Research

Biodiversity

Plants for bees

Bee - Photograph copyright RHS Bees visit flowers to collect nectar and pollen. Pollen contains proteins and fats and large quantities are needed, especially during the spring when many bee larvae are being raised. Nectar contains sugars and is the main energy source for bees.

Plants growing in sunny, sheltered places are more likely to be visited by bees than those growing in shaded or windswept situations.

Low-growing plants, such as annuals and herbaceous plants, are more attractive to bees if the plants are grown in large clumps or patches, rather than being scattered and mixed up.

Double-flowered or pollen-free varieties of plants listed below should be avoided, since bees usually ignore these.

Some of the plants in the following lists cannot be grown in all parts of the British Isles because of unsuitable climatic or soil conditions. Some provide pollen only, but these are nevertheless valuable to bees. Some may not always prove attractive to bees and this is particularly true of certain trees and shrubs, which in some years may not produce nectar in sufficient quantity to attract bees. The extent to which nectar is secreted is influenced by factors such as temperature, humidity and soil moisture.

Annuals

Borage (Borago officinalis)
Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum)
Californian poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
Candytuft (Iberis species)
China aster (Callistephus chinensis)
Clarkia (Clarkia species)
Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus)
Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)
Forget-me-not (Myosotis species)
Gilia capitata
Godetia (Clarkia species)
Heliotrope (Heliotropium cultivars)
Love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena)
Mignonette (Reseda odorata)
Nemophila menziesii
Phacelia species
Poached egg plant (Limnanthes douglasii)
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Sweet sultan (Amberboa moschata)
Zinnia (Zinnia elegans)

Biennials

French honeysuckle (Hedysarum coronarium)
Hollyhock - single flowered (Alcea rosea)
Honesty (Lunaria annua)
Wallflower (Erysimum species)

Herbaceous perennials

Agastache foeniculum
Alyssum species
Anchusa azurea
Arabis species
Aubrieta species
Bellflowers (Campanula species)
Catmints (Nepeta species)
Cranesbill (Geranium species)
Dahlia - single-flowered species and cultivars
Eryngium species
Fleabane (Erigeron species)
Geum species
Globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus)
Globe thistle (Echinops ritro)
Golden rod (Solidago species)
Gypsophila paniculata
Helenium species
Hellebores (Helleborus species)
Ice plant (Sedum spectabile)
Jacob's ladder (Polemonium caeruleum)
Japanese anemone (Anemone × hybrida)
Lambs' ears (Stachys byzantina)
Leopard's bane (Doronicum species)
Liatris spicata
Michaelmas daisies (Aster species)
Monarda punctata
Oriental poppy (Papaver orientale)
Persicaria amplexicaule
Rudbeckia species
Salvia x superba
Scabious (Scabiosa species)
Sea hollies (Eryngium species)
Sidalcea malviflora
Thrift (Armeria maritima)
Verbena bonariensis
Veronica longifolia
White horehound (Marrubium vulgare)

Bulbs and corms

Allium species
Autumn crocus (Colchicum species)
Crocus species
Fritillaries (Fritillaria species)
Glory of the snow (Chionodoxa luciliae)
Grape hyacinth (Muscari species)
Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis)
Siberian squill (Scilla siberica)
Snowdrops (Galanthus species)
Snowflakes (Leucojum and Acis species)
Winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis)

Vegetables and culinary herbs

Asparagus
Brassicas left to flower
Broad bean
Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)
Marjoram (Origanum species)
Marrow and other cucurbits
Mint (Mentha species)
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Runner bean
Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Thyme (Thymus species)

Trees and shrubs

Almond (Prunus dulcis)
Apple, including ornamental Malus
Barberry (Berberis species)
Blackberry
Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa)
Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata)
Box (Buxus sempervirens)
Brooms (Cytisus species)
Caryopteris
Ceanothus species (spring-flowering types)
Cherry, including single-flowered ornamental types
Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)
Christmas box (Sarcococca species)
Clematis cirrhosa
Cotoneaster species
Currants, red, black, white and ornamental Ribes species
Daisy bush (Olearia species)
Daphne mezereum
Dogwood (Cornus alba)
Enkianthus campanulatus
Escallonia hybrids
False acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia)
Firethorn (Pyracantha cultivars)
Fuchsia species
Gaultheria shallon
Gooseberry
Gorse (Ulex species)
Hawthorns (Crataegus species)
Hazel (Corylus avellana)
Heather (Calluna vulgaris)
Heathers (Erica species)
Hebe species
Holly (Ilex aquifolium)
Horse chestnuts (Aesculus species)
Hypericum species
Indian bean tree (Catalpa bignonioides)
Ivy (Hedera helix)
Japanese quince (Chaenomeles speciosa and C. x superba)
Judas tree (Cercis siliquastrum)
Koelreuteria paniculata
Lavender (Lavandula species)
Lime (Tilia species) - note Tilia tomentosa ‘Petiolaris’ nectar is sometimes harmful to bumblebees
Loganberry
Lonicera × purpusii
Mahonia aquifolium
Maples (Acer species)
Mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia)
Orange ball buddleia (Buddleja globosa)
Pear and ornamental Pyrus species
Perovskia atriplicifolia
Plums
Potentilla fruticosa
Raspberry
Rock rose (Helianthemum species)
Rose - single-flowered species types (Rosa species)
Snowberry (Symphoricarpos species)
Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo)
Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus)
Sweet bay (Laurus nobilis)
Tetradium daniellii
Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
Weigela florida and hybrids
Willows, male forms, especially goat willow (Salix caprea)

Wild flowers

Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)
Birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
Burdock (Arctium lappa)
Charlock (Sinapis arvensis)
Chickweed (Stellaria media)
Clovers (Trifolium species)
Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara)
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Devil's bit scabious (Succisa pratensis)
Field scabious (Knautia arvensis)
Figworts (Scrophularia species)
Hemp agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum)
Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium)
Horseshoe vetch (Hippocrepis comosa)
Knapweeds (Centaurea species)
Knotgrasses (Polygonum species)
Lesser celandine (Ranunculus ficaria)
Mallows (Malva species)
Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris)
Meadow clary (Salvia pratensis)
Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)
Poppies (Papaver species)
Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
Red deadnettle (Lamium purpureum)
Rose bay willowherb (Epilobium angustifolium)
Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum)
Thistles (Cirsium species)
Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris)
Traveller's joy (Clematis vitalba)
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)
Viper's bugloss (Echium vulgare)
White bryony (Bryonia dioica)
White melilot (Melilotus alba)
Yellow melilot (M. officinalis)
Yellow trefoil (Trifolium dubium)

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