Early Spring Perennials For Bees

But these hardy flowers bloom as early in spring as they possibly can.

Early spring perennials for bees.

Early spring favourites include geranium phaeum hardy geranium centaurea perennial cornflower and prunella selfheal. Its pollen and nectar also provide valuable food for clarke s mining bee and the chocolate mining bee. There are many early spring plants which attract pollinators and herbs such as rosemary and thyme are also garden favorites for foraging bees. Early flowering plants for bees snake s head fritillary bulbs fritilliaria melegris these are some of the first pollen sources available to bees.

Spring blooming perennials for bees alexanders zizia species anemone anemone species beardtongue penstemon species. I grow many different irises which are largely ignored by bees with the exception of spring flowering dwarf varieties. And the ubiquitous forsythia certainly deserves a mention although it is a non native species since it is the first shrub to bloom in many parts of the country. It is untidy in habit but given space by a gate it is highly fragrant flowering just as the leaves emerge.

Even the bearsfoot hellebore beats most other flowers. Snake s head fritillary can be grown in usda cold hardiness zones three to 10 and will grow to about 10 inches tall. To get you started here is a sampling of native perennials which attract and support bees. More early plants for bees lonicera x purpusii winter beauty this non climbing shrubby honeysuckle can flower in january producing cream flowers packed with nectar.

Crocus crocus these are often the first flowers to appear in spring and bees love them. Plant crocuses in drifts in autumn to provide loads of pollen and nectar early on. The evidence of bee activity is in the seed pods that appear later. Unless you plan ahead and plant perennials and trees that will bloom very early and which bees are attracted to you might end up with starving bees when mild weather occurs in winter bees are using up their stored honey at a faster rate than if they were in deep hibernation so contrary to popular belief bees are more likely to starve in mild winters than really cold ones.

Hellebore helleborus spp foetidus offers the most pollen and nectar for bees a wonderful shade perennial with showy flowers that bloom in late winter to early spring. Skip the secret sauce in your pollinator garden. They like full sun but will tolerate partial shade. The helleborus genus includes a christmas rose and a lenten rose among other plants and neither usually blooms on their respective holy days except when weather is wacky like when el niño is in full force.

They generally prefer a sunny spot and you will find that the purple flowered varieties especially are the most popular with pollinators. Beautiful massed underneath a tree.