Flower ResourcesDiscover the right flowers for your garden.
Suncredible ® scandalmongering sunflower . Photo by : Proven Winners .
Which get along first , the bee or the bee balm ? While the question may be interesting to think over , it illustrate the vital partnership between plant life and pollinator , and how one needs the other to survive .
Bee universe are decline quickly in many regions of the country , with home ground passing being a chief cause . As gardeners , we can do our part to help keep these of import pollinator well fed . Growing a diverse mixed bag of bloom works can satisfy the appetency of various bee species . Along with planting mess of flowers that attract bees , we can also improve the environment for bee by creating a safe haven in our gardens that they can call home base .
14 FLOWERS FOR BEES
‘ Pardon My Cerise ’ bee balm . picture by Proven Winners .
BEE BALM
Plant eccentric : PerennialBloom fourth dimension : Midsummer to early fallFlower color : Shades of crimson , pink , lilac-colored , white-hot , or purple . Also , blot bee balm with pallid sensationalistic petals recognize with purple , with showy pink bract . Height:1 to 3 ft tallZones:3 - 8Bee appeal : Dense cluster of little two - lipped flowers entice a broad range of pollinator , as do the aromatic green leave of absence .
Learn bee balm .
Photo by : Alexandr Golovkin / Shutterstock .
BLUE GLOBE ALLIUM
flora case : BulbBloom metre : May to JuneFlower color : Sky blueHeight:1 to 2 fundament tallZones:4 - 8Bee prayer : One of the best springtime - bloom bulbs for bees , beckon them from far and wide with its eye - take hold of orbs of gentle heyday .
See moreallium miscellany .
exposure by : Roger Foley .
ORIENTAL POPPY
Plant case : PerennialBloom clip : June to JulyFlower color : Orange , scarlet , lavender or pink , ordinarily with dark over-embellished or black centersHeight:2 to 4 feet tallZones:5 - 7Bee appealingness : bee forage on poppies not for the nectar , but for the protein - rich pollen , which these immense cup - shaped rosiness produce in copiousness , providing a welcome feast in late bound .
See moreoriental poppy kind .
PowWow Wild Berry Purple coneflower . Photo by : Proven Winners .
CONEFLOWER
Plant type : PerennialBloom sentence : Midsummer to fallFlower color : Purple , white , yellow , orangish , or pink , count on the cultivarHeight:2 to 5 ft tallZones:3 - 9Bee appeal : You’ll often see bees buzz thirstily around the striking key retinal cone of these daisy - same flowers , visit each floweret to partake of its ambrosia and pollen . A farseeing bloom menstruation keeps bees well fed for months .
Learn how togrow and worry for coneflower .
Photo by : RukiMedia / Shutterstock .
GREAT BLUE LOBELIA
Plant type : PerennialBloom time : August through SeptemberFlower vividness : blueish to purpleHeight:2 to 3 feet tallZones:4 - 9Bee appeal : Showy spikes of blue flowers are magnets for bumblebees and other bee species include white-livered - faced bees , sweat bees , and small carpenter bees .
See morelobelia varieties .
' Cat ’s Pajamas ' catnip . picture by : Proven Winners .
CATMINT
flora type : PerennialBloom time : May through SeptemberFlower color : Blue to purpleHeight:9 inches to 3 infantry tallZones:4 - 9Bee appeal : Long blooming and fertile , making it an splendid source of nectar for honeybees and bumblebee from late spring until gloaming .
See morecatmint miscellany .
Sweet Romance ® lavender . Photo by : Proven Winners .
LAVENDER
flora eccentric : Perennial herbBloom time : June through AugustFlower color : Lavender - purpleness , pink , and whiteHeight:2 to 3 feet tallZones:5 - 9Bee charm : Sweetly fragrant , with spikes of tiny flowers just the right sizing for honeybee .
See morelavender mixture .
' Purple Dome ' aster . Photo by : Richard Bloom .
NEW ENGLAND ASTER
Plant case : PerennialBloom sentence : August to OctoberFlower color : Deep purpleness with pale yellow centerHeight:3 to 5 feet tallZones:3 - 7Bee appeal : One of the last flower to blossom in dip , make it an of import late - time of year nectar source for native bees .
See moreaster varieties .
Photo by : Janet Loughrey .
CHIVES
Plant type : HerbBloom time : April to MayFlower color : PurpleHeight:12 to 18 inches tallZones:3 - 7Bee appeal : Early - blooming ambrosia - rich flowers are a spread for bees come forth from dormancy in bounce .
See morebee - friendly garden herbs .
Photo by : Proven Winners .
SUNFLOWER
works case : one-year or perennialBloom time : summertime through fallFlower color : YellowHeight : Up to 16 feetZones:4 - 8 for perennial varietiesBee appeal : In increase to being fertile nectar and pollen producers , sunflowers have also been shown to have bee - healing properties . Both wild bees and honeybees will self - medicate on sunflower pollen when ill or infected with pathogens . Be sure to plant open - pollinated sunflower varieties rather than intercrossed types bred to be pollenless .
Learn how togrow & care for helianthus .
Photo by : Nancy J. Ondra / Shutterstock .
STIFF GOLDENROD
works eccentric : PerennialBloom clip : August to OctoberFlower color : Pale yellowHeight:3 to 5 feetZones:3 - 9Bee appeal : This native prairie plant is a raw material on the card for bees gathering food reserves for winter .
See moregoldenrod varieties .
Photo by : rdp15 / Shutterstock .
tailwort
flora character : AnnualBloom time : June to AugustFlower color : brilliant blueHeight:1 to 3 feetBee appeal : Honeybees delight in these nectar - rich disconsolate flowers , which can replenish their nectar within minute after a bee waste it , ensuring a steady provision of refills . The shallow , star - shaped blooms are also ideal food reservoir for bees with short tongues .
‘ Queen Lime Orange ’ . Photo good manners of All America Selections .
old maid
Plant type : AnnualBloom time : recent spring until frostFlower colour : Various shades of orange , pinkish , purple , red , white and yellowHeight:1 to 4 feetBee prayer : Honeybees and bumblebees flock to these colorful flowers , and many types of solitary bee as well . The nectar - rich central disk flowers are little enough that even tiny metal money of bees can collect food easily .
memorize how togrow & care for zinnia flowers .
exposure by : pick out Joe Pye weed . Photo by : Alan & Linda Detrick .
JOE PYE WEED
Plant type : PerennialBloom meter : July to SeptemberFlower people of color : Purple , dusky roseHeight:6 to 8 feetZones:3 - 8Bee appealingness : Honeybees go crazy for the large vanilla extract - odorize flower heads of this Junoesque native perennial , move around from one floret to the next until they satisfy their nectar craving .
Learn Joe Pye weed .
WHAT MAKES A FLOWER BEE FRIENDLY?
It provides a healthy dieting . Flowers that attract bees provide abundant nectar and pollen , the only author of carbohydrates and protein in a bee ’s diet . While some bees , call “ Renaissance man , ” are n’t picky about the type of peak , others are “ specialists ” and need pollen from particular plants .
It ’s the right coloring material . If you thought red or yellow was a bee ’s preferent efflorescence people of color , opine again . They actually see flowers in the profane and purple color spectrum better than other hue and are by nature attract to them . ( Interestingly , flowers in the blue - purple range produce the most nectar . ) bee can also see ultraviolet light , and many flowers have ultraviolet nectar guides that are invisible to us but lead bees right to their unfermented treat .
It ’s the staring shape . Some bees prefer certain peak because of their physical body . Often these preferences are determined by the length of a bee ’s tongue . For good example , long - tongued bees seek out tubular , deep - throated flower while shortly - tongue species visit flower with easily accessible ambrosia , such as those in the daisy family .
It ’s just the right size . Sizewise , honeybees often flock to tiny flowers , while tumid bee ban them because they are too small to affirm their weight .
It ’s single . Regardless of flower form or size of it , avoid cultivars with showy treble flowers . While attractive , they often make it more difficult for bees to get at nectar and pollen than single heyday .
It ’s chemical - free . Don’t cover your flowers with pesticides , which are extremely toxic to honeybees and otherbeneficial worm . rather , opt for eco - well-disposed treatments and apply them in other morning or at dusk when there are few bees around . Also , avoid buying plant life pretreated with systemic chemical that , even in small United States Department of State , can be harmful to bee .
It blossom at the ripe time . Although bounce and summertime may seem to be when bee are at their busiest , some too soon - emerging bees rely on pollen and nectar from late winter and very early spring blooms . In the crepuscle , bee feast on late - bloom plants in preparation for winter hibernation .
BEE GARDEN DESIGN TIPS
Photo by : FooTToo / Shutterstock .
Beyond planting colorful bloom , there are other things you could do to keep bees buzzing in your garden . Here are tips for create the ultimatepollinator promised land :
Provide a well-off dwelling house . Not all bee colonize in hives like the super - social Apis mellifera . bumblebee nest in holes in the ground and postulate bare area of unmulched soil where they can dig out their underground tunnel . Certain species of solitary bee make their homes in aboveground tunnels or tooth decay in vacuous - stemmed plants and dead wood .
you could buy a “ bee hotel ” for these muddle - nesting bees — a birdhouse - comparable social organisation consisting of vacuous John Reed or cardboard tubes — or make your own withthese stepsfrom Michigan State University Extension . ( Here ’s a funbee hotel colour pagefor budding young gardeners to enjoy . )
Make certain they have access to water . Create a small bee watering station by placing a shallow , wide ravisher in the garden fill up with clean water and a few Isidor Feinstein Stone the bee can stand on . A birdbath with a few liquid rock in it will also do the trick . Another option is to corrupt agravity - run water dispenserdesigned especially for bees .
embed a bee lawnthat includes low - growing flowering plant as well as turf pasturage . Dutch white clover ( Trifolium repens),creeping thyme(Thymus serpyllum ) , and aboriginal violas ( Violaspp . ) are examples of plants that benefit pollinator and will bloom in a mowed lawn . Even blowball can be an asset if you ’re trying to attract bee and other pollinating insects .
Grow some herb . Many pollinators , especially bees , are drawn to herbs , such asrosemaryand thyme , because of their intense scent .
let in a mix of native and non - native plants . aboriginal bee are more likely to be attract to the native flowers they are conversant with , but non - aboriginal plant life such as catmint , zinnias , and lavender can also be resistless to bee , specially if they produce a lot of nectar . By filling your garden with a variety — admit annuals , perennial , shrub , trees , ground cover , veggie , and herbs — you ’ll pull in a peachy diversity of bee species . ( See more onnative flora . )
Keep in creative thinker that most plants that draw bees will require full Sunday for at least half of the day . If you do n’t have a sun garden , plant your bee flowers in containers and place them on a sunny terrace orbalcony .
Learn more : How to Keep Mason Bees .
