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Plants for bees

jmlkirkjmlkirk Posts: 2
in Wildlife gardening

Hi 

I have a lot of valerian in my garden. Do bees like this plant? If they do then I will leave it. 

Thanks for any advice

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Posts

  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 3,989

    Unlike you I don't grow it so I can't go out and see for myself image but I believe it is a popular plant for bees and butterflies.

  • pansyfacepansyface PEAK DISTRICT DerbyshirePosts: 18,626

    Are we talking about Valeriana officianalis or Centranthus ruber? Both plants are commonly called valerian.image

    The real valerian is good for bees.

    Apophthegm -  a big word for a small thought.
  • nutcutletnutcutlet PeterboroughPosts: 26,160

    I think this is centranthus. It says pink and red in the title that we don't see once the thread is open. 

    Yes jmlkirk, they do

  • jmlkirkjmlkirk Posts: 2

    Thank you 

  • Jimmy CrawfordJimmy Crawford Posts: 468

    I have the slightly bizarre Cetranthus Ruber "alba" which is a white variant of Red Valerian. Trying to persuade my brother it was Red Valerian was fun..

  • HippophaeHippophae Posts: 154

    It is said that they do and while I have seen many butterflies on the flowers of red valerian (Centranthus ruber) I have yet to see a single honeybee on one! This is just in my own experience though so perhaps I am just unlucky and never been there at the right time. If you look at the flowers they are like long tubes, butterflies have very long proboscis (their equivalent of a tongue) so they can easily reach the nectar down the bottom of the tube. Honeybees are somewhat more limited in terms of which flowers they can reach the nectar of as they have a shorter proboscis.

  • James CharltonJames Charlton Posts: 5

    Im new to gardening, so know nothing. I am trying to make my garden bee and butterfly friendly, so which plants should I be planting ?. Many thanks for information in advance.

  • HippophaeHippophae Posts: 154

    Hi James, check out this link - https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/conservation-biodiversity/wildlife/encourage-wildlife-to-your-garden/plants-for-pollinators

    Included in the article are two pdfs which list all of the best plants to attract pollinators to your garden.

  • B3B3 Posts: 18,718

    I haven't noticed anything on mine but they have all gone to seed so something must be interested. Maybe it's moths

    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • James CharltonJames Charlton Posts: 5

    Thank you for the link Hippophae

     

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