✅ 65 bee-friendly hedges and shrubs

Bee friendly trees
Hedges and shrubs for bees
frequently asked Questions

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Bee-friendly trees and shrubs are indispensable in every garden - this is the only way for honey and wild bees to find enough food. So that you can find suitable flowering trees and shrubs rich in nectar and pollen, we have listed the 65 best species here.

In a nutshell

Choose shrubs with different flowering periods to ensure long-term food supply
species with flowering times in early spring and from July are particularly in demand
only choose varieties with single, single flowers, double flowers are unsuitable
colorfully mixed hedges and flowering shrubs in the garden ensure bee supply
many types of wood are also suitable for bumblebees, moths and beetles

Bee friendly trees

Not only flowers and flowering perennials are essential for the survival of the various bee species, numerous trees and shrubs are also unimaginable without these insects. Not only do flowering trees provide plenty of nectar and pollen, the plants are also dependent on cross-pollination - without honey bees there would be no apples, hazelnuts or other fruit. So that the insects find enough food all year round, we have sorted the best bee trees according to their flowering times.

Flowering time February / March

Tree hazel (Corylus colurna)

slow growing
heat and drought tolerant
up to 20 meters high
Flowers very early between February and March
edible fruits

Source: Botaurus-stellaris, Corylus-colurna-20-09-2009-08, edited from Plantopedia, CC0 1.0

Mountain cherry (Prunus sargentii)

tree-like ornamental cherry
lush flowers from mid-March
gorgeous autumn colors.

blood plum (Prunus cerasifera)

beautiful reddish brown foliage
tolerate almost any soil
for a sunny to partially shaded location
early heyday
flown by numerous bees, wild bees and bumblebees

Ash maple (Acer negundo)

Flowering early from the end of March
dioecious
only male specimens are suitable as bee pasture

Red maple (Acer rubrum)

up to 15 meters high
like all maples important bee pasture
Flowering begins early in March
primarily male specimens visited by honey and wild bees
prefer male varieties like 'Summer Red', 'Somerset' and 'Brandywine'
for a sunny to semi-shady location with nutrient-rich and moist soil

Narrow-leaved ash (Fraxinus angustifolia)

very suitable for a hot and dry location
Bees and bumblebees fly to the blossom
Art is an excellent source of pollen

Source: Lazaregagnidze, Fraxinus syriaca syrian Ash-Tree სირიული იფანი (2), edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

White willow (Salix alba)

also known as head willow
Willow trees indispensable as bee pastures in spring
yellow catkins appear from the beginning of April
lime loving
for a sunny to semi-shady location with soil that is as moist as possible
also tolerates drought

Norway maple (Acer platanoides)

very bee friendly species
should not be missing, especially in the urban environment
blooms between April and May flowering species
often flown to and easily accessible nectar source
small, yellow-green flowers always appear before the leaves
The 'Globosa' variety, for example, is well suited for small gardens
also known as ball maple

Norway maple, Acer platanoides

Quaking poplar (Populus tremula)

valuable bee nutritive wood
the 'Erecta' variety, for example, is well suited for the garden
can be grown as a large shrub or a small, slender tree
this variety flowers earlier than other poplars
Flowering April / May

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca)

valuable bee tree (like all fruit trees)
but is also popular with bumblebees
the 'Kioto' variety in particular flowers very early and profusely
for a warm and sunny location

Source: apple2000, Apricot tree05, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

Pear (Pyrus communis)

very good pollen and nectar donors
frequented by both bees and bumblebees
Pears bloom at about the same time as apple trees

Pear tree, pyrus, pear

Cultivated apple (Malus domestica)

one of the best nectar and pollen donors ever
Extension of the flowering period through clever choice of variety
combine summer, autumn and winter apples with different flowering times

Apple tree, malus

Tip: Ornamental apples are also very bee-friendly shrubs, which - depending on the type and variety - even fit into small gardens. The very early blooming multi-flowered apple (Malus floribunda) or the three-lobed ornamental apple (Malus trilobata) are particularly recommended.

Peach (Prunus persica)

Flowering time just before the cherries
very good pollen donors
for warm and sunny place

Peach tree, Prunus persica

Plum (Prunus domestica)

many varieties: plums, damsons, mirabelle plums, greengage
Blossoms coveted bumblebee and bee pasture
Plums bloom a little later than cherries

Sour cherry (Prunus cerasus)

excellent bee pasture
blooms shortly after the sweet cherry

Prunus cerasus, sour cherry

Sweet cherry (Prunus avium)

open the blossom dance on the fruit trees from the beginning of April
very bee friendly wood
excellent supplier of nectar and pollen
grow up to 20 meters high

Prunus avium, wild cherry, sweet cherry

Tip: All ornamental cherries are also very good bee pastures, although you should always prefer the unfilled varieties to the half or filled ones. Only these can be used by bees, wild bees and bumblebees, since filled cultivated forms are useless as pollen and nectar donors.

Sweet Almond (Prunus dulcis)

for a warm place in the garden
other almond trees are also suitable as bee pasture, e.g. B. Palatinate fruit almond (Prunus amygdalus)
self-fertile cultivated form of the sweet almond
Almond trees are covered with countless pink blossoms

Source: Michelangelo-36, Almendras en el arbol, Edited by Plantopedia, CC0 1.0

Bird cherry (Prunus padus)

native rose plant
Flowering time between May and June
heavily flown by bees and bumblebees
black, berry-like fruits in July and August

Bird cherry, Prunus padus

Quince (Cydonia oblonga)

bloom from mid-April
usually together with the late apple varieties
Differentiation between apple and pear quinces
Depending on the variety, the tree can also be grown as a shrub

Quince, Cydonia oblonga

Field maple (Acer campestre)

native, robust deciduous tree
blooms together with apple trees
valuable bee pasture
pruning-tolerant species, very well suited for high hedges
provides both nesting sites and shelter for birds

Tip: In addition to the Norway and field maples, other types of maple are also important bee pastures in spring. For example, the sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) or the late-blooming fire maple (Acer tataricum ssp. ginnala) are good pollen donors.

Yellow-flowered horse chestnut (Aesculus flava)

frequented by bees and bumblebees
distinctive species for large gardens
also known as Appalachian horse chestnut or yellow baboon
flowers after the better-known red-flowering variety
up to 30 meters high
develops a dense, broadly conical crown

Red flowering horse chestnut (Aesculus x carnea)

flowers about one to two weeks later than the common horse chestnut
mainly attracts bumblebees
less endangered by leaf miners

Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)

very important pollen donor for bees and bumblebees
Flowers both male and female

Tupelo tree (Nyssa sylvatica)

The forest tupelo tree is also a particularly bee-friendly tree, but only flowers from an age of 15 to 20 years. The tree, originally from North America, grows up to 20 meters high, provides valuable nectar and is just as important for other insects and birds. However, tupelo trees have very specific site requirements, they need

an acidic and moist soil
a pH between 5.5 and 6.5 is ideal
nutritious
sunny to partially shaded location

In the course of climate change, the tupelo tree is a good alternative to other, more sensitive species.

Source: Nicholas A. Tonelli from Northeast Pennsylvania, USA, Thickhead Mountain Wild Area (5) (10585265783), edited by Plantopedia, CC BY 2.0

Flowering time May / June

American Yellowwood (Cladrastis lutea)

rarely planted
short-stemmed tree
develops long, white paniculate flowers just before the small-leaved lime
Blossoms are often flown to

Source: Archibald Tuttle, Cladrastris-fleurs-02, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

Bluebell tree (Paulownia tomentosa)

Bluebell trees commonly found in the USA
Varietal honeys from the blue-violet panicle blossoms are popular there
tolerates drought very well
is considered to be fast growing.

Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)

native wild wood
provides ample food for a wide range of insects as well as birds
white panicle flowers attract many insects
offer a pretty sight in the months of May and April

Source: AnRo0002, 20150515Sorbus aucuparia2, Edited from Plantopedia, CC0 1.0

Serviceberry (Sorbus torminalis)

bee-friendly wood for the garden
native species
lime loving
rarely planted

Source: AnRo0002, 20220421Sorbus torminalis5, Edited from Plantopedia, CC0 1.0

Common whitebeam (Sorbus aria)

various Sorbus species are considered to be particularly bee-friendly
as well as the common whitebeam and its relative, the Swedish whitebeam (Sorbus x intermedia)
the latter is a hybrid of rowan and whitebeam

Source: Ivar Leidus, Apis mellifera - Sorbus intermedia - Keila, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Black Locust / Mock Acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia)

Acacia honey is a delicious delicacy made from black locust flowers
is growing in popularity with us
feels particularly comfortable in dry locations

Robinia pseudoacacia, Source: AnRo0002, 20150513Robinia pseudoacacia3, Edited from Plantopedia, CC0 1.0

Service Tree (Sorbus domestica)

highest nectar content of all Sorbus species
native species
up to ten meters high
also produces apple- or pear-shaped edible fruits
Fruit varieties such as the 'Sossenheimer Riesen' are particularly productive

Source: Haeferl, Forchtenstein - Natural Monument MA-026 - Service Tree - Leaves and (unripe) fruits, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 AT

Flowering time July to September

Bee tree / Stinkash (Tetradium daniellii)

also known as the thousand-flower shrub
develops very rich flowering
numerous large, greenish-white panicles
extremely bee-friendly wood
readily approached by many other insects
also provides food and shelter for birds.

Sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa)

excellent late bee pasture
Flowering occurs after that of the small-leaved lime

Linden (Tilia)

most important bumblebee and bee pastures ever
they bloom very profusely and with nectar-rich flowers
different species flowering at different times
in total, the linden blossom lasts about six weeks

Linden trees are generally easy to care for.

Tip: There are no linden species that are poisonous to bees or bumblebees, as was claimed until a few years ago. The dead bumblebees found mainly under silver linden trees are instead due to the general lack of food during the flowering period.

Oleaster (Elaeagnus angustifolia)

grey-leaved shrubs
bloom together with the small-leaved lime
show lightly scented blooms
small yellow flowers
is often flown heavily

Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)

deciduous tree species native to the USA
also planted with us for several years
blooms just before the summer linden
valuable bee nutriment
also heavily flown by bumblebees

Hedges and shrubs for bees

A whole tree does not fit in every garden, instead numerous shrub-like trees and shrubs are suitable as bee food. Here, too, we have listed suitable shrubs according to their flowering time, as this allows you to plan and plant a varied bee pasture that blooms throughout the growing season.