Only bee-friendly plants make it into the natural garden. This guide highlights the nutritional value of verbena including the exact nectar and pollen values. This is the name of the best bee pasture among the verbena species.
Which verbena is the best bee pasture?
The Argentine verbena orPatagonian verbena(Verbena bonariensis) is the best bee pasture among the verbena species. The reason for its high status as a valuable bee food plant is the combination of agood production valueand alate flowering period from July to the first frost.
Is verbena a food source for bees?
With a nectar value of 2 and a pollen value of 1, the verbena (Verbena) is avaluable food source for bees. The perennial compensates for the relatively low values with a long flowering period from April to October.
Bumblebees and honey bees gather at the purple verbena flowers to harvest nectar. The pollen is collected by the black glossy clubhorn bee (Ceratina cucurbitina) as food for its larvae.
Which verbena is particularly bee-friendly?
TheArgentine verbena or Patagonian verbena (Verbena bonariensis) is one of the best bee pastures among the verbena family (Verbenaceae). As the name suggests, the verbena comes from South America and is not hardy in Europe.
The Argentine verbena owes its high value as a bee pasture to its late flowering period from July to the first frost. In midsummer, many perennials and wildflowers have faded. The Patagonian verbena unfolds its nectar-rich, purple flowers at just the right time so that bees and bumblebees don't go hungry.
How can you attract bees with verbena?
If you combine verbena with loc altraditional flowers, hordes of bees will be attracted. Bumblebees fly to different food plants than wild bees or butterflies. Let the following selection inspire you for a bee-friendly garden with verbena:
- Bumble bee plants: Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris), raspberry, blackberry (Rubus ssp.), white clover (Trifolium repens), sweet peas (Lathyrus).
- Honey bee traditional plants: bee friend (Phacelia), lavender (Lavandula), yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis), globe thistle (Echinops) and all stone and pome fruit plants.
- Wild bee plants: daisy family (Asteracea) for silk bees, butterfly family (Fabaceae) for mason bees, mint family (Lamiaceae) for fur bees.
Tip
Verbenas are slug resistant
Did you know that snails avoid verbena plants? The real verbena (Verbena officinalis) has developed the optimal protection against snails with its hairy leaves and toxic ingredients. The price for the successful snail defense strategy is an inconspicuous appearance. The verbena varieties 'Purple Tower' (Verbena bonariensis), 'Lilac Blue' and 'Polaris' (Verbena rigida) as well as the hanging verbena beauty 'Samira Scarlet' are beautiful and snail-resistant at the same time.
