Planting for Bees

Here is a beautiful list of plantings for our delightful little foragers

Wanting to plant flowers, shrubs and trees that benefit local bee populations? This is your definitive guide of what to plant. Of course, do your research into these plants. You don’t want to accidentally plant something that’s incredibly invasive in your area, right?

Spring and Summer Bulbs

• Purple flowering onions (Allium spp.)
• Golden crocus (Crocus x luteus)
• Bishop Series dahlias* (Dahlia)
• Winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis)
• Grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum)
• Siberian squill (Scilla sibirica)

Perennials and Biennials

• Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
• Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
• Lesser calamint (Calamintha nepeta)
• Cornflowers (Centaurea spp.)
• Gas plant (Dictamnus albus)
• Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
• Globe thistles (Echinops spp.)
• Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium)
• Blanketflowers (Gaillardia spp.)
• Cranesbills (Geranium spp.)
• Fall sedums (Hylotelephiumtelephium)
• Knautia (Knautia macedonica)
• Forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica)
• Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
• Meadow sage (Salvia nemorosa)
• Showy goldenrod (Solidago speciosa)
• Fall asters (Symphyotricum spp.)

Annuals

• Cosmos (Cosmos spp.)
• California poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
• Sunflower* (Helianthus annuus)
• Heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens)
• Love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena)
• Breadseed poppy (Papaver somniferum)
• Portulaca* (Portulaca spp.)
• Blue anise sage (Salvia guaranitica)
• Profusion and common zinnias* (Zinnia spp.)

Herbs

• Chives and onions (Allium spp.)
• Borage (Borago officinalis)
• Horehound (Marrubium vulgare)
• Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)
• Mints (Mentha spp.)
• Catmints (Nepeta spp.)
• Creganos (Origanum spp.)
• Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
• Rue (Ruta graveolens)
• Sage (Salvia officinalis)
• Thyme (Thymus spp.)

Shrubs

• Heather (Calluna vulgaris)
• Blue mist bush (Caryopteris x clandonensis)
• Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia)
• Winter heath (Erica carnea)
• Lavenders (Lavandula spp.)
• Sumacs (Rhus spp.)
• Elderberry (Sambucus nigra)

Trees

• Maples (Acer spp.)
• Alders (Alnus spp.)
• Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
• Hazels (Corylus spp.)
• Tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera)
• Fruit trees, especially apple, plum, and cherry (Malus and Prunus spp.)
• Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica)
• Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
• Willows (Salix spp.)
• Basswood/linden (Tilia spp.)

Weeds

• Viper’s bugloss (Echium vulgare)
• Birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
• Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
• Clovers (Trifolium and Melilotus spp.)

 Thanks Russ!