Best Flowers for Bees
A bee-friendly garden provides flowers from early spring through late fall.
Different bees prefer different flower shapes, so diversity matters.
Early-Season Flowers
Useful early flowers include:
- Native blueberries
- Redbud
- Fruit-tree blossoms
- Coreopsis
- Penstemon
- Early salvias
Summer Flowers
Excellent summer choices include:
- Zinnias
- Sunflowers
- Coneflowers
- Bee balm
- Mountain mint
- Basil allowed to flower
- Oregano flowers
Fall Flowers
Late-season nectar is especially important.
Plant:
- Goldenrod
- Asters
- Late salvias
- Joe-Pye weed
Mountain Mint
Few plants attract more bee activity than mountain mint.
Its clustered flowers support many species at once.
Sunflowers
Open-pollinated branching sunflowers can provide abundant pollen and nectar.
Some pollen-free cut-flower hybrids offer less value for bees.
Herbs
Let some culinary herbs bloom.
Bees love flowers from:
- Basil
- Thyme
- Oregano
- Chives
- Mint
- Dill
- Cilantro
Plant in Clusters
Groups of the same flower are easier for bees to locate.
A drift of five plants often works better than five unrelated single plants scattered across the yard.
Avoid Double Flowers
Highly doubled ornamental flowers may have less accessible pollen and nectar.
Simple flower forms are often better for pollinators.
Provide Water
Use shallow dishes with stones or pebbles for safe landing.
Refresh water regularly.
Reduce Pesticide Risk
Avoid spraying blooming plants when bees are active.
Follow labels exactly.
GardenGrowz Tip
The best bee garden is not one flower.
It is a sequence of flowers from spring through frost.