Many of our bee species (bumblebees and solitary bees) are declining globally. It’s also grown as a forage crop in certain regions. A few cultivars of butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii) have true blue flowers, such as 'Adonis Blue.' Grape hyacinths flower at the same time as forget-me-nots, below, and they pair well together. The following is a list of annuals, perennials, and herbs that are beloved by bees. (Don’t worry — they’re a lot more interested in flowers than they are in you!). It is a primary nectar source for a number of bee types. Help bees by growing different flowers and shrubs that are full of nectar and pollen, to give them a rich feeding ground throughout the year. Bees are so very much associated with the yellows, golds, reds and oranges—colors of the sun—that their preference for blue is a bit of a mystery. Blue Banded Bees love the small flowers of the Butterfly Bush and Leafcutter Bees love to cut disks from its soft leaves for their nest materials (see arrow). Start attracting native bees with not just any flowers, but by adding native flowering plants to your garden or anywhere near your bee hotel! Some claim they smell more like cherry pie! In warm zones, where temperatures don’t drop below freezing, you can sow them in late fall for spring flowers. The list is unique because it is not theoretical as in “your bees … Here are five edible and useful plants for your garden that bees will love. Don’t be afraid to plant flowers that attract bees. Plant bulbs 2 to 4 in. Others have misleading names, so do not buy sight-unseen. Often planted near vegetable crops, it helps attract pollinators to your garden, which will boost your yield of tomatoes, squash and more. While that might be a little somber for you and me (blue flowers, after all, tend to recede in our vision compared to bright yellows and reds), a blue-flowered garden can be a supermarket for honey bees, provided the right plants are grown in quantity and in sequence throughout the foraging season, so there’s always something in bloom. What could be more charming than these little sky-blue balls of flowers? The list is unique because it is not theoretical as in “your bees … Borage is easily grown from seed in constantly-moist average soil in sun or light shade, and will readily self-seed. 214: www.agrojournal.org/13/02-08-07.pdf, 12. Many of our bee species (bumblebees and solitary bees) are declining globally. Bees adore borage, a mainstay of European herb gardens since medieval monks grew it in their apothecary plots. The Adonis Blue cultivar of butterfly bush is a true blue. Borage flowers are most often blue, but can also be pink or white. Sidalcea Another way to make your yard a bee haven is to avoid spraying it with pesticides, which are harmful to bees and other beneficial insects. The blooms aren’t fragrant, but you’ll notice an oniony scent to your hands if you touch the foliage and bulbs. Tips for designing a pollinator-friendly garden. If attracting bees to your garden is important to you, skip plants such as eucalyptus, ferns, and lemongrass. Grows in zones 5-9. Honeybees made a beeline for the blue borage flowers, and marjoram, a popular herb with small pinkish white flowers, was the best all-rounder, popular with honeybees, bumblebees and other bees… Note. If that’s too dark for you, Penstemon ‘juicy grape’ is a lighter purple. One of the earliest bloomers, this pretty little bulb’s common name comes from the fact that you may find it blooming while there’s still snow on the ground. Those fields are usually overrun with bees who dance between the flowers, along … The plants produce very fragrant, vanilla-scented flowers that range from blue-purple, lavender, or even white. For almonds, the honey bee is the main pollinator of the almond flower that produces our almonds in our almond trees. They need pollen and nectar from flowers to power their flight and nourish offspring. When conditions are favorable, lungworts will self-seed and even cross with each other, making large colonies. Flat or shallow blossoms, such as daisies, zinnias, asters and Queen Anne's lace, will attract the largest variety of bees. It’s perfect for a vegetable or herb garden or waste places, but a little coarse for a flower border. Plant this little crocus in clusters for a charming early spring effect. (USDA Zone 4-8). Height: up to 3-feet. Depending on the species, globe thistle will reach three to six feet in well-drained, adequately moist soil in full sun. Hyssop – Hyssopus officinalis (Subshrub), Grown as a medicinal herb since antiquity, hyssop is native to eastern Europe and central Asia but is recorded as having arrived in North America in 1631 with the first colonists. Catmint is often used in herb gardens, along with other bee-friendly herbs like oregano, thyme and holy basil. (USDA Zone 4-8), 4. It’s a great rock garden plant, or, like many bulbs, it thrives under the branches of deciduous trees. The cultivar ‘Black and Blue’ is particularly beautiful, commonly available, and a good tropical plant for the late Summer garden. Pick at least 4 different types of bee friendly plants from this list to provide food for different times of the year. The snapdragon is a unique flower, in scent, shape, and color. The hardiest species and hybrids, including ‘Dark Star’, pictured, ‘Skylark, ‘Wheeler Canyon’ and ‘Henri Desfosse’, species) are good bee plants, but meadow sage and its hybrids come in lovely blues and deep-purples that look beautiful with iris, peony, lupine, catmint and other early-Summer perennials. The hefty 1½- to 2-in.-wide blooms offer a great landing and feeding area for bees and other pollinators. Annual flowers attract bees and other pollinators, of course, but who wouldn’t love less work? Borage crop (Saskatchewan): www.usask.ca/soilsncrops/conference-proceedings/previous_years/Files/97/1997docs/364.pdf. In addition to being deer- and rabbit-resistant, blue globe onion is also unaffected by juglone, the chemical given off by walnut trees. (USDA Zone 4-8), 10. Borage is one of my favorite flowers to grow around the garden, and bees love it too! 13. (USDA Zone 7-10), 7. deep and apart. Type Bulb Blooms Blue with white centers from late winter to early spring Light Full sun to part shade Soil Moist, well-drained Size 4 to 8 in. Depending on the variety, hyssop grows between one to two feet tall, and should be sheared back after flowering to maintain a tidy shape. However, they are highly attracted to shades of purple, blue and yellow. Light Requirements: Full sun. And don’t worry if you see leaves emerging in Autumn; that is a perfectly normal trait of Spring-flowering muscari. Most of the Australian native bees are known for “buzz pollination”, where pollen is collected by “shaking” the flower. Some plants like borage and lavender will flower for a very long time and the bees love them. An evergreen shrub, the California Lilac offers blue and pinkish or blue flowers known to attract solitary bees, bumblebees, and honeybees. They come in a range of sizes and colors. This large, shrubby plant with aromatic grey-blue foliage from the steppes of Afghanistan (not Russia) bears wands of small, lavender-blue flowers for a long period from mid-Summer into Autumn. The hardiest species and hybrids, including ‘Dark Star’, pictured, ‘Skylark, ‘Wheeler Canyon’ and ‘Henri Desfosse’ should survive Winter provided temperatures do not go lower than 15°F (-9°C). (USDA Zone 3-10), 11. But for bees, the value in chicory is in the sky-blue flowers loaded with abundant white pollen. There are many garden strains and species. Bees can see colors well and rely on vision to find nectar. Bright, showy flowers are magnets for bees. Mountain bluet spreads by rhizomes and self-seeds readily and is considered invasive in some regions. Long-tongued bees will be attracted to plants in the mint family, such as nepeta, salvia, oregano, mint and lavender. Nourish offspring great landing and feeding area for bees misleading names, so it makes a great landing feeding! 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