Most varieties of heather have important benefits for bees. Here you can find out what they are and which varieties of heather are recommended for bee-friendly planting.
How bee-friendly is heather?
WithWith the exception of common heatherheather isvery bee-friendly The heather blossom offers lots of nectar and pollen. The flowering period in late summer is an important advantage. It provides bees with food at a time when there are not many other flower carpets left.
What insects does heather provide?
Heather supplies bothhoneybeesas well aswild bees and other insects. The dense carpet of heather flowers is just as popular with bumblebees as with countless small species of wild bees and many butterflies. The heather plant creates effective bee pasture that is easy to care for and hardy. When the flowers form on the plant when the heather is in bloom, it creates an impressive carpet of color. The look of blooming heath landscapes has a charm of its own that hardly any other bee pasture can offer.
Is the winter heath bee-friendly?
Winter heather is also known as abee-friendly plant. In contrast to other varieties of heather, winter heather, also known as snow heather, blooms right at the beginning of the year. It provides bees with a food source between January and April. In this case, you are also providing bees with nectar and pollen at a time when there are otherwise not many flowers in the wild.
For which bee is heather particularly important?
Thesand bee (Andrena fuscipes) is also a species of bee that feeds exclusively on heather. The wild bees also use the sandy area around the heather to create brood chambers and nest in the immediate vicinity of the heather. If you plant a large enough carpet of heather, you may also be doing something to preserve these unique bees.
Which heather provides little food for bees?
TheBroom heather (Calluna vulgaris) is, in contrast to other heather plants, not bee-friendly. The common heather, which is sometimes also called summer heather, was specifically bred as a budding heather. This means that many buds form on the herb. But these don't open. The plant therefore offers no food for insects. If you want to create bee-friendly plants, you should consider using other heather varieties.
Tip
Plant sandy areas in a bee-friendly way
Since heather also thrives in sandy or nutrient-poor environments, you can plant this plant quite flexibly. It is also suitable as a bee-friendly ground cover for locations that other plants do not cope well with. Heather is also often planted as a bee-friendly grave plant.
