Bee-friendly plants support the hard-working insects as a food source in the garden. 75 hardy species are presented to you in this article.

In a nutshell

  • the hardy bee pastures are in most cases native plants
  • only varieties with single flowers should be used
  • only very few species need light winter protection to survive the cold season

25 hardy shrubs for bees

Woody plants are the absolute classic when it comes to hardy and bee-friendly plants. Above all, native species should be mentioned here, as they can withstand the winter without any problems and grow larger every year, thus increasing the number of flowers. That means more food for the bees. Bee-friendly shrubs come mostly from native latitudes and 25 are included in the list below:

apple (penalty)

Apple tree, malus
  • Flowering time: May
  • Flower color: white, pink
  • Growth height: 200 to 1,000 cm

Maples (Acer)

  • Flowering time: April to May (depending on species)
  • Flower color: yellowish, greenish
  • Growth height: 600 to 3,000 cm

Bee tree (Tetradium daniellii)

The thousand flower shrub owes its name to the numerous umbels of flowers that develop their full radiance during the flowering period.
  • Flowering period: late June to October
  • Flower color: white, greenish
  • Growth height: 1,000 to 1,500 cm

European mock orange (Philadelphus coronarius)

Philadelphus coronarius
  • Flowering period: May to late July
  • Flower color: white
  • Growth height: 200 to 400 cm

Buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula)

Source: Stefan.lefnaer, Frangula alnus sl7, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Flowering period: mid-May (after Eisheiligen) to early June
  • Flower color: greenish-white
  • Growth height: 200 to 400 cm

Fingerbush (Potentilla fruticosa)

Potentilla fruticosa, cinquefoil
  • Flowering period: June to mid-October
  • Flower color: white, yellow, pink
  • Growth height: 100 to 150 cm

Common barberry (Berberis vulgaris)

  • Flowering time: mid-May to June
  • Flower color: yellow
  • Growth height: 100 to 300 cm

Common privet (Ligustrum vulgare)

Source: Lucarelli, Eristalis, Livorno, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Flowering period: June to July
  • Flower color: white, cream
  • Growth height: 150 to 450 cm

Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)

  • Flowering time: April to June
  • Flower color: white
  • Growth height: up to 3,000 cm

Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus)

  • Flowering period: June to late September
  • Flower color: white, green-white
  • Growth height: 30 to 200 cm

Raspberry (Rubus idaeus)

  • Flowering period: May to June
  • Flower color: white
  • Growth height: 60 to 200 cm

Currant (Ribes rubrum/Ribes nigrum)

  • Flowering time: April to May
  • Flower color: white, yellow, greenish, pink, red, purple (depending on variety)
  • Growth height: 100 to 200 cm

Cherries (Prunus)

Cherry, Prunus
  • Flowering time: April to May (about 21 days)
  • Flower color: white, pink
  • Growth height: 180 to 2,000 cm

Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas)

Cornelian cherry, Cornus mas
  • Flowering period: late February to April
  • Flower color: golden yellow
  • Growth height: 600 to 800 cm

Cultivated pear (Pyrus communis)

Pear tree, pyrus, pear
  • Flowering time: April to late May
  • Flower color: white
  • Growth height: 500 to 1,500 cm

Copper Pear (Amelanchier lamarckii)

Source: Wouter Hagens, Amelanchier lamarckii A, Edited from Plantopedia, CC0 1.0
  • Flowering period: late April to mid-May
  • Flower color: white
  • Growth height: 200 to 500 cm

Linden (Tilia)

Small-leaved lime, Source: AnRo0002, 20220608Tilia cordata1, Edited from Plantopedia, CC0 1.0
  • Flowering period: June to August
  • Flower color: yellow-green
  • Growth height: 1,500 to 4,000 cm

Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)

Robinia pseudoacacia, Source: AnRo0002, 20150513Robinia pseudoacacia3, Edited from Plantopedia, CC0 1.0
  • Flowering period: May to June
  • Flower color: white
  • Growth height: 1,200 to 3,000 cm

Red Elder (Sambucus racemosa)

Source: USFWS - Pacific Region, USFWS sambucus racemosa (23202866364), Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY 2.0
  • Flowering time: April to May
  • Flower color: green-yellow
  • Growth height: 100 to 800 cm

Sloe (Prunus spinosa)

Prunus spinosa
  • Flowering time: March to mid-April
  • Flower color: white
  • Growth height: up to 600 cm

Shrub marshmallow (Hibiscus syriacus)

  • Flowering period: June to mid-October
  • Flower color: white, pink, red, blue, violet (depending on variety)
  • Growth height: 100 to 400 cm

Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)

Source: AnRo0002, 20150515Sorbus aucuparia2, Edited from Plantopedia, CC0 1.0
  • Flowering time: May
  • Flower color: white
  • Growth height: 600 to 2,500 cm

Willows (Salix)

Red catkin willow, Salix gracilistyla
  • Flowering time: end of February to June (depending on Art
  • Flower color: yellow (male), green (female)
  • Growth height: 300 to 3,000 cm

Hawthorns (Crataegus)

Crataegus, Hawthorn
  • Flowering time: April to mid-June
  • Flower color: white
  • Growth height: 200 to 1,200 cm

Woolly viburnum (Viburnum lantana)

  • Flowering time: mid-April to June
  • Flower color: creamy white
  • Growth height: 100 to 400 cm

27 Hardy Bee Perennials and Flowers

Of course, some of the most important hardy bee plants are perennials and flowers. They form extremely attractive and fragrant flowers that are a real feast for insects. Luckily, there are plenty of hardy, bee-friendly, flowering plants you can grow:

Bluebells (Mertensia)

  • Flowering time: April to May
  • Flower color: blue
  • Growth height: 20 to 50 cm

Squill (Scilla)

Two-leaf squill (Scilla bifolia)
  • Flowering time: February to September (depending on species)
  • Flower color: blue
  • Growth height: 10 to 60 cm

Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa)

Wood anemone, Anemone nemorosa
  • Flowering period: February to May
  • Flower color: white, pink
  • Growth height: 10 to 25 cm

Dalmatian cushion bellflower (Campanula portenschlagiana)

Bellflower, Campanula portenschlagiana
  • Flowering period: June to mid-August
  • Flower color: purple
  • Growth height: 8 to 15 cm

Common comfrey (Symphytum officinale)

Comfrey, Source: AnRo0002, 20140427Symphytum officinale1, Edited from Plantopedia, CC0 1.0
  • Flowering period: early June to mid-August
  • Flower color: white, pink, crimson, lilac
  • Growth height: 30 to 100 cm

lady's slipper (Cypripedium calceolus)

  • Flowering period: mid-May (after Eisheiligen) to early July
  • Flower color: yellow, orange, pink, red, green
  • Growth height: 15 to 65 cm

Subshrub Bacopa (Sedum populifolium)

  • Flowering period: June to mid-July
  • Flower color: soft pink
  • Growth height: 15 to 40 cm

Goldenrod (Solidago)

Source: Valen1988, ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? with which it is ????????? ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? themselves from from/it/it/ by you by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Flowering period: July to October
  • Flower color: golden yellow
  • Growth height: 30 to 200 cm

Hollow Corydalis (Corydalis cava)

  • Flowering time: March to mid-April
  • Flower color: white, violet, crimson
  • Growth height: 15 to 30 cm

Crocuses (Crocus)

  • Flowering period: February to April, September to mid-October
  • Flower color: yellow, white, violet, bicolor
  • Growth height: max. 15 cm

Globe thistles (Echinops)

  • Flowering period: July to mid-September
  • Flower color: white, blue, violet
  • Growth height: 120 to 200 cm

Hepatica (Hepatica nobilis)

  • Flowering time: March to April
  • Flower color: blue-violet
  • Growth height: 10 to 20 cm

Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis)

  • Flowering period: late March to June
  • Flower color: white
  • Growth height: up to 30 cm

March cup (Leucojum vernum)

March cup, Leucojum vernum
  • Flowering time: March
  • Flower color: white
  • Growth height: 10 to 30 cm

East Asian giant hyssop (Agastache rugosa)

  • Flowering period: July to late September
  • Flower color: bluish violet
  • Growth height: 60 to 250 cm

Purple Bells (Heuchera)

  • Flowering period: May to July
  • Flower color: white, pink, crimson
  • Growth height: 5 to 150 cm

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Coneflower "Tangerine Dream", Echinacea purpurea
  • Flowering period: July to late September
  • Flower color: white, yellow, orange, red
  • Growth height: 70 to 100 cm

borage aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)

Source: Sandstein, Aster novae-angliae 'Barr's Pink', Elfenau, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY 3.0
  • Flowering period: September to mid-October
  • Flower color: pink, red, violet
  • Growth height: 80 to 120 cm

Delphiniums (Delphinium)

Larkspur, Delphinium
  • Flowering period: June to July
  • Flower color: white, yellow, pink, red, blue, violet
  • Growth height: 70 to 200 cm

Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile)

Source: Karelj, Anthemis nobilis prg 1, Edited by Plantopedia, CC0 1.0
  • Flowering period: June to mid-September
  • Flower color: white
  • Growth height: up to 15 cm

Yarrows (Achillea)

  • Flowering period: May to early September
  • Flower color: white, soft pink, pink, carmine
  • Growth height: up to 100 cm

Snowdrop (Galanthus)

Snowdrop, Galanthus
  • Flowering time: October to February (depending on species)
  • Flower color: white
  • Growth height: 2 to 30 cm

Carpet dogwood (Cornus canadensis)

Source: Jason Hollinger, Bunchberries (3599531983), Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY 2.0
  • Flowering period: May to July
  • Flower color: white
  • Growth height: 15 to 25 cm

Grape Hyacinths (Muscari)

  • Flowering time: March to June
  • Flower color: white, yellow, blue, violet
  • Growth height: max. 20 cm

Wood cranesbill (Geranium sylvaticum)

Source: Udo Schmidt from Germany, Geranium sylvaticum L. (9058470868), Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 2.0
  • Flowering period: May to June
  • Flower color: crimson, dark blue
  • Growth height: 25 to 75 cm

Wild Tulips (Tulipa)

Tulipa tarda
  • Flowering time: March to mid-May
  • Flower color: white, yellow, orange, red, pink, violet
  • Growth height: 10 to 60 cm

Winterling (Eranthis hyemalis)

Winter Agaric, Eranthis hyemalis
  • Flowering time: February to the end of March
  • Flower color: yellow
  • Growth height: 5 to 25 cm

Tip: If you want to support the second flowering of one of the species mentioned, you should remove faded flowers as early as possible. In this way, the plants can muster enough energy for renewed flowering and once again enchant the location with their pretty flowers.

8 climbing plants: bee-friendly and hardy

In addition to classic trees, shrubs and flowers, bee-friendly climbing plants are always popular. Bee-friendly climbing plants easily establish themselves at the site and ensure that the flowers are available in great abundance. Since the plants need a trellis or climbing aid to grow, even a location with little space can be used to cultivate hardy bee pastures. The following 8 plants are bee-friendly and hardy climbers:

Alpine Clematis (Clematis alpina)

  • Flowering time: April to mid-June
  • Flower color: blue, violet
  • Growth height: 30 to 300 cm

Broad-leaved vetchling (Lathyrus latifolius)

  • Flowering period: mid-June to August
  • Flower color: pink
  • Growth height: 50 to 200 cm

Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis)

  • Flowering period: April to June, August
  • Flower color: blue
  • Growth height: 10 to 1,000 cm

Ivy (Hedera helix)

  • Flowering time: September to early November
  • Flower color: yellow-green
  • Growth height: 5 to 3,000 cm

Honeysuckle (Lonicera caprifolium)

Source: Åsa Berndtsson, Kaprifol Lonicera caprifolium (20894240799), Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY 2.0
  • Flowering period: May to mid-July
  • Flower color: white, yellow, reddish
  • Growth height: 300 to 600 cm

grapevine (Vitis vinifera)

Virginia Creeper, Vitis vinifera
  • Flowering period: mid-May (after Eisheiligen) to the end of June
  • Flower color: yellow-green
  • Growth height: up to 1,000 cm

Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)

  • Flowering period: June to late July
  • Flower color: green-yellow
  • Growth height: up to 2,000 cm

Winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum)

Jasminum nudiflorum
  • Flowering time: December to April
  • Flower color: yellow
  • Growth height: up to 300 cm

Notice: If you want to provide bumblebees with a special climbing plant, you should rely on Laburnum. Rarely approached by bees, the poisonous plant is extremely popular with bumblebees.

15 bee-friendly winter herbs

Of course, herbs should not be missing at this point. Far too often it is forgotten that these plants are not only used for seasoning or in tea, but that they form flowers that attract bees and other insects. For this reason, these are bee-friendly plants that impress with their winter hardiness. The following are recommended:

Curry herb & woodruff
  • Arnica (Arnica montana)
  • wild garlic (Allium ursinum)
  • mountain savory (Satureja montana)
  • Curry herb (Helichrysum italicum)
  • True lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
  • Lovage (Levisticum officinale)
  • Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
  • Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
  • Peppermint (Mentha piperita)
  • Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
  • Sage (Salvia officinalis)
  • Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
  • thyme (thymus)
  • Woodruff (Galium odoratum)
  • Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

Tip: If you have stinging nettles (Urtica) in your garden, feel free to leave them. These are also hardy bee pastures, the flowers of which offer the insects sufficient food from mid-summer to October, depending on the species.

frequently asked Questions

Can roses be used as hardy bee pastures?

Yes, actually all species within the genus Rosa lend themselves to this purpose. It doesn't matter whether you're planting a hedge of apple roses (Rosa villosa) or lining a trellis with attractive climbing roses, these popular shrubs make ideal bee pastures. They are not even demanding of the location. You just have to be careful to choose varieties that produce single flowers. Double roses cannot be used as a food source for bees.

How can you make your own garden even more bee-friendly?

In addition to the plants mentioned, you should offer the insects sufficient nesting opportunities, water sources and wild corners. The wild corners in particular are crucial, as this is where wild bees and bumblebees gather. They offer temporary shelter from predators and can even be taken over for a longer period of time. It is sufficient if you mow your lawn in the garden twice a year at the most. The numerous wildflowers are a feast for the insects.

Do the plants need winter protection if they are cultivated in tubs?

Winter is problematic when kept in tubs, as the substrate can freeze completely. This would damage the plants as the roots freeze and become unusable. For this reason, it is important to pack the tubs so that they do not get too cold. In most cases, the bee-friendly plants themselves do not need winter protection. Don't forget to water the plants carefully over the winter so they don't dry out.

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Garden plants