Bee Food Plant List

Jul 3

Bees are an excellent resource for creating biodiversity in yards, whether it be a prosperous herb garden or vibrant annual display. Their existence is so essential to humans and ecosystems that without bees we’d be depleted of many natural food sources. Considering that cross-pollination is essential to growing healthy, adaptive plants, the bee has become a permanent dweller, if not staple, in most gardens.

The following is a comprehensive (though not complete) list of plants, shrubs, and perennials that will assist in keeping your local bees happy and healthy.

Trees & Shrubs

Early spring: Mexican Buckeye (Ungnadia speciosa)

Deciduous
Height: 4-15’ tall; 8-12’ wide
Light preference: sun/part shade
Water preference: low, every 3-4 weeks without rainfall
Soil preference: rocky soil, adaptable to clay & loam.
Fruit: Seeds that are inedible/not for human consumption
Deer usually avoid.
Notes: has very fragrant, pink blooms

Mexican Plum (Prunus Mexicana)

Deciduous
Height: 15-30’ tall; 20-25’ wide
Light preference: gentle sun/light shade
Water preference: low, once a week without rainfall
Soil preference: well drained, adaptable to clay & loam.
Fruit: small, edible plums
Not deer resistant.
Notes: Bumblebees love almost all fruit trees

Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora)

Evergreen
Height: 12-20’ tall; 8-12’ wide
Light preference: sun/part shade
Water preference: medium, every 2-3 weeks without rainfall
Soil preference: limestone hills, adaptable to clay
Fruit: poisonous seeds
Deer usually avoid.

Texas Redbud (Cercis canadensis var. texensis)

Deciduous
Height: 15-20’ tall; 10-15’ wide
Light preference: sun/part shade
Water preference: very low, water if no rainfall for 30 days
Soil preference: well drained, adaptable
Fruit: seeds
Moderately deer resist

Mid spring:

Cherry Laurel (Prunus caroliniana)

Evergreen tree
Height: 15-30’ tall; 15’ wide
Light preference: Gentle sun/part shade
Water preference: medium, every 2-3 weeks without rainfall
Soil preference: Adaptable to most soils but prefers moist soil
Fruit: berries that birds love
Deer usually avoid
Notes: Not for arid locations; has beautiful white blooms

Rusty Blackhaw Viburnum (Viburnum rufidulum)

Deciduous
Height: 15-25’ tall; 10-15’ wide
Light: gentle sun/part shade
Water preferences: low every 3-4 weeks without rainfall; make sure not to over water!
Soil preference: well drained loam, clay
Fruit: Berries are favored by birds
Moderately deer resistant
Notes: Great fall color

Roughleaf Dogwood (Cornus drummondii)

Deciduous
Height: 12-20’ tall; 15-20’ wide
Light preference: understory shrub, but prefers part shade
Water preference: low, every 3-4 weeks without rainfall
Soil preference: likes moist stream banks, but adaptable
Fruit: birds eat the white fruit clusters
Not deer resistant
Notes: excellent nectar source

Late spring to summer:

Anacua (Ehretia anacua)

Evergreen tree
Height: 20-25’ tall; 15-20’ wide
Light preference: sun/part shade
Water preference: low, every 3-4 weeks without rainfall
Soil preference: well drained, alkaline soil in open woodland, but also adaptable
Fruit: berries loved by birds
Deer usually avoid
Notes: Great nectar plant, needs water to establish

Carolina Buckthorn (Frangula caroliniana)

Deciduous
Height: 12-20’ tall: 10-15’ wide
Light preference: Good understory, prefers sun to flower
Water preference: low
Soil preference: well drained, rocky, streambanks and woods
Fruit: birds love the berries
Not deer resistant
Notes: excellent plant for other wildlife

Summer to fall:

Kidneywood (Eysenhardtia texana)

Deciduous
Height: 8-15’ tall; 6-8’ wide
Light preference: sun, 6-8 hours of direct sunlight
Water preference: low watering, after 30 days without rainfall
Soil preference: dry, well draining soil
Fruit: seeds
Moderately deer resistant
Notes: blooms May – October with a citrus scent

Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis)

Deciduous
Height: 15-40’ tall; 15-20’ wide
Light preference: full sun/ part shade
Water preference: low watering, after 30 days without rainfall
Soil preference: well draining, limestone soils
Fruit: seed pods
Moderately deer resistant
Notes: Blooms spring through fall and attracts hummingbirds and bumblebees; not a true Willow, but related to trumpet vine and yellow bells

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)

Deciduous
Height: 6-12’ tall; 6-12’ wide
Light preference: full sun/ part shade
Water preference: consistently moist/wet soil
Soil preference: moist, rich soils
Fruit: seeds are eaten by birds
Moderately deer resistant
Notes: pollinator paradise; fragrant, white blooms

Bee-brush (Aloysia gratissima)

Deciduous
Height: 6-8’ tall; 8-10’ wide
Light preference: blooms best in full sun, can tolerate part shade
Water preference: very low, fairly drought tolerant
Soil preference: adaptable to alkaline and acidic
Deer usually avoid
White Blooms spring through fall

Prairie Flameleaf Sumac (Rhus lanceolata)

Deciduous
Height: Up to 20-30’ tall; 10-20’ wide
Light preference: full sun/has high heat tolerance
Water preference: water deeply when establishing - very low water needs in winter months Soil preference: well draining, clay, loam, calcareous, and rocky soils
Fruit: drupes of red berries are favored by songbirds
Moderately deer resistant; deer browse young trees
Notes: important wildlife food source and blooms when nothing else will; nectar and host plant; excellent for erosion control; thicket forming with splendid fall color and white blooms

Perennials

Groundcovers:

Frogfruit (Phyla nodiflora)

Evergreen
Light preference: sun or shade
Water preference: low to medium, depending on heat
Soil preference: any soil
Moderately deer resistant
Flowers: tiny white blooms May through October

Horseherb/Straggler daisy (Calyptocarpus vialis)
Reseeding perennial
Light preference: sun or shade
Water preference: very low, only water during drought
Soil preference: any soil
Deer usually avoid
Flower: tiny yellow sunflowers; bloom spring through fall

Calylophus (Calylophus berlandieri)

Evergreen
Light preference: sun
Water preference: ;ow
Soil preference: Well draining
Deer usually avoid
Flower: yellow blooms from spring into summer

Blue Salvias:

Mealy Blue Sage (Salvia farinacea)

Root hardy perennial
Light preference: full sun
Water preference: regularly, but are drought tolerant
Soil preference: well draining soil
Deer resistant
Flower: blue, fragrant blooms from May through October, often earlier

Mystic Spires Salvia

Light preference: full sun, light shade
Water preference: preferred to be watered somewhat regularly, but are drought tolerant
Soil preference: well draining soil
Deer resistant
Flower: purplish-blue blooms

Mallows:

Desert globemallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua)

Evergreen shrub
Height: 4’ tall
Light preference: full sun
Water preference: low
Soil preference: well draining, dry soil, but adaptable
Deer resistant
Flower: masses of orange flowers that bloom from February through November

Winecup (Callirhoe involucrata)

Deciduous
Height:8-12” tall
Light preference: part shade
Water preference: medium watering, but drought tolerant
Soil preference: well draining soils, but adaptable
Minimal deer resistance
Flower: purple blooms from February through July
Notes: nectar and butterfly host plant

Rockrose (Pavonia lasiopetala)

Deciduous
Height:2’ tall
Light preference: sun to shade
Water preference: low, every three weeks if no rainfall
Soil preference: well draining soils, but adaptable
Moderately deer resistant
Flower: looks similar to hibiscus pink, which blooms spring to fall

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Root hardy
Height: 2-4’ tall
Light preference: sun/part shade, especially in afternoon sun and heat
Water preference: water regularly, letting soil dry out in between waterings
Soil preference: well draining
Deer usually avoid
Flower: large pink blooms in the spring and fall, excellent perch for big butterflies

Mistflowers: *All mistflowers make excellent pollinator plants*

Fragrant Mistflower (Eupatorium havanense)

Deciduous, root hardy perennial shrub
Height: 2-6’ tall
Light preference: part shade/full shade
Water preference: low, but may need more during first growing season
Soil preference: well draining, woodland soil
Deer resistant
Flower: clusters of small white blooms October throughNovember
Notes: important late nectar source for migrating butterflies and overwintering bees

Asters: *All asters are good pollinator resource*

Fall Aster (Aster oblongifolius)

Root hardy
Height: 1-3’ tall
Light preference: full sun
Water preference: low
Soil preference: well draining soil, but adaptable
Deer resistant
Flower: purple blooms from September through November
A critical nectar and pollen resource for overwintering bees and migrating monarchs

Bonus for Monarchs:

Frostweed (Verbesina virginica)

Root hardy
Height: 3’tall
Light preference: shade
Water preference: low, but will prefer more during growing season
Soil preference: well draining soil
Flower: white blooms with heads 3 to 6 inches across

Quick Tips:

All herbs and vegetables make wonderful bee food, especially when we let them go to flower. Don’t forget summer annuals like portulaca and purslane. The simpler the flower, the more nectar, the better it is for bees!

After the glory of fall, let your garden rest. To provide a pollinator habitat, don't clean up too early. Native bees are sleeping in the hollow stalks of your perennials. Try not to rake or scrape during the winter either. Don't cut anything until February (usually around Valentine's Day), when you see new rosettes forming under perennial stalks. This will provide a microclimate for your perennial roots, and protect them during a freeze.

Other Useful Resources

For more specific information about Apiculture or the study of bees: