Bumblebees are valuable insects that should also have a place in your garden. The 10 best plants for bumblebees can be found here.
Bumblebees (Bombus sp.) belong to the real bee family (Apidae) and are therefore closely related to our honey bee ( Apis mellifera) related. The big buggers live in burrows, high tree trunks or abandoned bird nests. In Germany alone there are 36 different species - unfortunately 16 of them are now on the Red List. In the years of growing industrial agriculture, the generous use of pesticides that are harmful to bees and last but not least the dwindling diversity of wild plants on arable land, our heavyweight pollinators have become increasingly rare. But even in many house gardens and balconies, bumblebees often do not find enough food. They need large quantities of the protein-rich pollen in particular for their larvae, and they cover their own energy needs with sugary nectar. And of course, bumblebees also need buds that are large and sturdy enough to support their weight while providing plenty of pollen and nectar. Just three to five days of starvation can mean death for the bumblebee colony. That's why we're presenting you with particularly bumblebee-friendly plants that might soon find a place in your garden.
With a balcony or your own garden, everyone can contribute to the preservation of our furry pollinators. Here we have compiled the most popular flowering plants for bumblebees.
10. Motherwort
The motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae) and is also called lion's tail or heart gold. The rather inconspicuous plant that blooms in tufted, delicate pink inflorescences originally comes from Siberia and came to our cottage gardens primarily as a medicinal plant for all sorts of ailments. It prefers well-drained, sandy and light soils in full sun. In the tub, the motherwort thrives particularly well in nutrient-poor, airy herbal soil. From June to September, the flowers of the motherwort are very attractive to many insects - includingon bumblebees - and offer plenty of nectar.
9. Snapdragons
The snapdragon (Anthirrhinum majus) is a popular, mostly annual flowering plant that covers the entire color spectrum from white to yellow, orange, wine red to deep violet. The bumblebee is the main pollinator of the snapdragon, because it only opens when an insect of sufficient weight settles on the lower part of the flower. Dwarf varieties up to 25 centimeters high are suitable for the balcony, while larger, woody species are suitable for the home garden. The pretty plants survive mild winters well and sprout freshly next year. Snapdragons also reproduce very well from seeds and provide plenty of food for bumblebees from June to September.
Tip: Seed mixtures such as the Plantura bee pasture - which is also ideal for bumblebees - contain a wide variety of bee-friendly plants. This saves you having to gather insect-friendly flowers for your garden.
8. Bluebell
The various bellflowers (Campanula sp.) develop star-shaped, white to blue-purple flowers from June to September. Depending on your needs and the garden, there are bushy varieties that are only 10 to 20 centimeters low or, like the giant bellflower (Campanula lactiflora), up to 150 centimeters high plants to choose from. The bellflower likes to be in full sun to half shade and otherwise has hardly any demands on the location. Bumblebees like to help themselves to their pollen and nectar.
7. Hollyhock
The hollyhock (Alcea rosea) inspires with its wild rose-like large flowers in all colors. Nevertheless, it belongs to the mallow family (Malvaceae) and is therefore related to marshmallow (Althaea sp.) and hibiscus (Hibiscussp.) related. It can reach a height of up to two meters and become quite sprawling. A hollyhock should not be missing in any home garden, because many wild bees and bumblebees visit the magnificent flowers from July to September. Hollyhocks are hardy and hardly make any demands on the location - they even tolerate calcareous soil.
The globe thistle (Echinops sp.) belongsactually belongs to the thistles and reaches a height of 50 centimeters to two meters. It is perennial and forms an angular, strong stalk, at the end of which many individual flowers form a white to violet ball. During the flowering period between July and September, the pretty formations are literally swarmed by bees and butterflies. Globe thistles can be propagated by sowing or dividing the rhizome. They prefer well drained, sandy and even rocky soils in full sun.
5. Lavender
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), which is particularly popular with bees and bumblebees, is a classic of bed design from June to September nectar and pollen for busy pollinators. Lavender is available in a wide variety of varieties for balconies, beds and for planting under taller perennials. The growth height ranges from 20 to 80 centimeters. Lavender thrives particularly well in sunny locations on calcareous, loamy, humus-rich soil, as it requires very little water and hardly any nutrients.
The knapweed (Centaurea sp.) is a diverse group that also includes the cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) and the mountain - Knapweed (Centaurea montana) belong. The ray florets can be admired in white and yellow or soft pink to deep blue. There are now also burgundy versions. The delicate flowers invite bumblebees to visit them from May to August. The perennial medicinal plant reaches a height of 30 to 60 centimeters and thrives on almost any soil, but prefers sandy to loamy, sunny locations. If you regularly remove the withered flowers, the plant will keep putting out new buds.
3. poppy
The poppy (Papaver sp.) comes in many varieties and colors. From bright white to deep red and violet, with semi-double or single flowers, there is never a dull moment. Depending on the species, poppies can reach a height of up to 150 centimetres, but usually stay below that. Although the plant offers little nectar from May to June, it does provide a particularly large amount of pollen for bumblebees. The flowers are also fertilized and you can harvest and sow your own poppy seeds -or eat it yourself with the varieties 'Graumohn', 'Blaumohn' and 'Weißer Mohn'.
The blue-violet viper's bugloss (Echium vulgare) is a biennial or perennial plant that reaches 25 to 100 centimeters in height. The unusual name derives from the shape of the flowers, which are reminiscent of a snake's head with an outstretched, forked tongue. It prefers sunny locations and is very well suited to sandy, stony and dry locations such as rock gardens. The plant is considered a high-quality supplier of nectar and is not only attractive to bumblebees, but also to all kinds of butterflies. The flowering period is very long, from May to October. The Bugloss Bugloss should therefore not be missing in an insect-friendly garden.
1. Sun Bride
The sun bride (Helenium sp.) inspires with its wide range of colors from blood red to lemon yellow. The perennials, which are related to sunflowers, reach a height of 50 to 170 centimeters and are inevitably flowering - with early varieties from mid-June and until late autumn. The basket flowers, popular with bees and bumblebees, were named after the sun god Helios. It is therefore not surprising that the sun bride likes to stand in full sun. As a shallow root, it needs a good water supply and fertilization in spring at the start of the season. The prairie plants also prove themselves in the bucket and delight not only bumblebees, but also gardeners.
If you not only want to do something good for bumblebees, but also their smaller relatives, the bees, take a look at our special article on the 10 most bee-friendly plants.