kids encyclopedia robot

List of Northern American nectar sources for honey bees facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Bee in flower
A honey bee collecting sweet nectar from an apricot flower.

Honey bees are amazing insects that help pollinate many plants, which means they help plants make seeds and fruits. To do this, bees need energy, and they get it from a sugary liquid called nectar. Nectar is made by flowering plants. Bees also collect pollen from flowers, which is like their protein source.

The types of plants that grow in an area and when they bloom are super important for bees. Different plants bloom at different times of the year. This means bees can find food from spring through fall. Areas with many different kinds of plants are usually best for bees. This is why cities and suburbs, with their gardens and wild areas, can be great places for bees. Farmers who grow big fields of crops like apples or sunflowers also help bees a lot.

Trees and Shrubs for Bees

Trees and shrubs can be a big source of nectar for honey bees. Some trees bloom early in the spring, giving bees their first food after winter. Others bloom later in the summer. Here are some common trees and shrubs that provide nectar:

Plant type Common Name Scientific Name Start Bloom Month End Bloom Month Good for Special Honey? Where it Grows How Much Nectar
T Maple Acer 1 5 no wild major, but often too cold for bees to fly
T Red Maple Acer rubrum 1 5 no wild major, but often too cold for bees to fly
T Ohio Buckeye Aesculus glabra 4 5 no wild minor
S Shadbush Amelanchier arborea 4 5 no wild minor, sometimes major
S, T Devil's Walkingstick Aralia spinosa 7 8 no wild minor
S Red Chokeberry Aronia arbutifolia, Photinia pyrifolia 5 6 no wild minor
S Black Chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa 5 6 no wild minor
T Catalpa, Indian Bean Catalpa speciosa 6 7 no wild, planted in gardens minor
S Common Hackberry Celtis occidentalis 4 5 no wild minor
S Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis 7 8 Honey is light and mild. wild
S Hawthorn Crataegus 4 5 no wild minor – 50–100 pounds per acre
S Honeysuckle Diervilla lonicera 6 8 minor
T Honey locust Gleditsia triacanthos 5 6 no wild minor
S American Holly Ilex opaca 4 6 no wild minor, important in Southeastern US
T Tulip-tree, Poplar Liriodendron tulipifera 5 6 yes, see Monofloral honey wild major in some areas
T Apple Malus domestica 4 5 No, used for bee food, not extra honey. farmed minor
T Crabapple Malus sylvestris; Malus coronaria 3 6 no garden plant minor
T Cherry Prunus cerasus 4 5 no wild, farmed minor – 30 kg per hectare
T Pear Pyrus communis 4 5 no farmed minor
T Black Cherry Prunus serotina 4 5 no wild, farmed minor, can be major
T Plum Prunus 4 5 no wild, farmed minor
S Common Buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica 5 6 no wild minor
T Sumac Rhus glabra 6 7 mixed with other honeys wild major
T Black Locust Robinia pseudoacacia 5 6 yes wild major – 800–1200 pounds per acre; blooms for only about 10 days
S Raspberry Rubus 5 6 yes wild, farmed major in some areas
S Blackberry Rubus spp. 5 6 yes wild, farmed major in some areas
T Willow Salix 2 4 no wild, garden plant major, but often too cold for bees to fly, 100–150 pounds per acre; 1,500 pounds pollen
T Pussy Willow Salix discolor 3 4 no wild, garden plant major, but often too cold for bees to fly
T Bee Bee Tree Tetradium 7 9 garden plant major
T Basswood Tilia americana, Tilia cordata 6 7 yes, white, nice-smelling honey wild, garden plant major – 800–1,100 pounds per acre
T American Elm Ulmus americana 2 4 no wild minor
S Blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum, Vaccinium angustifolium, Vaccinium pennsylvanicum 5 6 no, honey is amber and tastes good farmed minor in most areas
S Black Haw Viburnum prunifolium 5 6
T Redbud Cercis 4 4 no farmed, garden plant minor

Flowers, Crops, Herbs, and Grasses

Many smaller plants, including garden flowers, farm crops, and wild herbs, are also important nectar sources. They can provide food for bees throughout the warmer months.

Plant type Common Name Latin Name Perennial/Annual Start Bloom Month End Bloom Month Good for Special Honey? Where it Grows How Much Nectar
F Anise Hyssop Agastache foeniculum Perennial 7 10 no wild minor (1858-2787kg per hectare)
F Blue Bugle Ajuga reptans Perennial 5 6 wild minor
F Chives Allium schoenoprasum Perennial 5 9 no farmed minor
C, F Garlic Chives Allium tuberosa Perennial 8 9 no farmed minor
F Leadwort Amorpha fruticosa Perennial 6 7 no wild minor
F Milkweed Asclepias spp. Perennial 7 8 wild, all species are great for honeybees major – 120–250 pounds per acre
F Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa Perennial 7 8 no wild minor
C Asparagus Asparagus officinalis Perennial 5 6 no farmed minor
F Milk Vetch Astragalus spp. Perennial 5 6 no wild minor
F Aster Aster spp. Perennial 8 10 usually mixed with goldenrod wild, garden plant major
F Borage Borago officinalis Annual 6 10 no wild, garden plant minor, can be major on farmed land
C, F Mustard Brassica arvenisis Annual 4 5 no? farmed minor
C Oil Rapeseed (Canola) Brassica napus L., Brassica rapa Annual 5 6 yes farmed major
F Marigold Calendula officinalis Annual 6 9 no garden plant minor
F Canada Thistle Carduus arvensis Perennial light honey of good quality
F Thistle Centaurea spp. Annual 7 9 no wild minor
F Mountain Bluet Centaurea Montana (Knapweed) Short-lived Perennial 5 5 no?? wild major
F Creeping Thistle Cirsium arvense Perennial 7 9 wild (invasive in North America)
F Sweet Autumn Clematis Clematis terniflora Perennial 9 9 garden plant minor
F Clethra, Summersweet Clethra alnifolia Perennial (shrub) 7 8 no wild minor
C, F Cucumber Annual 6 9 no; honey is pale yellow or amber with strong flavor farmed minor
C Melon Annual 6 10 no farmed minor
C Pumpkin Cucurbita pepo Annual 6 10 no farmed minor
C, F Wild Carrot Daucus carota Biennial 8 9 no wild minor
F Leopard's Bane Doronicum cordatum Perennial 4 5 no wild minor
F Candytuft Iberis sempervirens Perennial 5 5
F Viper's Bugloss, Blue Thistle Echium vulgare Perennial 6 8 no wild major – 300–1,000 pounds honey per acre
F Globe Thistle Echinops ritro Annual 8 8 wild major
F Fireweed Epilobium angustifolium Perennial 6 9 yes wild major
F Heather Erica vulgaris Perennial (shrub) see Monofloral honey 100–200 pounds honey
F Joe-Pye weed, Boneset Eutrochium spp., Eupatorium spp. Perennial 8 9 no wild minor
C, F Buckwheat Fagopyrum esculentum Perennial 7 8 can be, dark honey with strong flavor rarely farmed now minor
F Blue Vine Gonolobus laevis Perennial no, honey is clear and tastes great wild minor, strong hives can collect up to 100 pounds
C, F Soybean Glycine soja Annual 7 10 farmed major
C, F Sunflower Helianthus annuus Annual 6 9 can be wild, farmed minor – 30–100 pounds per acre
C, F Basil Koellia Annual no farmed minor
F Henbit, Deadnettle Lamium sp Perennial 3 5 no wild minor, but good because it blooms early
C, F Lavender Lavandula angustifolia Perennial (shrub) 6 9 can be farmed minor
F Birdsfoot Trefoil Lotus corniculatus Perennial 6 8 no wild minor
C, F White sweet clover Melilotus alba Biennial 5 8 yes wild, farmed major up to 200 pounds per hive
C, F Yellow sweet clover Melilotus officinalis Biennial 5 8 yes wild, farmed major up to 200 pounds per hive
C, F Alfalfa Medicago sativa Perennial 7 8 as clover honey wild, farmed major
C, F Clover Melilotus spp. and Trifolium spp. Biennial 5 8 as clover honey wild, farmed major – up to 500 pounds per acre
F Melissa, Lemon Balm Melissa officinalis Perennial Western US – Blooms for 45–50 days 150–250 pounds honey per acre
C, F Peppermint Mentha piperita Perennial no wild
F Catnip, Cat Mint Nepeta mussinii; Nepeta grandiflora; Nepeta cataria Perennial 6 9 no wild, garden plant minor
F Oregano Origanum vulgare Perennial 6 9 no farmed? minor
C, F Poppy Papaver somniferum Perennial minor – 20–30 pounds per acre
C, F Phacelia, Tansy Phacelia tanacetifolia Perennial Western US – One of the best spring food sources for honeybees. 180–1,500 pounds honey per acre
G, H Plantain Plantago Major Perennial 7
F Smartweed Polygonum spp. Perennial 8 9 wild major
F Selfheal Prunella vulgaris Perennial 7 8 no wild minor
F Lungwort Pulmonaria spp. Perennial 5 5 no wild minor
F Appalachian Mountain Mint Pycnanthemum flexuosum Perennial 8 10 minor
F Azalea Rhododendron spp. Perennial 6 8 no garden plant minor
F Russian Sage Salvia yangii Perennial 7 9 can be garden plant minor
F Scrophularia Scrophularia spp. Perennial 7 7 no wild minor
F Sedum, Autumn Joy Sedum spectabile Perennial
F Goldenrod Solidago spp. Perennial 9 10 can be, honey is golden and tastes strong wild major
F Woundwort Stachys byzantina Perennial 5 5 no wild minor
F Chickweed Stellaria media Annual 4 7 no wild minor
F Dandelion Taraxacum officinale Annual 4 5 no, honey is deep yellow; mostly eaten by bees wild major
F Germander, Silver Thyme Teucrium canadense Perennial 7 8 no wild minor
F Thyme Thymus pulegioides; Thymus serpyllum Perennial 6 7 no wild, farmed minor – 50–150 pounds honey per acre
F Red-Flowering Thyme Thymus praecox Perennial 6 7 wild? major
C, F Alsike Clover Trifolium hybridum Perennial as clover honey, one of the best honey plants wild, farmed major, up to 500 pounds per acre
C, F Crimson Clover Trifolium incarnatum Perennial as clover honey wild, farmed major
C, F Red Clover Trifolium pratense Perennial 6 7 as clover honey wild, farmed major
C, F White Clover Trifolium repens Perennial 6 7 as clover honey; honey is white and mild wild, farmed major
F Blue Vervain Verbena hastata L. Perennial 7 8 no garden plant? minor
F Tall Ironweed Vernonia altissima Perennial 8 9 no wild minor
F Speedwell Veronica spicata Perennial 6 6 no wild minor
F Tufted Vetch, Common Vetch Vicia cracca Perennial 7 8 no wild minor
F Common Vetch Vicia sativa Perennial 7 8 no wild minor
F Blackhaw Viburnum prunifolium Perennial (shrub) 5 6 no wild minor

Garden Plants for Honey Bees

If you want to help honey bees, you can plant some of these flowers in your garden! They will love the nectar and pollen.

Images for kids

  • Bee on clematis

    A honey bee on sweet autumn clematis in September

  • Honey bee on sedum

    Honey bee on sedum 'Autumn Joy' (Hylotelephium telephium)

  • Cirsium arvense with Bees Richard Bartz

    Two bees on a creeping thistle Cirsium arvense

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
List of Northern American nectar sources for honey bees Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.