11 Great Plants For Honeybees

By Season

Plus 5 plants to avoid and a bonus tip

Maple

• Perennial (tree) • USDA Zones 3 - 9 • Full sun & well-drained soil • Pollen & nectar • Variety of species

Late winter into early spring

With early blooms, maples provide nectar and pollen to start the season as long as it’s warm enough for the bees to fly.

Pussy Willow

• Perennial • USDA Zones 4 - 8 • Full sun to partial shade • Pollen & nectar • Brown branches & gray catkins

Late winter into early spring

Pussy willows may bloom as early as February when it's too cold for bees to fly. But if it's warm enough they are a great early season plant.

Poppy (Papaver)

• Perennial, biennial or annual • USDA Zones 3 - 8 • Prefers sun in well-drained soil • Early spring & spring blooms • Pollen only • Wide variety of colors

Spring

Poppies provide only pollen for honeybees, which is great in the spring as the colony makes bee bread to feed the brood.

Tulip Tree (Yellow Poplar)

• Perennial (tree) • USDA Zones 4 - 9 • Full sun • Nectar and pollen • Greenish-yellow tulip-shaped blooms; bright yellow fall color

Late spring into early summer

This fast-growing tree is an excellent source of nectar and pollen just as honeybee colonies are hitting full stride.

Red Flowering Thyme

• Perennial • USDA Zones 4 - 9 • Partial to full sun; moist soil • Nectar and pollen • Pink or magenta flowers

Late spring into early summer

Only a few inches high, creeping thyme might replace part of a lawn giving your bees a brilliant source of food in summer.

Mountain Bluet

• Perennial • USDA Zones 3 - 8 • Full sun to partial shade • Moist, well-drained soil • Nectar and pollen • Blue flowers w/reddish center

Late spring into early summer

Mountain bluet's unusual, colorful flowers are relatively short-lived. They provide a great source of nectar into midsummer.

Milkweed

• Perennial • USDA Zones 4 - 9 • Prefers full sun • May last to early fall • Nectar • Wide variety of colors

Midsummer

Milkweed provides excellent source of nectar for honeybees. Its design makes it a poor source of pollen.

Sunflower

• Annual (some perennials) • USDA Zones 4 - 9 • Full sun (it's a SUNflower) • May last to early fall • Pollen and nectar • Yellow colors primarily

Midsummer

Sunflower is the only seed crop in the world that was domesticated in North America.

Panicle Hydrangea (Paniculata)

• Perennial • USDA Zones 3 - 8 • Sun to shade; moist well-drained soil • Pollen and nectar • Variety of light colors

Midsummer into fall

With a long bloom time and large size, the paniculata gives honeybees a long season to enjoy them.

Goldenrod (Solidago)

• Perennial • USDA Zones 5 - 9 • Prefers full sun • Pollen and nectar • Golden yellow colors

Late summer into fall

After a summer nectar dearth, goldenrod can be a key source of pollen and nectar in the fall. The end of season blooms help the colony build up stores for the coming winter.

Aster

• Perennial, biennial or annual • USDA Zones 4 - 8 • Full to partial sun • Variety of growing conditions • Pollen and nectar • Wide variety of colors

Late summer into fall

L:ike goldenrod, asters help bees prepare for winter. Unlike goldenrod, asters can add a lot of colors to your fall garden.

5 plants to avoid for honeybees

Viper's bugloss can be an excellent source of nectar but it is an invasive weed.

Rhododendrons produce grayanotoxin which has toxic effects.

Like rhododendron, mountain laurel produces grayanotoxin.

This species reportedly may be toxic to honeybees.

Azaleas are close relatives of rhododendrons and can cause the same type of toxicity

Viper's bugloss (Blueweed)

Rhododendron

Mountain Laurel

Yellow Jessamine

Azaleas

Bonus tip for your bee garden

Mow your lawn less frequently and let honeybees get to "weeds" like dandelions. Dandelions are a great early spring food source for bees.