# If you could only plant one type flower???



## JustinH (Nov 11, 2013)

If you could only plant one flower variety, which one would you chose? I'll have 4 empty raised flower beds after this summer and I want to plant a lot of one thing that produces both pollen and nectar. Preferably a perennial so I only have to plant once but if y'all convince me of a rock star annual, then I'll plant that. Thanks!


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## brooksbeefarm (Apr 13, 2008)

Russian Sage, but it's a bush.


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## Santa Caras (Aug 14, 2013)

Saw palm..makes great honey but still a tropic plant with no flowers.


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## fruitveggirl (Mar 8, 2013)

Honestly, I can't pick just one plant. However, I've noticed that my bees are always bonkers for butterfly weed (asclepias tuberosa), Autumn joy sedum, and May night salvia. The May night salvia is nice, too, because if you deadhead it in spring, it will rebloom in the fall.


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## Mbalboa (Apr 21, 2014)

I'll second Autumn Joy Sedum, and add Sedum telephium Matrona (Stonecrop). My bees are all over them. The best part is they're really easy to propagate.


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## Hops Brewster (Jun 17, 2014)

Russian sage rocks. But why only one? Variety is the spice of life, and of honey.


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

Mint if you can keep it in the beds will bloom long time and the bees will always be on it.


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## JustinH (Nov 11, 2013)

Hops Brewster said:


> Russian sage rocks. But why only one? Variety is the spice of life, and of honey.


I have around 17 different flowers planted just for the bees in the backyard. I consulted a list of the top pollen/nectar producers and bought $100's worth. Each flower section is about 4'x3' or 12 square feet. Bumble bees and other native bees love the flowers but my honey bees ignore them. I think because of flower fidelity (bees foraging on flowers only when there are lots of one variety to go to and not just 12 sqft of one variety). I like variety too and I planted specifically so something would always be blooming so I can help them during dearths. I googled Russian Sage and it looks nice so I think I'll go with that. Here's a pic of just one of my beds.


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## tsmullins (Feb 17, 2011)

Like Vance said, I would probably choose one of the mints. Blooms a long time during summer. They are pretty hardy and can hold their own.

Shane


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

Perennial is nice but I like annuals because almost every year that there is a drought here where we live.
So annual is what I like to rotate the beds with. So far I like Borage for the nectar and pollen. And once they
seeded you don't have to plant them anymore but to thin out the young seedlings. It is hard to get rid of them.
They are a bit drought tolerant too. With succession planting they will bloom from Spring til Winter. The frost will
kill them though.
The Nyger is nice too that the song birds and honey bees as well as other
bees like them. If you have any song birds they will not leave you any seeds for naturalizing so don't worry about
the invasive aspect of it. Buckwheat is also good for the honey with pancakes. Fast to grow and will bloom in a month. A
bit drought tolerant as well. I will grow this again.
I bought sainfoin (perennial) seeds this year to try. Russian sage is easy to propagate and grow from the seeds. And will flower on the
first year. It is better if you plant them in patches so that the bees will be attracted to them. 
So with 4 plots I would plant some Borage, Nyger, Buckwheat and Russian sage. Also, don't forget the pumpkins and zukkinis
as they will help the bees thru the dearth also. I for sure will grow these with many more and adding sedum to my bee planting as well.
If you only want one type of plants I think it is for acreage only to harvest a specific honey or pollen. But honey bees like many
varieties to choose from. So why limit your options, right. How would you like to just eat cereal only for months and months on?


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

Sainfoin (_Onobrychis arenaria_).


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