10 Best Flowers for Honey Bees

Honey bees play an essential role not only in pollination but also in creating one of the sweetest rewards nature has to offer—honey! If you’re looking to attract honey bees to your garden or improve the honey your bees produce, planting the right flowers can make all the difference.

Honey bees rely on nectar and pollen both for their health and also to create that rich, flavorful honey we all love. By choosing bee-friendly blooms, you’re doing your part to support local pollinators while also enhancing your garden. Plus, the type of flowers that bees forage from affects the taste and characteristics of the honey, making every jar unique.

Learn about the top 10 flowers that honey bees prefer and how to care for them with Blain’s Farm & Fleet.

1.Sunflowers

Sunflowers are a favorite among honey bees, thanks to their large, pollen-rich centers and abundant nectar. These plants provide bees with plenty of foraging opportunities.

• Growing Conditions: Sunflowers thrive in full sunlight and prefer well-drained, fertile soil. They grow well in temperate climates and require regular watering until established.
• Honey Impact: Honey made from sunflower nectar has a mild, slightly earthy taste and is light in color. Bees love the continuous supply of nectar and pollen throughout the blooming period.

2. Goldenrods

Goldenrods not only attract honey bees but also help support them during late summer and early fall, when other flowers may start to die off.

• Growing Conditions: This hardy plant prefers full sun and thrives in poor, sandy, or clay soils. It’s drought-tolerant once established.
• Honey Impact: Goldenrod nectar produces a flavorful honey with a distinctive, slightly spicy taste. It’s also known to help boost hive productivity before the winter months.

3. Cosmos

Cosmos flowers are delicate, daisy-like blooms that attract honey bees with their easily accessible nectar and pollen.

• Growing Conditions: They grow best in full sun and well-drained soil. Cosmos are drought-tolerant and require minimal maintenance, making them ideal for any garden.
• Honey Impact: Cosmos nectar creates light, floral honey with a mild sweetness, which is perfect for blending with other flower sources.

4. Coriander (Cilantro)

Coriander plants are a surprising yet effective choice for attracting honey bees. While grown primarily for its seeds and leaves, its flowers are a nectar-rich resource for bees.

• Growing Conditions: Coriander thrives in warm climates, requiring well-drained soil and plenty of sunlight. A bit of shade during hot afternoons can be beneficial.
• Honey Impact: Honey derived from coriander nectar has a unique, slightly spicy flavor that stands out among other honey varieties.

5. Mint

Mint plants are aromatic and easy to grow, producing tiny clusters of flowers that honey bees find irresistible.

• Growing Conditions: Mint grows quickly in full to partial sunlight and moist, fertile soil. Be cautious, though—mint can become invasive if not contained.
• Honey Impact: Mint nectar yields honey with subtle herbal undertones, giving it an appealing and fresh flavor.

6. Lavender

Lavender’s fragrant, purple blooms are a magnet for honey bees, offering abundant nectar all summer long.

• Growing Conditions: Lavender prefers full sunlight and well-drained, sandy soil. It thrives in dry conditions and doesn’t require frequent watering.
• Honey Impact: Lavender honey is prized for its sweet, floral aroma and smooth texture, making it one of the most sought-after honey varieties.

7. Coneflowers (Echinacea)

These hardy perennials are a staple in bee-friendly gardens, producing large, vibrant blooms that are rich in nectar and pollen.

• Growing Conditions: Coneflowers are low-maintenance plants that thrive in full sun and any well-drained soil. They tolerate heat and drought well.
• Honey Impact: Honey from coneflowers is sweet and slightly tangy, offering a vibrant flavor profile.

8. Bee Balm

Bee balm, also known as Monarda, is a fragrant flower that lives up to its name—it’s beloved by bees! Its tubular blooms provide easy access to nectar.

• Growing Conditions: Bee balm grows best in full sun or partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. It’s also resistant to many pests.
• Honey Impact: Bee balm nectar adds a floral, citrusy hint to honey, making it a delightful addition to any hive.

9. Black-Eyed Susans

Black-eyed Susans are cheerful blooms that attract a wide variety of pollinators, including honey bees.

• Growing Conditions: These flowers love full sun and do best in well-drained, moderately fertile soil. They’re drought-tolerant once established.
• Honey Impact: The nectar from black-eyed Susans produces a subtly sweet honey with a golden hue and compliments other floral flavors well.

10. Joe-Pye Weed

Joe-Pye weed is a tall, late-season bloomer that provides a final feast for honey bees before the colder months.

• Growing Conditions: It thrives in full sun to partial shade and moist, rich soil, making it a great choice for wetter areas of your garden.
• Honey Impact: Honey from Joe-Pye weed nectar has a light, floral taste and is often a favorite among local beekeepers.

To make the most of your efforts, consider planting flowers with overlapping bloom times. This ensures year-round food availability for honey bees.

Avoid using chemical pesticides and herbicides, as they can harm bees. Instead, opt for organic solutions to care for your plants. Finally, allow some flowering plants to grow wild. This mimics natural conditions and encourages bees to visit your garden.

By planting even just a few of these flowers, you can create a thriving ecosystem for honey bees. Not only will this benefit bees and enhance honey production, but it will also bring life and beauty into your garden. So pick your favorites, roll up your sleeves, and start planting! Your bees—and your garden—will thank you.

For more tips and guides like this one, check out our other Beekeeping articles.