The ice begonia is not considered a bee pasture; it only produces a small amount of nectar and pollen. If you want to support wild bees, other flowering plants are better suited for this purpose. A big advantage of the ice begonia, however, is its extremely long flowering period.
Are ice begonias good for bees?
Ice begonias offer little nectar and pollen to bees, but are still useful as they have a long flowering period from late May to the first frost. However, other flowering plants should be used to optimally promote wild bees.
The flowering period of ice begonias
An almost unbeatable argument for ice begonias is their long flowering period, which lasts from the end of May and the beginning of June until the first frosts. Although the ice begonia only produces a small amount of food for bees, it reliably supplies this small amount well into the fall. Hardly any other summer flower can do that.
The long flowering period probably explains its frequent use as grave planting. But it also cuts a fine figure in the garden or on the balcony, sometimes with double or two-tone flowers. The flower colors vary from white to pink and pink to deep red.
Where should I plant ice begonias?
Ice begonias have little demands on their location; they grow almost everywhere. However, they like warmth and partial shade best. The ice begonias show this with a rich abundance of flowers, which also benefits the bees in your garden. Alternatively, you can plant ice begonias in a pot for your patio or in a balcony box. They even thrive on a drafty east-facing balcony.
However, the planting time is important for ice begonias, because they freeze to death at the first sign of frost. Allow the ice saints to pass before planting ice begonias in the garden. Until then, leave a balcony box or pot that has already been planted in a frost-free place. Slowly getting used to the sun and fresh air is also recommended.
The most important things in brief:
- easy to care for and undemanding
- be sure to plant out only after the Ice Saints
- Beginning of the flowering period: from the end of May, beginning of June
- End of flowering: the first frost
- only a little nectar and pollen
- preferred location: partial shade
Tip
Thanks to its long flowering period until the start of winter, the ice begonia continues to provide nectar even when other summer flowers have long since withered.
