8 Best Flowers That Attract Honey Bees - Beekeeping Guide
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As more and more people rediscover beekeeping, you might be wondering if the hobby is right for you. Most home farmers are attracted by the low overhead costs, sustainability, and extra income it offers, as well as the fact that keeping bees requires no dedicated garden space. Bees are even fully self-sustaining. But, while you don’t need to feed them, you should help them thrive by surrounding them with their preferred food source - flowers.
Not all flowers attract bees and some may compete with other plants in your garden. That’s why for today’s list, we’ve compiled eight of the very best flowers that attract honey (how long does honey last?) bees.
Top 5 Best Flowers To Plant For Bees
1. Bee Balm
Ironically enough, this flower was named Bee Balm because it was a common remedy for stings, but bees absolutely love it.
Bee Balm can be planted in late winter and the first flowers appear as early as March. There are multiple varieties so it’s best to choose one that grows locally. If you're in Texas, your best bet is Peter's Purple Bee Balm.
2. Borage
If we didn’t know any better, we’d say Borage was made for beekeeping. Not only do its sweet aroma and bright colors attract bees, they also keep other bugs away from your garden making it on the list of best flowers that attract honey bees.
The most common varieties range from a bright blue color to pink and white. And all of them look great in a bouquet. Their petals are edible and they make a delicious addition to any salad or dessert. Finally, the flowers are known for their medicinal properties. You can brew them into a herbal tea that alleviates inflammation and supports the cardiovascular system.
3. White Wild Indigo
If you don’t want to start a flower garden just for the sake of beekeeping, White Wild Indigo may be your best bet. It can grow in any type of soil, including clay and even gravel. Plus, it can handle both seasonal drought and occasional flooding.
These hardy flowers also grow as tall as five feet, so you won’t need to plant a lot of them. And, as a perennial plant, White Wild Indigo will grow back each season.
4. Calendula
Calendula is beloved by bees and humans everywhere. The large yellow flowers are so aromatic, they can attract bees from miles away. And sowing Calendula is as easy as dropping some seeds on the ground.
It is among the first Spring flowers to pop up out of the snow - in mild climates, like the Texas Panhandle, they grow all winter long. The petals and flower pods are also edible, though they are more often used to make balm, soap and medicinal creams.
5. Purple Coneflower
Best known as echinacea, Purple Coneflower stands out in a sea of white and dull-colored wildflowers. Bees are instantly attracted to the bright purple hues.
Unlike most plants on our list, coneflowers produce plenty of pollen in addition to the sweet nectar that bees find irresistible. It starts blooming in early summer and keeps growing until the first winter cold snap.
More Flowering Plants For Beekeeping
6. Lavender
If you weren’t already growing Lavender in your garden, you are missing out. They attract pollinators so well that vegetable farmers plant them around their crops to improve propagation.
Lavender is a flowering shrub with an extremely long blooming season so it can provide pollen all summer long. Plus, there are entire cookbooks for lavender-based desserts. And who could resist adding that calming aroma to their homestead?
7. Black-Eyed Susan
For those of us who want to tend bees without having to tend a garden, Black-Eyed Susan is the perfect choice. The flower is every bit as bright and aromatic as Calendula, but it requires none of the upkeep.
Once sown, Black-Eyed Susan will hardly need any pruning, watering, or fertilization. Meanwhile, the amount of nectar it produces is second to none. It may not be the most aesthetically pleasing flower on our list, but the butterflies it attracts are sure to beautify your garden.
8. Flowering Herbs
Not all common herbs produce enough nectar or pollen to attract bees, but those that do can be a great dual-purpose addition. Our favorites are basil, thyme, chives (how long do chives last?), and mint. Each of these herbs are normally harvested before full maturity.
But, given a few extra weeks, they start producing small, potent flowers that bees seem to crave. Considering the added benefit of farm-to-table herbs, this is a great option for those who don’t have space for a full flower patch.
That’s all for the eight best flowers that attract honey bees. Do you still have questions? No need to mind your own beeswax - just ask it in the comments!
Sources:
https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-insects-butterflies-bees-4f463faa327e4b8285c4834bc9559392
https://www.growforagecookferment.com/flowers-to-plant-for-bees/
