Honeybees are important pollinators for plants, shrubs and trees, but these busy little insects do more than beautify the landscape. Crops that supply about 35% of the world’s foods are pollinated by bees and other insects. One study shows that bees are the most important pollinators in the world.



Every year, trees provide some of the best sources of pollen and nectar for the honeybee to collect and bring back to the hive. The queen bee’s brood (eggs and larva) in the hive are fed pollen. The nectar, better known as honey after being processed by the honeybees, provides food for the busy bees as well as for bee growth in the hive.

In March and April, honeybee scouts leave the hive in search of flowers. When a desirable flower is found, usually a willow (Salix), the scout gathers nectar or pollen and flies back to the hive. The bee does a little “dance” which tells other bees which direction and how far to go to find the desirable flower. The scout also passes out samples of what was gathered so the other bees know what to look for.

Cottonwood (Populus deltoides) trees are very important to bees. Bees utilize the resin from the cottonwood’s sticky buds as "bee glue" (propolis) to seal and protect their hives. Propolis has antimicrobial properties that help reduce disease in the hive. Additionally, cottonwood trees are a source of pollen for bees, providing one of the first major food sources for bees emerging from winter. Female trees are the ones that produce the cottony substance that gives the tree its name.

Eastern redbud (Cercis) blooms early in the spring, even before it leafs out. It's pink magenta flowers produce both nectar and pollen.

Around that time, the serviceberry (Amelanchier) produces clusters of small, white flowers that are rich in nectar and pollen. The edible fruit later feeds birds and mammals, making serviceberries a dual ecological contributor. 

Crabapples are a major source of food and it happens that crabapple also stands out as a popular landscaping choice. The intensity of spring blossoms adds beauty and fragrance for people while providing a feast for the honeybees. An excellent disease-resistant crabapple favored by the bees is the Royal Raindrops®. It has eye-popping magenta pink blooms, cut leaf purple foliage in summer, and bright autumn fruits.

Once the spring flowers have finished, the scouts continue searching for other blooms well into the summer. The buckeye tree (Aesculus) attracts long-tongued bees like bumblebees, as well as smaller bees and hummingbirds. The flowers are a mix of cream and yellow, adding to the visual appeal for pollinators. 

In the summer, basswood/linden (Tilia) trees are excellent pollinator magnets; one linden can support hundreds of thousands of bee visits during bloom. Blooms last only two-three weeks so timing is key for honey production. Basswood honey is considered a premium among beekeepers.

American Yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea) is a valuable pollinator plant for bees and other insects. Its’ fragrant, white flowers attract bees and other pollinators like moths, providing them with pollen and nectar. The tree also offers nesting sites for songbirds and is a beautiful specimen tree. 

The friendliest of all summer bloomers is the catalpa, whose huge flowers have the individual corolla spotted with purple and gold dots, arranged in lines or rows along a ridge of dots called "nectar guidelines" that point the bee toward the nectar reward.

Because it doesn’t bloom in the spring when most people are at the nursery, amur maackia (Maackia amurensis) is somewhat hard to find in the landscape. It is a small, round-headed tree, with branches upright and arching, spreading with dense, fragrant clusters of creamy white flowers in July. 

Seven Sons Flower (Heptacodium), provides fragrant, white flowers in late summer/autumn. These bloom for an astonishing 6-8 weeks, providing excellent late-season forage when fewer plants are flowering. Seven Sons Flower is typically grown as a large multi-stem tree, but more nurseries are beginning to offer this as a single-trunk tree. The tree is tough, heat and drought tolerant, and its’ smaller stature fits restricted planting spaces.

These are just a few of the many bee-friendly trees suitable for home gardens. Try to include a variety of trees so your landscape provides needed nectar and pollen throughout the season and fills the flowering voids in your existing landscape.