Alchemilla is a popular ground cover, is often used for bed borders and reliably keeps rampant weeds in check. But is lady's mantle, known as a medicinal herb since the Middle Ages, with the characteristic dew drops on its leaves also a bee-friendly plant?
Is lady's mantle bee friendly?
Lady's mantle belongs to the rose family and isvery bee-friendly. This makes the plant, which thrives best in the sun or partial shade, ideal for natural gardens and bee pastures.
Why is lady's mantle friendly to bees?
Because the flowers of the edible medicinal herb, which is valued for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and women's ailmentscontain a lot of nectar, lady's mantle is so bee-friendly. The beneficial insects feel magically attracted to the flowers and find plenty of food in the form of nectar.
Does lady's mantle also attract other insects?
Also forother insectsis the hardy and fast-growing medicinal plant, of which there are many different species such as Alchemilla mollis (soft lady's mantle) and Alchemilla vulgaris (common lady's mantle).,very attractive.
Where can lady's mantle be planted to attract bees?
To make the garden bee-friendly with lady's mantle, there areseveral options in the sun or partial shade:
- As ground cover
- For greening embankments
- As a perennial in the rock garden
- As a plant in a colorful perennial garden
- As a bed border
- Between and next to roses (always pay attention to a distance of one meter here)
Lady's mantle can also often be found growing wild: the proximity of streams or moist areas are the plant's preferred locations.
Can lady's mantle also attract bees in pots?
Lady's mantle isvery suitable as a potted plantIf you cultivate Alchemilla with its lobed leaves in a pot, you can attract bees even if you don't have a large garden available. It is important to always make sure that the pot is sufficiently wide when planting. This means that the creeping lady's mantle has enough space to spread out.
When does lady's mantle bloom to attract bees?
The flowering period of the lady's mantle is from May to August, with the strongest phase being in the monthsJune and July. During this time the bees find a lot of nectar in the yellow-green flowers.
Is lady's mantle suitable if I'm afraid of bees?
Anyone who gets nervous as soon as they hear a bee buzzing should only plant lady's mantle wherethere is sufficient distance from the terrace or other seating areas. We recommend only planting the medicinal plant with its beautiful foliage in pots on the balcony if you do not feel disturbed by the bees or other attracted insects.
Tip
Beautiful combinations with other bee-friendly plants
If you want to create an all-round bee-friendly garden and offer useful insects valuable living space, it is best to use many different plants. Lady's mantle can be easily combined with cranesbill and lavender, hollyhocks and delphiniums also go well with it. The combination of lady's mantle with floribunda roses in different colors is also very popular.
