their part to assist. Mahonia comes in a number of really lovely and fragrant types that bloom in the dead of winter as opposed to early spring. They work great and will sit comfortably in a more shaded area. When not in bloom, they have glossy, healthy-looking foliage, and their berries are beneficial to birds. One of my favorite songs is “Charity” by Mahonia x media.
Early Crocus (Crocus tommasinianus)
The honeybee colony begins to expand as spring arrives. It needs pollen to feed its young brood at the beginning of its cycle, but this can initially be scarce. Crocuses are a fantastic source of it at this time of year; starting in February, you can see the bees returning to the hive with their unique orange pollen. Crocuses are attractive, simple plants to grow, and they will quickly naturalize in your yard. Choose the readily available and reasonably priced Early Crocus, Crocus tommasinianus, variants. Autumn is the best time to plant the bulbs.
Do bees come to the creeping sedum?
You will obtain season-long blossoms and more bees by planting both summer and fall flowering kinds. For optimal results, grow these heat-tolerant plants in full sun. Choose a variety that best complements the design of your garden among the many available.
Why we adore it: There are so many variations, from more erect forms for perennial and mixed borders to ground-hugging varieties ideal for ground coverings.
Do sedums produce nectar?
It’s time to examine tall sedum in more detail. In honor of the well-known type, both experts and homeowners alike refer to it as Autumn Joy Sedum. While this particular type does seem to stand out, Sedum spectabile comes in a wide range of other variations (Tall Sedum). Despite the fact that it is now known as Hylotelephium spectabile, many nurseries and individuals will probably still refer to it as sedum. Native to Europe and Asia, tall sedum is frequently seen clinging to rocky outcrops.
Tall sedum blooms in the late summer, bringing an abundance of helpful insects and pollinators to its flowers. The big, flat flower heads that support the nectar-rich blossoms allow insects hunting for a snack to rest while they search for a snack. If you have several plants, sit back and take in the show. There can be literally hundreds of bees, butterflies, and other creatures on each plant.
Tall sedum is frequently used in dried floral arrangements or kept in the garden for additional winter interest because it retains its leaves and flowers so well. Tall sedum covered with ice in the late fall has a wonderful look that many people enjoy. Tall sedum is known to be extremely drought tolerant and does best in full sun to partial shade. Although it favors well-drained soils, it may thrive in all but wet environments.
Tall sedum has only one disadvantage that I am aware of: it has a propensity to tumble over and flop when placed in places with less light. In the middle Great Plains, this can be avoided by pinching back plants a few times before July 1. Each time, trim or pinch stems back by a minimum of 4 inches. Additionally, this will stop early blossoming, which could be a problem in years where summer heat waves begin earlier and are followed by unseasonably cool weather in July or August.
There are lots of wonderful types to pick from, and each has a specific location in a garden.
Similar to “Autumn Joy,” “Autumn Fire” has richer color (deep pink to scarlet) and stems.
Does Sedum attract insects?
All types of Sedum are beloved by insects. Bees and butterflies are the two main insect species that thrive on Sedum. This then draws in the birds and other species, demonstrating how crucial a Sedum roof or wall can be, particularly in an urban setting bereft of many succulent and vibrant plants. Sedum is very alluring to butterflies, who can be seen in large numbers swarming over the plants at any time of the year, adding a delightful extra appeal to your new Sedum Green Roof. The renowned Award of Garden Merit has been presented to the sedum plant by the RHS.
Insects like ladybirds, an adept aphid predator, are also present. They cause no damage to the Sedum and ought to be left alone because they make a fantastic meal for other animals and the local bird population. Likewise On the Sedum plants, ambush bugs, which are stoutly built and typically orange, red, or yellow in color, are also frequently observed. They are known as “ambush bugs” because they have a propensity of waiting patiently for prey. They frequently catch prey that is ten times or larger than themselves. Similar to the ladybug, they don’t hurt the sedum and, in some situations, even manage to get rid of harmful pests.