# flowers that honeybees like



## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

Next Spring try some Sweet Annie. You won't be disappointed when they bloomed!
Try anything purple like cleome, pansy, and echium too. The yellow Nygers will provide an interesting accent to
the purple. Nygers will provide both nectar and pollen.


Nygers in bloom:


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## Kuro (Jun 18, 2015)

Interesting. Like you, every spring I plant “wild flower mix” and “pollinator mix” seeds from different companies to find flowers that honeybees like. So far, the best annuals I found are borage, forget-me-not (I have to try that Chinese variety), bachelor’s button, and globe gilia. After the majority of other annuals are gone, bees get interested in cosmos and calendula as well. The best summer blooming perennials in my neighborhood seem to be lavender, Russian sage, and crane’s bill. I’m thinking about getting rid of my black-eyed Susan and plant those instead.


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## gww (Feb 14, 2015)

It takes a fence or something for them to climb but the korean bell flower seems to bloom during a pretty dry time for forage and they last for months and the bees are on them that whole time. They are not the prettiest things ever but I just love them and if I ever get from being too lazy, I am going to try a bunch along a cedar line behind my hives.

From the end of june here and they are still blooming right now.
Cheers
gww


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## bbvineyardapiary (Jan 21, 2016)

Every year I make a Pollinator seed mix to hand out at our Beekeeper Association Meetings, friends and family to plant. The mix provides forage for honey bees, wild bees and butterflies. It's geared toward the midwest climate for a variety of soil conditions. I source the seeds from reputable suppliers. Though not 100% native species, the mix does not include any exotic or invasive plant species. Wild flowers and crop seed will bloom for a couple of years. Milkweed will some of the perennial flowers will persist in the clover which will reseed as the primary cover. 

Any one interested in a sample can contact me.

Combination perennial and annual flowers and cover crops 
•	1 Part – Midwest Wildflower Seed Mix
•	1 Part – All perennial Wildflower Seed Mix
•	1 Part – Blood / Sunset Flower Seeds
•	1 Part – Crimson Clover – Flowering
•	1 Part – Common Milkweed
•	1 Part – White Dutch Clover
•	1 Part – Red Blossom Clover
•	2 Part – Common Vetch 
•	4 Part – Buckwheat Cover Crop Seed


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## wasabi (Jun 14, 2016)

While not yard flowers, SOURWOOD blooms attract honeybees in droves. Of course there are also LINDEN, MAGNOLIA, etc..
I've always heard that flowers help but flowering trees make up a larger proportion of nectar and pollen for honey bees..


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## dudelt (Mar 18, 2013)

wasabi said:


> While not yard flowers, SOURWOOD blooms attract honeybees in droves. Of course there are also LINDEN, MAGNOLIA, etc..
> I've always heard that flowers help but flowering trees make up a larger proportion of nectar and pollen for honey bees..


While they take a bit longer to start flowering, trees are a whole lot easier in the long run. Plant once, keep watered for a year or two, and enjoy for the rest of your life. It sure beats plowing and replanting every year or so. I have spent hundreds of dollars on seeds for bee flowers over the years with nothing to show from it and will never do it again. All the trees I planted are still growing, providing shade, keeping the soil intact and providing flowers for the bees. In the summer, you can actually hear the trees buzzing with all the activity. If you want to help a bee, plant a tree.


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

I seed Dutch Clover over late winter snow and just let it do its thing.


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## Vectorjet (Feb 20, 2015)

dudelt said:


> While they take a bit longer to start flowering, trees are a whole lot easier in the long run. Plant once, keep watered for a year or two, and enjoy for the rest of your life. It sure beats plowing and replanting every year or so. I have spent hundreds of dollars on seeds for bee flowers over the years with nothing to show from it and will never do it again. All the trees I planted are still growing, providing shade, keeping the soil intact and providing flowers for the bees. In the summer, you can actually hear the trees buzzing with all the activity. If you want to help a bee, plant a tree.


 I agree fully with planting the right types of tree's. Around here the Basswood or Linden trees make a great honey crop. They don't bloom till late June when the hives are at full strength, the flowers hang down which helps keep the rain from washing away the nectar, the days are long and warm and the trees usually bloom every year. I still plant flowers though because they look nice, my wife likes them and they do provide some food sources when there is often nothing else blooming.


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