Although there are many reasons insects are at the top of the extinction list in the past several years, monoculture and habitat loss are main drivers of these incredibly necessary part of our circle of life.
Bees eat honey, but they make honey from nectar and feed their babies with pollen. The beautiful thing for us in this is that because they bounce from flower to flower, our fruits and vegetable plants get pollinated. Their process of procuring food ensures we get food. Unless you’re growing a few acres of strawberries or cucumbers, any visiting honeybees are going to need quite a few more sources for food outside of your garden. Native insects such as bumblebees, mason bees and butterflies also pollinate many of the plants that provide us food, so it’s not only important to us that we plant for them but for the ecosystem as a whole.
A few quick notes on planting for pollinators before the short list of suggestions:
If you can, plant flowers in large groupings. Once bees find a good source of pollen and/or nectar they’ll go back to the hive and tell everyone else about it. They will visit these flowers continuously.
If you are specifically planting for bees, just remember that they don’t see the color red.
Don’t spray chemicals on your flowers or plants. The bees will take those chemicals home where they could become part of the honey and can toxify the entire hive. Also try to avoid buying plants systemically treated with chemicals.
There are some plants considered poisonous to bees including two of my favorites, azaleas and rhododendrons (which is why I sadly don’t have either). Trumpet vine, black henbane, oleander, mountain laural, bottlebrush buckeye and angel’s trumpet (moonflower) are all poisonous and believed to be toxic to bees.
Okay, now for that short list of great plants for pollinators!
Trees:
Apple, Cherry, crabapple, silver maples, redbuds, tulip trees and willows are all a few examples of great sources for pollinators when they are flowers. The only trees I can find that might not be good for bees are linden trees which aren’t exactly common here in the United States and bee deaths are rare.
Flowers often referred to as weeds:
Dandelions, henbit, and clover might not be on your garden shopping list, but they are fantastic food sources for pollinators. Dandelions also can be used as food for us humans (another subject for another blog).
Flowers we plant:
This is where the list has to get a little short. Number one on the list is any native wildflower. Most states have resources for purchasing these wild beauties, and guides can typically be found on your state’s department of conservation site. Beyond that, black eyed susans, coneflowers (echinacea), hydrangeas, poppies, salvia sunflowers, zinnias, goldenrod and salvia are all excellent go-tos.
Fruits and vegetables:
All berries, asparagus, peas, corn, melons, pumpkins, squash and cucumbers.
Herbs:
Basil, bee balm, mint, oregano, lavender, and lemon balm are great choices for both you and the bees.
Audrey L Elder Fourteen Acre Wood