Plants for Support Bees & Pollinators
508 plants
Big-leaf Maple
Acer macrophyllum
tree
Multiple native bee species utilize abundant pollen Apr-May
Black Sage
Salvia mellifera
shrub
Outstanding honey plant Apr-Jul; produces excellent surplus honey
Chaparral Mallow
Malacothamnus fasciculatus
shrub
Specialist mallophile bee; depends on mallow pollen and nectar for larvae provisioning
Checker Bloom
Sidalcea malviflora
perennial herb
Peak foraging Mar-Jun during bloom season; specialist pollinator
Cobwebby Thistle
Cirsium occidentale var. venustum
annual
Specialist bee collecting pollen from thistle flowers; critical larval food provision
Coyote Brush
Baccharis pilularis
shrub
Critical late-season nectar source Sep-Dec for colony provisioning before winter dormancy
Deerweed
Acmispon glaber
shrub
Endangered species; year-round nectar resource critical for population support
Elegant Clarkia
Clarkia unguiculata
annual
Specialist Clarkia bee - critical for pollination Jun-Jul
Facelia
Phacelia tanacetifolia
annual
Primary pollen source during early flowering
Suisun Marsh Aster
Symphyotrichum lentum
perennial herb
specialist pollinator strongly associated with Symphyotrichum species
Woodland Strawberry
Fragaria vesca
perennial herb
Primary nectar and pollen source during bloom Mar-Jun
Anserina
Potentilla anserina subsp. pacifica
perennial herb
Specialist bee species associated with Potentilla; critical pollen source during female nesting period
Beach Strawberry
Fragaria chiloensis
perennial herb
Primary spring pollinator during bloom season (Mar-May); critical for early colony establishment
Beaked Penstemon
Penstemon rostriflorus
perennial herb
Primary native pollinator throughout bloom period
Old Man's Whiskers
Geum triflorum
perennial herb
Critical early spring nectar when few flowers available
White Sage
Salvia apiana
shrub
Spring and early summer foraging Apr-Jul; native bee specialist
Alameda Manzanita
Arctostaphylos pallida
shrub
Early season nectar source when flowers bloom
Alkali Marsh Mallow*
Sidalcea diploscypha
annual
Early spring foraging on Sidalcea flowers during emergence period
Alpine Self-heal
Prunella vulgaris var. lanceolata
perennial herb
Early spring foraging for colony establishment
Alumroot
Heuchera micrantha
perennial herb
Spring foraging for colony development
American Black
Solanum americanum
perennial herb
Multi-generational pest, feeds on Solanum foliage
American-hemp
Apocynum cannabinum
perennial herb
Specialist beetle; larvae and adults feed on apocynum foliage
Annual Agoseris
Agoseris heterophylla
annual
Early season pollen source for ground-nesting bee populations
Arctic Butterbur
Petasites frigidus var. palmatus
perennial herb
Early season pollen source for colony establishment
Bald-hip Rose
Rosa gymnocarpa
shrub
Forages on rose flowers June-August for nectar and pollen
Barberry
Berberis pinnata subsp. pinnata
shrub
Early spring foraging resource for colony establishment
Beaked Filbert
Corylus cornuta subsp. californica
shrub
Larval development within stems and wood, species-specific host plant
Bearberry Honeysuckle
Lonicera involucrata var. ledebourii
shrub
Early season nectar and pollen for colony establishment
Beard-Tongue
Penstemon grinnellii
perennial herb
Primary nectar source during Penstemon bloom period
Big Deervetch
Hosackia crassifolia var. crassifolia
perennial herb
Spring emergence; primary nectar source during early season
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
Early spring forager during colony establishment and worker emergence
Bitter Cherry
Prunus emarginata
tree
Forages on early spring flowers; important for queen nutrition post-hibernation
Bitter-berry
Prunus virginiana var. demissa
tree
Specialized early spring forager; adults emerge with Prunus flowers
Bleeding-heart
Dicentra formosa
perennial herb
Spring pollinator of Dicentra flowers
Blue Elderberry
Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea
tree
Larvae bore through wood; critical host for beetle lifecycle; adults emerge May-Jun
Blue Fiesta Flower
Pholistoma auritum
annual
Host plant for larval development
Blue Witch
Solanum umbelliferum
shrub
Early spring foraging Feb-Apr
Bog Lupine
Lupinus polyphyllus
perennial herb
primary nectar and pollen source during bloom
Bog Orchid
Platanthera dilatata
perennial herb
Foraging during flowering season
Branching Phacelia
Phacelia ramosissima
perennial herb
Primary pollen source for early colony development
Bright Green Dudleya
Dudleya virens
perennial herb
Early season nectar source for colony establishment
Buckbrush
Ceanothus cuneatus var. cuneatus
shrub
specialist bee foraging for pollen, important early season forage
Butterfly Mariposa Lily
Calochortus venustus
geophyte
Pollen foraging during peak bloom period
California Balsamroot
Balsamorhiza macrolepis
perennial herb
Nectar and pollen collection during flowering season
California Bay Laurel
Umbellularia californica
tree
Primary winter nectar source during Dec-Mar flowering; sustains colony brood rearing
California Buckeye
Aesculus californica
tree
Important spring pollen and nectar source for colony buildup, May-Jun
California Buttercup
Ranunculus californicus var. californicus
perennial herb
Spring foraging for early colonies
California Chia
Salvia columbariae
annual
Spring and early summer nectar source during active foraging
California Coffeeberry
Frangula californica
shrub
Spring flowering (Apr-Jun) provides important early season nectar source
California Creamcups
Platystemon californicus
annual
spring emergence coincides with plant flowering; primary pollen source for nesting females
California Figwort
Scrophularia californica
perennial herb
Early spring forager (Mar-May); critical pollen source for colony establishment
California Flannel Bush
Fremontodendron californicum
shrub
Abundant pollen and nectar source Apr-Jun
California Hedgenettle
Stachys bullata
perennial herb
Multiple Lasioglossum species forage on spring flowers for nectar and pollen
California Larkspur
Delphinium californicum subsp. californicum
perennial herb
Early spring forager, critical for colony establishment
California Lilac (Blue Blossom)
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus
shrub
Early spring blooms fuel colony establishment Mar-May
California Poppy
Eschscholzia californica
annual
Spring nesting season (Feb-May); pollen provision for brood cells
California Saxifrage
Micranthes californica
perennial herb
Spring forager for small delicate flowers
California blackberry
Rubus ursinus
shrub
Spring pollinator during flower bloom, pollen provision for larvae
California goldfields
Lasthenia californica
annual
Early spring pollen source for emerging females provisioning nest cells
California sunflower
Helianthus californicus
perennial herb
seed heads provide food resource for native pollinators and seed-eating birds
Californica Goldenrod
Solidago californica
perennial herb
summer through early fall foraging resource
Cascade Canada Goldenrod
Solidago elongata
perennial herb
specialist forager on Solidago pollen late summer through fall
Chamise
Adenostoma fasciculatum
shrub
Important nectar and pollen source; evergreen flowering throughout year
Chaparral Clematis
Clematis lasiantha
vine
pollen collection during Mar-May bloom
Chaparral Currant
Ribes malvaceum
shrub
Fall-winter foraging for colony provisioning
Chaparral Sunflower
Helianthella californica
perennial herb
primary native pollinator utilizing nectar and pollen
Chapparal Monkeyflower
Diplacus linearis
perennial herb
primary pollinator for monkeyflower blooms
Chatterbox
Epipactis gigantea
perennial herb
primary pollinators during flowering period
Checker Lily
Fritillaria affinis
geophyte
Early spring forager, active during Checker Lily bloom Mar-May
Chinese Houses
Collinsia heterophylla
annual
Early spring nectar source; colony establishment diet
Coast Larkspur
Delphinium decorum subsp. decorum
annual
Important summer nectar source for colony provisioning
Coast Larkspur
Delphinium hesperium subsp. hesperium
perennial herb
Host plant for larvae development in spring and early summer
Coast Trillium
Trillium ovatum subsp. ovatum
perennial herb
Early spring forager on trillium flowers during colony establishment
Coast Wallflower
Erysimum capitatum
perennial herb
Early season pollen source for queen establishment and colony founding
Coastal Lipfern*
Myriopteris intertexta
fern
Feed on fern tissue and associated arthropods; primary prey base for insectivores
Coastal Tidy-tips
Layia platyglossa
annual
Early season pollen source for queen provisioning and colony growth
Collared Annual Lupine
Lupinus truncatus
annual
early season nectar source for queen establishment and worker rearing
Common Meadow foam
Limnanthes douglasii
annual
Early spring pollen collection for provisioning brood cells
Common Pearlyeverlasting
Anaphalis margaritacea
perennial herb
Primary nectar source during active colony period Jun-Aug
Cotton Batting Plant
Pseudognaphalium beneolens
perennial herb
Early spring pollen resource for queen emergence and initial colony development
Coyote Willow
Salix exigua var. hindsiana
tree
Specialist pollinator on willow catkins; salicis = 'of willows'
Creeping Oregon Grape
Berberis aquifolium var. repens
shrub
Spring foraging and pollen collection during colony establishment
Creeping Sage
Salvia sonomensis
shrub
Specialist pollen forager during Apr-Jun bloom; larval provisions
Creeping Snowberry
Symphoricarpos mollis
shrub
spring pollen source for hive provisioning
Cupido Mariposa Lily
Calochortus uniflorus
perennial herb
early spring foraging for emerging queen colonies
Dense Spike-primrose
Epilobium densiflorum
annual
Critical summer foraging resource during colony growth and reproduction
Dense-flower Indian Paintbrush
Castilleja densiflora subsp. Densiflora
annual
Spring foraging resource
Desert Blue Bells
Phacelia campanularia
perennial herb
Important early season nectar resource in desert regions
Desert Monkeyflower*
Diplacus rattanii
annual
Key pollinator during spring bloom
Douglas Iris
Iris douglasiana
perennial herb
Early spring forager Mar-May during bloom, critical for colony establishment
Douglas' Drymocallis
Drymocallis glandulosa
perennial herb
Early season queen foraging and colony establishment
Eastwood's Manzanita
Arctostaphylos glandulosa subsp. glandulosa
shrub
Evergreen manzanita provides year-round pollen source in Mediterranean climate
Exserted Indian Paintbrush
Castilleja exserta subsp. exserta
annual
early season nectar source for queen establishment
Fairy Fans
Clarkia breweri
annual
early spring pollinator of Clarkia species in California foothills
False Babystars
Leptosiphon androsaceus
annual
early season nectar source during colony establishment and worker production
False Solomon's Seal
Maianthemum stellatum
perennial herb
Spring and early summer pollinator activity April-July
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
spring foraging on flowers during blooming period
Flowering Currant
Ribes sanguineum
shrub
Spring nectar and pollen source (Feb-Apr) during early colony growth period
Fool's-onion
Triteleia hyacinthina
geophyte
Early season forage for colony development
Foothill Penstemon
Penstemon heterophyllus
perennial herb
Forages on pollen and nectar Apr-Jul during extended bloom period
Fringecups
Tellima grandiflora
perennial herb
Early season pollen and nectar source for colony establishment in coastal California
Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry
Ribes speciosum
shrub
spring blooms provide early season pollen and nectar
Giant Figwort*
Adelinia grandis
perennial herb
Specialized pollen forager; nesting season April-July
Glandular Layia
Layia glandulosa
perennial herb
Spring foraging resource for native bee populations
Golden Currant
Ribes aureum
shrub
Specialist pollen collector during emergence period
Golden Eardrops
Ehrendorferia chrysantha
perennial herb
spring and early summer nest provisioning
Golden yarrow
Eriophyllum confertiflorum
shrub
Early season nectar source for colony buildup
Goose-foot Yellow Violet
Viola purpurea subsp. quercetorum
perennial herb
Specialist bee visiting violet flowers for pollen resources
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 source for queen establishment and worker rearing
Ground Iris
Iris macrosiphon
perennial herb
Early spring native bees forage on iris pollen
Hairy Thorn-apple
Datura wrightii
perennial herb
specialist herbivore feeding on Datura leaves; native to southwestern US
Hansen's Larkspur
Delphinium hansenii
perennial herb
Early season nectar source for queen establishment and worker provisioning
Harvest Brodiaea
Brodiaea elegans
geophyte
Early spring forager May-June
Hayfield Tarweed
Hemizonia congesta subsp. lutescens
annual
Specialized pollen collector on Hemizonia species
Heermann's Tarweed
Holocarpha heermannii
annual
spring colony provisioning
Hillside Gooseberry
Ribes californicum var. californicum
shrub
Early spring pollen collection for larval provisions; ground-nesting native bee
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