# Late Season Blooming Plants of Potential Value to Honey Bees in Mid-Missouri



## centrarchid (Jun 13, 2014)

Even as of today we have the following plants blooming in our native plant display.

_Symphyotrichum ericoides_ – White Heath Aster
_Symphyotrichum oblongifolium_ – Aromatic Aster
_S. novae-angliae_ – New England Aster
_S. lanceolatum_ – White Panicle Aster
_Phlox bifida_ – Sand phlox (not likely important to honey bees)

At this point none of the species listed above are likely important owing to limited number of flying days but they were still in good bloom two weeks after the Tall Goldenrod and asters associated with recognized late season honey flow. That additional two weeks could be very important to getting bees ready for winter. These plants are currently rare in the environment where my bees forage but belong to a list generally considered to be native. Additionally they are not species associated habitats with a disturbance pattern typical of road right-of-ways and pastures. The will be species I will attempt to establish on a couple of acres of my ground to see if bees will work them with any real effort. I have too many hives for two acres to benefit but will provide insight into potential value of these species.


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## jbraun (Nov 13, 2013)

I have S. lanceolatum in my yard. At least I think that's it. I'm not good at identification of native plants. It self seeded and now it's spread a LOT. Next year I'll limit it's spread because I'm in a small town lot. I'm sure lots of my neighbors wonder why I let the weeds grow up in areas of my yard. I was surprised to see they are still blooming in your area. 

The bees do work them and it helps top them off for the winter. I'd love to have acreage to help my 7 hives out.


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## centrarchid (Jun 13, 2014)

Blooms still present, especially on late season germinating plants and those that were cut later in the season. According to our native plant researchers the late season blooming for these species is typical although I do not see the advantages for the plants being so late. In a warmer fall than we had this year I do see potential for the bees.


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## centrarchid (Jun 13, 2014)

This year which is particularly warm has plants listed above still supporting bee visits nearly a month after honey ceased. Density of foraging bees not very high and likely too low to support gainful flow needed unless such forages dominate landscape which is not likely under scenario I can realize.


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