Better habitat for bees

David Smitley<smitley@msu.edu>, MSU Entomology; Diane Brown, Rebecca Finneran<Finneran@msu.edu> and Erwin Elsner, MSU Extension; Joy Landis, MSU IPM; Paula Shrewsbury, Univ. of MD Entomology; Daniel Herms, The Davey Tree Expert Company, Kent, OH; and Cristi L. Palmer, IR-4 Project-Rutgers - May 01, 2019

In general, herbs and garden perennials are good for bees, while most annual bedding plants are less attractive to them.

Pipevine swallowtail butterfly. — Pipevine swallowtail butterfly on bee balm. Photo by Erwin Elsner, MSU Extension.

Annuals attractive to bees

In general, herbs and garden perennials are good for bees, while most annual bedding plants are less attractive to them. Annual flowers like impatiens are readily available at the garden center, but most have been bred for showy flowers or vigorous growth and do not produce enough pollen and nectar to be good food plants for bees or butterflies. Some annuals such as marigold and moss rose are valuable for pollinators and these provide summer-long pollen and nectar.

Below are some annuals that are good food plants for pollinators. Please note that some of these, like garden heliotrope, lantana and pentas, are considered annuals in northern states but are perennials in more southern states. Because some cultivars may be more attractive to pollinators than other cultivars in the same species, you may want to try several cultivars and observe which ones attract the most bees.

Annuals attractive to bees table
Common name	Genus species (scientific name)
Ageratum (floss flower)	Ageratum houstonianum
Anise-scented sage	Salvia guaranitica
Aster	Callistephus chinensis
Baby’s breath	Gypsophila paniculata
Beeblossom	Gaura lindheimeri, Gaura spp.
Bidens	Bidens laevis
Black-eyed Susan or gloriosa daisy	Rudbeckia hirta
Bluestar	Amsonia illustris, other native Amsonia spp.
Blue-eyed grass	Sisyrinchium lucerne
Blue salvia (mealycup sage)	Salvia farinacea
Borage or starflower	Borago officinalis
Calendula	Calendula officinalis
Calibrachoa	Calibrachoa spp.
Campion	Lychnis chalcedonica, L. flos-cuculi
Catnip or catmint	Nepeta sp. (annuals and perennials)
Chives	Allium altaicum, A. ampeloprasum, A. cernum, etc.
Clary sage	Salvia sclarea (biennial)
Cockscomb or woolflower	Celosia plumose, argentia, pristada
Common lantana	Lantana camara
Common sunflower	Helianthus annuus
Cornflower	Centaurea cyanus
Cosmos	Cosmos bipinnatus
Crane’s bill	Geranium bicknellii, G. x cantabrigiense, G. himalayense, G. maculatum, G. phaeum, G. pretense, G. sanguinea, G. viscosissimum
Dahlia (open types)	Dahlia cv.
Dead-nettle	Lamium album, L. amplexicaule, L. galeobdolon, L. purpureum
Dianthus	Dianthus barbatus, D. giganteus
Garden heliotrope	Heliotrope arborescens
Gentians	Gentiana andrewsii, G. clausa, G. dahurica
Lantana	Lantana camara
Lobelia	Lobelia cardinalis, L. siphilitica
Marigold	Tagetes spp.
Mignonette	Reseda odorata
Moss rose	Portulaca grandiflora
Nasturtium	Tropaeolum
Oxeye	Heliopsis helianthus
Pentas	Pentas spp.
Pineapple sage	Salvia elegans
Rattlesnake master, Sea holly or Eryngo	Eryngium bourgatii, E. gigantium, E. maritimum, E. yuccifolium.
Red-hot poker	Kniphofia typhoides
Salvia	Salvia spp. (annuals and perennials)
Snapdragon	Antirrhinum majus
Sneezeweed	Helenium autumnale
Spider flower or bee plant	Cleome hassleriana, C. lutea, C. serrulata
Sunflowers	Helianthus annuus, H. divaricatus, H. maximiliani, H. mollis, H. petiolaris, H. strumosus
Sweet William (biennial in southern parts of north central region)	Dianthus barbatus
Sweet alyssum	Lobularia maritima
Verbena	Verbena bonariensis, V. hybrida, V. hastata, V. stricta, V. urticifolia
Vervain	Verbena bonariensis
Yellowcress	Rorippa palustris, R. sylvestris
Zinnia	Zinnia elegans

Herbaceous perennials attractive to bees

Researchers have identified that perennial flowers tend to be far more attractive to bees than annuals. Many different types of perennials are good for bees, from showy flowers to herbs. Herb gardens are an excellent resource for bees because they flower over a long period of time, and herbs grow fairly large and produce lots of flowers. The perennials and herbs listed below can be purchased from nurseries and garden centers in the North Central United States.

Because species and cultivars vary in cold-hardiness, be sure to check the acceptable hardiness zones listed on the plant label and match it to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone where you live. Some of the plants listed below are also available as seeds in commercial “wildflower” mixes. If you are looking for native wildflower seed, a good source of information is the Xerces Society, which gives a list of plants and a supplier for each region.

Herbaceous perennials attractive to bees
Common name	Genus species (scientific name)
Allium (many varieties)	Allium
Anise hyssop	Agastache foeniculum
Aromatic aster	Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
Aster	Symphyotrichum novae-angliae – ‘Purple Done’
Astilbe, false spirea	Astilbe spp.
Basil, sweet basil (annual)	Ocimum basilicum
Bee balm	Monarda spp.
Bellflower	Campanula spp.
Betony	Stachys monieri
Bigleaf ligularia	Ligularia dentate
Black-eyed Susan, coneflower	Rudbeckia spp.
Blanket flower	Gaillardia
Blazing star	Liatris spicata
Butterfly bush	Buddleja or Buddleia spp.
Butterfly weed	Asclepias tuberosa
Calamint	Calamintha nepeta
Cardoon	Cynara cardunculus
Carolina lupine	Thermopsis villosa
Catmint	Nepeta spp.
Chrysanthemum (open types)	Chrysanthemum
Chocolate flower	Berlandiera lyrata
Clematis	Clematis spp.
Common poppy, red poppy	Papaver rhoeas
Common yarrow	Achillea millefolium
Coral bells	Heuchera spp.
Cornflower	Centaurea spp.
Crown vetch (ground cover)	Securigera (= Coronilla) varia
Cut-leaf mallow	Malva alcea
Eryngo, rattlesnack master (various names)	Eryngium spp.
English ivy	Hedera sp.
Fennel	Foeniculum vulgare
Foxglove or beardtongues	Penstemon spp.
Garden speedwell	Veronica longifolia
Globe thistle	Echinops ritro
Glory-of-the-snow	Chinodoxa
Hardy geranium, blue cranesbill	Geranium ibericum x (Geranium himalayense)
Hosta	Hosta spp.
Hyssop (naturalized in North America)	Hyssopus officinalis
Inula, Himalayan elecampane	Inula royleana
Japanese anemone	Anemone hupehensis ‘Robutissima’
Large-leaved aster	Eurybia macrophylla
Lavender	Lavandula
Lemon balm	Melissa officinalis
Leucanthemella	Leucanthemella serotine
Lupine	Lupinus spp.
Mints	Mentha spp.
Mullein or velvet plant	Verbascum
Narrow-leaved foxtail lily	Eremurus stenophyllus
New England aster	Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
Ornamental onion, garlic, chives, leek, scallion	Allium spp., including Allium ‘mellenium’ and ‘christophii’
Oregano	Origanum vulgare
Pachysandra	Pachysandra terminalis
Parasol whitetop	Doellingeria umbellate
Pentas	Pentas spp.
Peony	Paeonia spp.
Pincushion flower	Scabiosa caucasica
Purple burkheya	Berkheya purpurea
Purple coneflower	Echinacea purpurea
Rosemary	Rosmarinus officinalis
Russian sage	Perovskia atriplicifolia
Salvia	Salvia ‘Victoria blue’, Salvia nemorosa ‘Black and Blue’, others
Sea holly	Eryngium maritimum
Sedum	Sedum spp.
Sedum, stonecrop	Hylotelephium spectabile and telephium and cvs.
Snakeroot	Cimicifuga famose
Sneezeweed	Helenium
Squill	Drimia maritima
Stiff-leaved aster	Ionactus linariifolius
Striped squill	Punchkinia
Stokes aster	Stokesia laevis
Sunflower	Helianthus
Swamp milkweed	Asclepias incarnata
Sweet alyssum	Lobularia maritima
Sweet clover	Melilotus spp.
Thyme	Thymus spp.
Tickseed	Coreopsis
Trout lily	Erythronium americanum
White wood aster	Eurybia divarcata

Anise hyssop. Photo: Diane Brown, MSU Extension — Anise hyssop

Butterfly weed. Photo: Erwin Elsner, MSU Extension. — Butterfly weed

Butterfly bush. Photo: Diane Brown, MSU Extension. — Butterfly bush

Bee balm. Photo: Erwin Elsner, 2016. — Bee balm

Lupine. Photo: Erwin Elsner, 2016. — Lupine

Sunflower. Photo: Diane Brown, 2016. — Sunflower

Shrubs attractive to bees

Flowering shrubs can be an excellent food source for bees because they tend to grow larger than herbaceous perennials, and therefore produce a larger number of flowers. Some species, like Rosa rugosa, bloom all summer.

Shrubs attractive to bees
Common name	Genus species (scientific name)
Black chokeberry	Aronia melanocarpa
Bottlebrush buckeye	Aesculus parviflora
Buttonbush	Cephalanthus occidentalis
Common witch-hazel	Hamamelis virginiana
Cotoneaster	Cotoneaster
Dwarf fothergilla	Fothergilla gardenia
Eastern ninebark	Physocarpos opulifolius
Elderberry	Sambucus spp.
False indigo	Amorpha fruticosa
Flowering quince	Chaenomeles spp.
Fuzzy deutzia	Deutzia scabra
Highbush blueberry	Vaccinium corymbosum
Holly: American, box-leaved, Merserve hybrid, winterberry	Ilex spp.
Japanese tree lilac	Syringa reticulata
Lacecap hydrangea	Hydrangea macrophylla
Mockorange	Philadelphus coronarius
Ninebark	Physocarpus opulifolius
Panicle hydrangea	Hydrangea paniculate (many cultivars)
Potentilla (bush cinquefoil)	Potentilla fruiticosa
Privet	Ligustrum vulgare
Pussy willow	Salix discolor
Raspberry, blackberries	Rubus spp.
St. Johns-wort	Hypericum spp.
Silky dogwood, gray dogwood, redosier dogwood	Cornus spp.
Spicebush	Lindera benzoin
Spirea	Spiraea spp.
Staghorn sumac	Rhus typhina
Sumacs	Rhus spp.
Summersweet, sweet pepperbush	Clethra alnifolia
Viburnums	Viburnum spp.
White fringe-tree or American yellowwood	Cladrastis kentukea
Wild prairie rose	Rosa arkansana
Winter honeysuckle	Lonicera fragrantissima

Buttonbush. Photo: John D. Byrd, Mississippi State Univ., Bugwood.org — Buttonbush

Elderberry. Photo: Diane Brown, MSU Extension. — Elderberry

Bee on fragrant sumac. Photo: Jerry A. Payne, USDA Agric. Research Service, Bugwood.org. — A bee visits fragrant sumac, Rhus Aromatica.

Trees attractive to bees

Flowering trees are critical to providing an ample food source for bees because of their large size and thousands of flowers. A blooming linden or black locust produces so much pollen and nectar that it dwarfs the amount provided by most garden flowers in comparison.

However, most trees only bloom for two to three weeks, so a succession of trees that bloom from early spring through summer is very helpful to bees. Trees in the North Central United States that are frequently mentioned as good food plants for bees are listed in the following table.

Trees attractive to bees
Common name	Genus species (scientific name)	Bloom
Eastern redbud	Cercis canadensis	April
Red maple	Acer rubrum	April
Alternate-leaved, pagoda or green osier dogwood	Cornus alternifolia	May
Black tupelo, blackgum	Nyssa sylvatica	May
Cherry, peach, plum, almond	Prunus spp. (many)	May
Crabapple, apple	Malus spp. (many)	May
Hawthorn	Crataegus spp. (many)	May
Winter king hawthorn	Crataegus viridis	May
Red horse chestnut	Aesculus X carnea	May
Serviceberry	Amelanchier spp.	May
Willow	Salix spp.	May
Honey locust	Gleditsia triacanthos	May to early June
Black locust	Robinia pseudoacacia	Late May-early June
Catalpa	Catalpa speciosa	June
Linden, basswood	Tilia spp.	June
Tulip-tree	Liriodendron tulipifera	June
Amur maackia	Maackia amurensis	July-August
Bee-bee tree	Tetradium (Evodia) daniellii	July-August
Japanese sophora, Japanese pagoda	Sophora japonica	July-September
Seven sons tree	Heptacodium miconioides	August-September

Source: Lovell 1926, Pellet 1947, Oertel 1980, Tew 2006,
Mader et al. 2011, Mach and Potter 2016

Catalpa. Photo: T. Davis Sydnor, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org — Catalpa

Basswood. Photo: Diane Brown, MSU Extension. — Basswood

Wind-pollinated trees attractive to bees

Wind-pollinated trees do not produce nectar, but bees may take advantage of them as an abundant source of pollen. Pines, spruces and nearly all gymnosperms are not usually visited by bees unless it is to gather sap used for propolis, a sticky substance used to fill crevices and seal hives. However, several genera of wind-pollinated angiosperms are routinely visited by bees to collect pollen.

The most frequently visited wind-pollinated trees are listed in the following table. Red maple and willow are listed in both tables because they are wind-pollinated trees that are also considered important pollen or nectar sources for bees. Pollen from the wind-pollinated trees may be collected by bees because of a favorable nutritional value, the large amount of pollen produced, or because it is available at times when other food sources are scarce.

Wind-pollinated trees attractive to bees
Common name	Genus species (scientific name)	Attractiveness to bees¹
Ash	Fraxinus spp.	Somewhat attractive
Birch	Betula spp.	Somewhat attractive
Elm	Ulmus spp.	Very attractive
Hickory	Carya spp.	Somewhat attractive
Oak	Quercus spp.	Very attractive
Poplar	Populus spp.	Very attractive
Maple	Acer spp.	Highly attractive
Willow	Salix spp.	Highly attractive

Source: Kraemer and Favi. 2005, MacIvor et al. 2014, Oertel 1980

¹Level of attractiveness in this table is rated by number of reports of bees using pollen, level of bee activity, diversity of bee species observed and amount of pollen found in hives or nests.

Wildflowers attractive to bees

Wildflower mixes often contain seed of several of the attractive perennials listed in this table. A good source for native wildflower seed is the Xerces Society, which gives a list of plants and a supplier for each region (http://www.xerces.org/pollinator-seed/). Another list of native plants and wildflowers available from nurseries and seed companies maintained by the American Horticultural Society is organized by state (https://www.ahsgardening.org/gardening-resources/societies-clubs-organizations/native-plant-societies). MSU Extension publication E2973, “Attracting Beneficial Insects with Native Flowering Plants,” provides photos and bloom time for many of the native flowers listed below. This publication is available for purchase at shop.msu.edu. Wildflowers described in E2973 are marked with an asterisk (*) in the following table.

Wildflowers attractive to bees
Common name	Genus species (scientific name)
American vervain, blue vervain	Verbena hastata*
Aromatic aster	Symphyotrichum oblongifolium*
Canadian milkvetch	Astragalus canadensis*
Clover	Melilotus spp.
Clover	Trifolium spp.
Coneflower	Ratibida columnifera*
Culver’s root	Veronicastrum virginicum*
Cup plant	Silphium perfoliatum*
Golden alexanders	Zizia aurea*
Goldenrod	Oligoneuron spp.
Goldenrod	Solidago speciosa
Great blue lobelia	Lobelia siphilitica
Horsemint, spotted beebalm	Monarda punctata*
Joe-Pye weed	Eupatorium fistulosum*
Late figwort	Scrophularia marilandica*
Meadowsweet (shrub)	Spirea alba*
Missouri ironweed	Vernonia missurica*
Mountain mints	Pycanthemum spp.*
Native milkweeds	Asclepias spp.*
Naturalized asters	Aster spp.
Nodding wild onion	Allium cernuum*
Obedient plant, false dragonhead	Physostegia virginiana*
Pale Indian plantain	Cacalia atriplicifolia*
Penstemon, hairy beardtongue	Penstemon hirsutus*
Prairie blazing star	Liatris pycnostachya
Rattlesnake master, eryngo	Eryngium spp.
Riddell’s goldenrod	Solidago riddellii*
Rough blazing star	Liatris aspera
Rough oxeye, false sunflower	Heliopsis helianthoides
Showy milkweed	Asclepias speciosa
Smooth aster	Aster laevis*
Thimbleweed herbaceous perennial	Anemone cylindrica*
White wild indigo, false indigo	Baptisia alba
Wild quinine, American feverfew	Parthenium integrifolium
Yellow coneflower	Ratibida pinnata*
Yellow giant hyssop	Agastache nepetoides*
Weeds
Chickweed	Stellaria media
Clover	Trifolium spp.
Dandelion	Taraxacum officiniale
Knapweed (feral)	Centaurea montana
Smartweed	Polygonum sp.

*Wildflowers known to attract beneficial insects and described in MSUE publication E2973.

Goldenrod. Photo: Diane Brown, MSU Extension — Goldenrod

Joe-Pye weed. Photo: Diane Brown, MSU Extension — Joe-Pye weed

Read the next article in this publication series: Landscape plants and wildflowers attractive to butterflies for nectar feeding

Or return to the beginning of this publication: How to protect and increase pollinators in your landscape

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