Even with little space you can create a small bee paradise. Here are 15 bee-friendly balcony plants that are perfect for this.
Bees are an important part of our ecosystem - the little helpers not only produce the delicious honey, but are also of crucial importance as pollinators for plants. Unfortunately, the bee population continues to decline, because particularly large-scale monocultures and the declining number of suitable food plants make life difficult for the animals. If you want to give the bees a little help, you can do it quickly and easily (and without a large garden): Just choosing the right balcony plants can help the beneficial insects a lot. In this article, we will tell you which balcony plants are considered bee-friendly and which ones you should better keep your hands off.
Anyone who grows flowering plants on their window sill or balcony has already taken the first step towards helping bees. Unfortunately, not all plants are suitable as bee pasture: particularly double flowers, such as those of the dahlia (Dahlia) or geranium (Pelargonium), make the animals Problems because their dense petals block the way to pollen and nectar. But also simple plants like forsythia (Forsythia × intermedia) or petunias (Petunia) are due to their lack of Food supply not suitable. Instead, you should rather use the following plants, as these are considered to be particularly bee-friendly.
15. Daisies
Marguerites (Leucanthemum) are well known to most people. No wonder, after all, 42 different species, all of which are native to Europe, belong to the plant genus. But the marguerite is not only popular as a wild flower: the plant is also wonderfully suited as a balcony flower, because it is considered to be particularly robust and very easy to care for. With their long stems and their large, white individual flowers with a yellow center, the pretty balcony plants are also very attractive. Bees can also benefit from magerites: the flower is a good one thanks to its easy floweringBee pasture that offers enough food for the hard-working helpers.
14. vanilla flower
The vanilla flower (Heliotropium arborescens) has been convincing young and old alike for years with one argument: Because the fragrant plant distributes its seductive scent of the eponymous vanilla in the garden or on the balcony. But not only people are seduced by the sweet aroma of the plant - bees also love the vanilla flower and find a good source of food in its numerous dark purple inflorescences.
13. Lavender
A true classic among balcony plants is lavender (Lavandula angustifolia). The plant is particularly known for its intense scent, but also for its great purple color. Balcony gardeners are also happy about the robust type of Mediterranean plant. But lavender can do even more: As a medicinal plant, it helps against restlessness, its flowers are edible and it even drives away mosquitoes. But while nuisance spirits flee from its scent, beneficial insects are drawn to lavender because it is an excellent pasture for bees.
Tip: Our Plantura bee pasture is also ideal for your balcony. The Premium Seed Mix contains a variety of herbs and flowers to help bees find food for months.
12. Purslane
The purslane (Portulaca umbraticola) has so many advantages that it is difficult to decide which property of the plant is actually the best. First of all, the colorful sun worshiper impresses with its delicate flowers that shine with intensely bright colors. In addition, the purslane turns out to be a real permanent bloomer, so it blooms continuously from June to September. Bees and other beneficial insects are also enthusiastic about the plant because it offers them a good source of food for a very long time. But the purslane also inspires with its easy-care nature - in the right location, the succulent plant hardly needs to be watered and doesn't need much attention.
11. Catnip
Not only house tigers love catnip (Nepeta) - bees are also magically attracted to the plant. However, while cats themselvesseemingly intoxicated by the plant and lolling or playing with it, the plant is a valuable food source for bees. The nectar value of the plant in particular is estimated to be very high, so it has a rich supply of food. But its long flowering period from May to early September also makes the plant a valuable source of food for bees. But not only cat and bee lovers are enthusiastic about the plant on their balcony: With its blue-violet or white flowers, the plant is a real beauty and even gives off a heavenly, lemon-like smell.
10. Loyal to men
It is one of the most popular garden and balcony plants: Loyal to men (Lobelia erinus), also known as lobelia, is a real feast for the eyes with its intensely luminous flowers. The radiant blue flowers with the white eye ensure a real flower dream that lasts from April to September. The decorative, very robust and uncomplicated summer bloomer not only impresses with its appearance, but also with its bee-friendly nature. The flower offers beneficial insects such as bees and various types of butterflies a great source of food and even turns out to be a real insect magnet.
9. Italian Clematis
Anyone who has always toyed with the idea of offering a climbing plant a place on the balcony should take a closer look at the Italian clematis (Clematis viticella). Many varieties of clematis are ideal for growing in pots because they don't grow too tall. So that the plant can develop its full size, it is advisable to set up a climbing frame. You should also make sure that the root area of the plant is in the shade. As a reward for the effort, you get a breathtaking climbing plant that does not skimp on flowers and makes envious looks. Bees in particular love the flowers of the Italian clematis because they bloom well into September and thus provide a safe source of food for late summer.
8. Meal Sage
With its upright growing flower spikes and the impressive violet-blue colour, the mealy sage (Salvia farinacea) is a real enrichment for the balcony. Especially the interestingly patterned flowers are a real feast for the eyes and make theundemanding summer bloomers a successful choice for an easy-care but still attractive balcony design. Bees, bumblebees and Co. also love the mealy sage: the plant not only provides an extremely good source of food for the small animals, but due to its long flowering period until the first frost it is also an important bee pasture in the otherwise very barren late summer.
7. Lantana
In the case of the Lantana (Lantana camara), the name says it all: the plant actually turns out to be a real quick-change artist thanks to its fascinating play of colors, because its flowers change from the moment they open until they fade Color. So it is not surprising that the lantana with its lush flowers is now one of the most popular balcony plants. But the plants not only attract looks, but also insects. Wild bees and bumblebees in particular, but also numerous other beneficial insects, love the beautiful flower, which provides plenty of food from May to October.
Tip: In order for your plants to flower beautifully and provide the bees with plenty of food, you should provide them with nutrients. With a high-quality soil like our peat-free Plantura organic potting soil, you can already ensure optimal conditions when planting.
6. Fan FlowerHanging plants are currently experiencing a renaissance - after years of hanging baskets being considered stuffy, more and more gardeners are now falling in love with the hanging plants. If you not only want to buy a hanging plant for the eye, but also for bees, you should consider the fan flower (Scaevola aemula): This forms shoots up to one meter long, which from May bear countless blue-violet flowers until October. These flower cascades are not only a great decoration for every balcony, but also attract numerous insects such as bees, which find an inexhaustible source of food here. But even gardeners quickly fall in love with the fan flower: Despite its opulent abundance of flowers and its elegant shape, the plant is surprisingly easy to care for.
5. Smoothleaf Aster
With a flowering period from the beginning of September to the beginning of November, the smooth-leaf aster (Aster novi-belgii) is definitely one of the autumn flowers. With its beautiful violet flowers, which rarely also appear bluish, pink or white,the smooth-leaf aster sets great accents in autumn and gives every balcony that certain something. But the autumn bloomer is not only a visual asset - bees in particular benefit from the attractive plant. Since there are hardly any plants in bloom in September and November, the smooth-leaf aster is an important source of food for them before winter approaches. Since the aster also provides a fairly large amount of nectar and pollen, it is at a time when the Food is getting scarce, welcome.
Where the magic snow (Euphorbia hypericifolia 'Diamond Frost') got its unusual name can be seen at first glance: the filigree flowers of the impressive plant look like freshly fallen snowflakes . But the name gypsophila, by which the plant is also known, is also very appropriate, because as soon as the first flowers appear, the beneficial insects almost besiege the plant. The long flowering period of the plant is also particularly noteworthy - from May until the first frost, the magic snow flowers almost inevitably and thus offers bees a long-term food source. But balcony gardeners also appreciate the beautiful plant in other ways, because it is considered to be particularly easy to care for and robust.
3. Rock Alyssum
As early as April, the rock alyssum (Aurinia saxatilis) banishes any hint of spring fatigue - with its radiant yellow flowers, which form an expansive carpet, the plant provides early in the year for good vibes. Bees and other beneficial insects in particular are delighted by the splendor of the flowers: after a hard winter, such a spring bloomer is very welcome to them. In addition, the rock alyssum is one of the few plants that bloom very luxuriantly at this time of year. The plant is particularly interesting for gardeners because of its robust character. Not only can it be easily grown on the balcony, it is also frost hardy down to -20 °C and very easy to care for.
While many balconies are in full bloom in summer, most of them look bare in winter. But that doesn't have to be the case: the snow heather (Erica carnea) will provide an attractive balcony design from December. Its bell-shaped flowers, which come in elegant white, delicate pink orshine bright pink, provide impressive accents in the winter balcony vegetation. However, beneficial insects such as bees are particularly happy about the enchanting splashes of color on the balcony: since the snow heath blooms until April, it is a popular place to go for the first food intake after the hibernation: because beneficial insects will surely find food on the hardy balcony plant to protect their Replenish reserves.
1. Kitchen herbs
What would a delicious dish be without herbs from your own garden? Kitchen herbs are probably one of the most popular balcony plants of all, because they can be grown without much effort and are also extremely practical and tasty. But not only people enjoy the spicy plants - bees can also benefit from them. However, the herbs have to flower for this, so you should be careful not to harvest the entire plant beforehand. Mediterranean plants such as thyme (Thymus), oregano (Origanum vulgare) and rosemary () are particularly popular with bees, bumblebees and other beneficial insects Rosmarinus officinalis), but also mint (Mentha), dill (Anethum graveolens) or savory ( Satureja) are very welcome.
You haven't found the right plant for you yet? Check out our articles on the 10 Most Bee-Friendly Plants or the 15 Best Bee-Friendly Flowers.