Plants for Support Bees & Pollinators
357 plants
Black Sage
Salvia mellifera
shrub
Outstanding honey plant Apr-Jul; produces excellent surplus honey
Bog Lupine
Lupinus polyphyllus
perennial herb
spring nesting and foraging season
Branching Phacelia
Phacelia ramosissima
perennial herb
Primary pollen source for early colony development
Chaparral Mallow
Malacothamnus fasciculatus
shrub
Specialist mallophile bee; depends on mallow pollen and nectar for larvae provisioning
Coast Larkspur
Delphinium decorum subsp. decorum
annual
Important summer nectar source for colony provisioning
Deerweed
Acmispon glaber
shrub
Endangered species; year-round nectar resource critical for population support
Facelia
Phacelia tanacetifolia
annual
Critical spring forage for California endemic species
Showy Penstemon
Penstemon spectabilis
perennial herb
Spring nesting and pollen provisioning for larvae
Silver bush lupine
Lupinus albifrons
shrub
Host plant for larval development
Beard-Tongue
Penstemon grinnellii
perennial herb
Primary nectar source during flowering season
Buckbrush
Ceanothus cuneatus var. cuneatus
shrub
specialist bee foraging for pollen, important early season forage
California Buttercup
Ranunculus californicus var. californicus
perennial herb
Spring nesting season pollen provision
California Hedgenettle
Stachys bullata
perennial herb
Spring to early summer flower visitation for pollen and nectar
California Larkspur
Delphinium californicum subsp. californicum
perennial herb
Early spring forager, critical for colony establishment
California Lilac (Blue Blossom)
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus
shrub
Important early-season nectar source for queen foraging
California blackberry
Rubus ursinus
shrub
Spring flower blooming period, early colony provisioning
California sunflower
Helianthus californicus
perennial herb
native bumblebee utilizing flower resources during peak bloom period
Cascade Canada Goldenrod
Solidago elongata
perennial herb
specialist forager on Solidago pollen late summer through fall
Chaparral Currant
Ribes malvaceum
shrub
Fall-winter foraging for colony provisioning
Checker Bloom
Sidalcea malviflora
perennial herb
Peak foraging Mar-Jun during bloom season; specialist pollinator
Coast Larkspur
Delphinium hesperium subsp. hesperium
perennial herb
Early season nectar source for colony expansion
Cobwebby Thistle
Cirsium occidentale var. venustum
annual
Specialist bee collecting pollen from thistle flowers; critical larval food provision
Coyote Brush
Baccharis pilularis
shrub
Essential fall forage Sep-Dec when few other resources available
Coyote Willow
Salix exigua var. hindsiana
tree
Early-season pollen specialist on willow catkins
Desert Blue Bells
Phacelia campanularia
perennial herb
Specialist pollen forager during Phacelia bloom
Douglas' Drymocallis
Drymocallis glandulosa
perennial herb
Montane population early season resource
Exserted Indian Paintbrush
Castilleja exserta subsp. exserta
annual
early season nectar source for queen establishment
Fool's-onion
Triteleia hyacinthina
geophyte
Early spring pollen source for emergence and provisioning
Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry
Ribes speciosum
shrub
larval host plant; early season forage for colony establishment
Harvest Brodiaea
Brodiaea elegans
geophyte
Native bee specialist on brodiaea flowers May-July
Meadow Larkspur*
Delphinium patens subsp. patens
perennial herb
Early spring foraging resource for new colonies
Mountain Coyote Mint
Monardella odoratissima
perennial herb
Solitary bee nesting in dead wood; summer foraging season
Pacific Black-snakeroot
Sanicula crassicaulis
perennial herb
Spring foraging for nest provisioning
Pacific stonecrop
Sedum spathulifolium
perennial herb
Early season nectar source for queen establishment and colony founding
Point Reyes Ceanothus
Ceanothus gloriosus
shrub
Primary foraging Mar-May during bloom season; critical early season protein source for colony establishment
Red-flowering buckwheat
Eriogonum grande var. rubescens
perennial herb
Early spring pollen collection for larval provisions
Ruby Chalice Clarkia
Clarkia rubicunda
annual
Early season nectar source for colony establishment and worker foraging
Salmonberry
Rubus spectabilis
perennial herb
Specialist pollinator closely associated with Rubus flowers
Scarlet Bugler
Penstemon centranthifolius
perennial herb
spring foraging for nectar and pollen
Scouler's Willow
Salix scouleriana
shrub
Important early season pollen source
Western Redbud
Cercis occidentalis
tree
Early spring nectar source March-May, critical when native floral resources are limited
Western Virgin's Bower
Clematis ligusticifolia
vine
Spring-summer forager on clematis flowers
Whiteleaf Manzanita
Arctostaphylos manzanita subsp. laevigata
shrub
Spring bloom period foraging
Yellow Coastal Bush Lupine
Lupinus arboreus
perennial herb
Visitor during spring bloom period
Alpine Self-heal
Prunella vulgaris var. lanceolata
perennial herb
Mid to late summer nectar source during peak foraging
Arctic Butterbur
Petasites frigidus var. palmatus
perennial herb
Spring foraging resource for worker bees
Barberry
Berberis pinnata subsp. pinnata
shrub
Early spring foraging resource for colony establishment
Bearberry Honeysuckle
Lonicera involucrata var. ledebourii
shrub
Early season nectar and pollen for colony establishment
Big Deervetch
Hosackia crassifolia var. crassifolia
perennial herb
Early season forager on legume flowers; colony establishment diet
Big-leaf Maple
Acer macrophyllum
tree
Multiple native bee species utilize abundant pollen Apr-May
Bigberry Manzanita
Arctostaphylos glauca
shrub
Specialist pollen forager; critical early spring food source for nesting females
Bisbee Peak Rush-rose
Crocanthemum scoparium var. scoparium
perennial herb
Larval host plant; supports multiple generations
Bitter Cherry
Prunus emarginata
tree
Forages on early spring flowers; important for queen nutrition post-hibernation
Bleeding-heart
Dicentra formosa
perennial herb
Spring forager; visits flowers during bloom period
Bright Green Dudleya
Dudleya virens
perennial herb
Early spring forager; female provisions nests with pollen
Butterfly Mariposa Lily
Calochortus venustus
geophyte
Specialist bee feeding on Calochortus pollen during flowering season
California Coffeeberry
Frangula californica
shrub
Important spring nectar source for colony growth
California Creamcups
Platystemon californicus
annual
spring forager on cream cups flowers; pollen provisioning for larvae
California Figwort
Scrophularia californica
perennial herb
Spring through early summer (Mar-Jun); hosts larvae on plant tissue
California Flannel Bush
Fremontodendron californicum
shrub
Abundant pollen and nectar source Apr-Jun
California goldfields
Lasthenia californica
annual
Spring wildflower bloom provides essential nectar and pollen for reproductive females
Californica Goldenrod
Solidago californica
perennial herb
summer through early fall foraging resource
Checker Lily
Fritillaria affinis
geophyte
Primary spring pollen and nectar source during bloom period
Chinese Houses
Collinsia heterophylla
annual
Early spring nectar source; colony establishment diet
Coast Wallflower
Erysimum capitatum
perennial herb
Early season nectar source critical for colony establishment
Coastal Tidy-tips
Layia platyglossa
annual
Early spring nectar and pollen source for hive establishment
Common Meadow foam
Limnanthes douglasii
annual
Host plant for larval development; spring provisioning
Common Pearlyeverlasting
Anaphalis margaritacea
perennial herb
Summer foraging peak Jul-Aug during worker production
Creeping Oregon Grape
Berberis aquifolium var. repens
shrub
Specialist bee species utilizing Berberis pollen, early spring foraging
Dense-flower Indian Paintbrush
Castilleja densiflora subsp. Densiflora
annual
Spring and early summer nectar source
Elegant Clarkia
Clarkia unguiculata
annual
Specialist Clarkia bee - critical for pollination Jun-Jul
False Solomon's-seal
Maianthemum racemosum
perennial herb
Spring blooming period, specialized forager on Maianthemum flowers
Flat-bud Prickly Poppy
Argemone munita
annual
Early season queen foraging and worker pollen collection
Flatface Calicoflower
Downingia pulchella
annual
early spring nectar and pollen collection
Flowering Currant
Ribes sanguineum
shrub
Spring foraging resource (Feb-Apr) for queen and worker bees
Foothill Penstemon
Penstemon heterophyllus
perennial herb
Spring and early summer forager; important pollinator throughout bloom season
Golden yarrow
Eriophyllum confertiflorum
shrub
Early spring nectar for colony founding
Graceful Clarkia
Clarkia gracilis ssp. tracyi
perennial herb
Primary nectar source during peak bloom Mar-May
Great Valley Phacelia
Phacelia ciliata
perennial herb
early season pollen provision for ground-nesting solitary bees
Hillside Gooseberry
Ribes californicum var. californicum
shrub
Early spring pollen collection for larval provisions; ground-nesting native bee
Horkelia
Horkelia californica
perennial herb
early spring forager, critical for colony establishment
Indian Warrior
Pedicularis densiflora
perennial herb
Spring nectar source for queens establishing colonies
Ithuriel's Spear
Triteleia laxa
geophyte
Important native bee genus utilizing pollen resources during bloom
Jepson's Coyote Thistle*
Eryngium jepsonii
perennial herb
Early season nectar availability for bee colony provisioning
Madrone
Arbutus menziesii
tree
Early spring pollinator during bloom season
Mariposa Lily*
Calochortus pulchellus
geophyte
Early season nectar source for queen establishment and worker provisioning
Miner's Lettuce*
Claytonia perfoliata subsp. intermontana
annual
Early season pollen and nectar source for emerging colonies
Mosquito Bills
Primula hendersonii
perennial herb
Early season nectar source for queen establishment and colony founding
Mount Diablo Manzanita
Arctostaphylos auriculata
shrub
Early spring foraging when colony establishing; important early pollen source
Ninebark
Physocarpus capitatus
shrub
Early spring forager on ninebark flowers for nectar and pollen
Oak Gooseberry
Ribes quercetorum
shrub
Early spring pollen collection for colony nutrition
Ocean Spray
Holodiscus discolor
shrub
Jun-Aug bloom period; important for worker maintenance and brood provisioning
Oneleaf Foamflower
Tiarella trifoliata ssp. unifoliata
perennial herb
Primary nectar source during Jun-Aug bloom period in coastal ranges
Oregon Bigroot
Marah oregana
vine
Specialist forager on Oregon Grape pollen during bloom
Pale Claytonia
Claytonia exigua subsp. exigua
annual
Genus Andrena utilizes spring ephemerals like Claytonia for early season forage
Pink Honeysuckle
Lonicera hispidula
vine
Spring-summer foraging Apr-Jul bloom period
Puget Balsamroot
Balsamorhiza deltoidea
perennial herb
Early season nectar source for colony establishment
Red-Spot Clarkia
Clarkia speciosa
perennial herb
Spring forage for pollen and nectar
Rough Hedgenettle
Stachys rigida var. quercetorum
perennial herb
Early spring forager for queen establishment and colony founding
Royal Larkspur
Delphinium variegatum subsp. variegatum
perennial herb
Nectar and pollen source during early bloom period
Rubber Rabbitbrush
Ericameria nauseosa
perennial herb
Primary pollinator; visits flowers for nectar and pollen collection
Scytheleaf Onion
Allium falcifolium
geophyte
Early season pollen source for queen establishment and colony founding
Showy Rock Montia
Montia parvifolia
perennial herb
Spring foraging resource for queen and worker provisioning
Small Baby Blue Eyes
Nemophila heterophylla
annual
pollen collection for larval provisions
Sonoma Mountain Pride
Penstemon newberryi var. sonomensis
perennial herb
Primary pollinator during flowering season, supports colony nutrition
Southern honeysuckle
Lonicera subspicata
shrub
Early spring nectar source for emerging solitary bees
Spotted Hideseed
Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. chrysanthemifolia
annual
early season foraging on annual wildflowers
Suisun Marsh Aster
Symphyotrichum lentum
perennial herb
specialist pollinator strongly associated with Symphyotrichum species
Tarweed
Madia elegans
annual
primary summer foraging resource when flowers available
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