# What plants to avoid????



## beesohappy (Jun 3, 2009)

I'm not sure if it grows in your area but here oleander and buckeye are not good for bees.


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## gezellig (Jun 11, 2014)

I've read the same about Buckeyes. However, I have two buckeye trees in my yard that have been here pre-hives and the blooms on them are far too long for a bee to attempt to obtain any nectar from. So, I'm not sure if it's a specific type that is supposed to be toxic.


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## Dan P (Oct 29, 2014)

Rhododendron only if you want mad honey. Never seen a bee on oleanders got 4 along drive way. I believe the bees know what plant will kill them.


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## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

Don't worry about the marigolds (various _Tagetes cult._), they are not harmful. "Jasmine" covers several different plants, but Winter jasmine, _Jasminum nudiflorum_ is not harmful (though doubtful it would be hardy in OH). Buckeye probably refers to a California native plant with a similar common name, not the same as typical Ohio Buckeye or Horse Chestnut.

Oleander is a tropical shrub, and unless you had one in a pot in OH, it's not a concern.

Bees are smart. Don't worry too much about their forage plants' toxicity to them, most likely they would avoid anything harmful.

Enj.


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## gezellig (Jun 11, 2014)

What about rhododendron and mad (bad) honey?


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

gezellig said:


> What about rhododendron and mad (bad) honey?


http://bit.ly/1yataAM


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## BeeBop (Apr 23, 2015)

Well I'm rather dismayed to find that Buckeye is toxic to bees. 
There's at least 4 Buckeye trees within 100 yards of my hive location and probably a hundred more in a mile radius. I've watched bees feed on them many times.

Is this likely to be a problem for the girls?

The good news is that there's quite a bit of cotoneaster in bloom now and the blackberries are still blooming although it's a sad year for the blackberries. Hopefully the bees will leave the buckeye alone in favor of something else.

I can't believe that buckeye is bad for them. inch: That just sucks.


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## beecole (Nov 25, 2011)

I have a lot of mountain laurel down near the creek. ( a lot) it just sits there in bloom . Honey bees will not touch it. They just seem to know better. Bumble bees are a different story.


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