Plant These For The Bees & Yourself

Rahma Toumi
8 min readMay 12, 2022

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Bees play a pivotal role in the preservation of ecological balance and biodiversity through pollination. It is estimated that third of the world’s food production depends on this vital ecosystem service. Simply put, without the bees, it is pretty much impossible to harvest food.

Photo by Anthony Vela via Unsplash

Now what is frightening is that during the last decades, bees have been dying and the overall number of other pollinator populations is declining significantly. Scientists are suggesting that the excessive use of pesticides, drought, habitat destruction, nutrition deficit, air pollution, and global warming are among the reasons behind this decline. Not only that but many of these factors are interrelated, thus, adding a combined pressure on the ecological system.

And while such an important issue requires a lot of effort and expertise to be solved, there are simple solutions that anyone can adopt in order to help the bees and overcome this hazardous crisis; creating a bee-friendly habitat by planting herbs that these hardworking creatures can use for their survival and ours!

Most of the herbs in this list can do double duty; planting them is pretty much like being there for the bees without leaving yourself behind. I personally love keeping my herbal notes in a dedicated notebook; writing down all my recipes, remarks, & useful information is both fun and empowering.

Anemone: Bees love anemones as they provide lots of pollen. For humans, anemones have been used in traditional Mexican and Russian medicine for stomach pains, delayed menstruation, gout, whooping cough, and asthma.

Aster: this lovely flower that blooms into November, offers valuable pollen and nectar during the late season for bees and butterflies. For humans, aster is considered an edible flower that can be used either dry or fresh in herbal teas, salads, or cake garnishing. Traditionally, it has been used to treat weak skin, pain, fevers, and diarrhea.

Bee balm: also known as “Monarda”, “horsemint”, or “bergamot” blooms from July to late summer. Bees love it thanks to its attractive colorful leaves and minty orange scent. In herbal medicine, this flower has been used mainly by Native Americans, then European settlers in America to treat several issues such as digestive discomfort, bloating, sore throat, nausea, rashes, bee stings, and minor wounds. It is also used in aromatherapy to relieve anxiety and alleviate depression.

Borage: This is another great plant that the bees love; it provides them with lots of nectar and pollen. Not only that but it also helps for natural pest control by deterring bad bugs away. For human use, borage is considered an edible annual herb that can be used as a tea to relieve stress, fight insomnia, reduce inflammation, normalize hormone levels, detoxify the body, and boost immune function.

Buttercup: This plant is another great source of pollen and nectar for bees. In traditional medicine, dried buttercups have been used to treat arthritis, nerve pain, blisters, chronic skin problems, and bronchitis.

Calendula: also called pot marigold, is an all-season long bloomer that the bees love due to its richness in pollen and nectar, and its welcoming easy landing pads. The calendula botanical tea is known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant components. In traditional medicine, calendula is used to promote wound and skin ulcer healing, support oral health, and combat certain cancer cells, fungus, and microbes.

Catmint: also called “Nepeta”, this flower produces long-lasting flower spikes that the honey bees just love. Catmint is a member of the mint family. It is more abundant in sunny locations and known for its good drought tolerance. As a herbal tea, catmint can ease digestive problems (upset stomachs, excessive gas, diarrhea, nausea, etc..) It’s also believed to treat respiratory issues such as cold, cough, and chest congestion, and menstrual cramps.

Cilantro: this famous culinary herb produces very small blossoms that attract very small bees. For humans, cilantro can be used in many ways; for instance, the cilantro juice is highly popular among nutritionists and fitness experts for its ability to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, promote digestive health, balance blood sugar levels, and protect against the damage caused by cardiac impairment.

Cleome: also known as the “spider flower,” produces a long season of blooms, which makes it a great source of nectar for bees and other pollinators. For human use, this flower is very rich in antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins and minerals, like calcium, magnesium, iron, beta-carotene and vitamin C. Traditionally, it has been used to improve eyesight, provide energy and cure marasmus.

Crocus: this one is considered one of the best early flowering food for the bees.

Fennel: with its bright yellow flower heads, this herb is beloved by the bees as it provides pollen and nectar for a wide population of bees. For culinary use, you can use in several ways from salads to herbal teas, and the benefits are equally broad; fennel is great for weight management, heart, skin, and inflammation treatment.

Geranium: another bee-friendly option that is also easy to grow in your garden. When properly dried and stored, this lovely-smelling herb is a great addition to your herbal teas collection; it lowers stress, reduces inflammation, supports digestion, and boosts the immune system.

Heliotrope: available in three lovely colors (purple, violet, and white), this amazingly fragrant flower is another favorite for the bees. Historically, Spanish settlers used it to regulate menstruation but several studies claim that it is toxic and thus, needs to be taken with caution.

Hollyhocks: these are considered great pollinator plants that do not only attract bees but also hummingbirds and butterflies. The hollyhock flowers are used as an herbal tea for preventing and treating breathing disorders and digestive tract problems. Topical application to ease inflamed skin has been also recorded in traditional herbal medicine.

Lavender: this universally famous beauty is not only great for making luxury French perfumes but it is also bee-friendly. Lavender blooms and provides nectar and pollen for bees from spring and through summer. For humans, it is equally loved and used to garnish cookies and birthday cakes, cocktails, salads, and to make great herbal teas that promote relaxation, reduce inflammation, induce sleep, and promote healthy skin.

Poppy: this flower lacks nectar but it makes a great pollen source for bees. Thus, if you have poppies in your garden, you might notice that the bees like to visit you very often. Poppy extracts have been traditionally used in the treatment of diarrhea and abdominal cramping. The tea is believed to promote euphoria and pain relief.

Sage: this plant is perfect for the bees, your garden, and you. The tea is believed to support women’s health, enhance brain and heart health, improve blood sugar control, promote oral health, and might even have anti-cancer properties.

Snowdrops: snowdrops blossoms serve as a good early source of nectar. Some studies demonstrated that the bulb of this plant can help slow down Alzheimer’s disease and might also help against poliomyelitis and neuralgia.

Sunflower: this beautiful bright sunshine-like flower produces a huge amount of pollen and nectar for pollinators, especially bees. Interestingly, pollen from sunflowers has been found to support the immune systems of bumbles bees and honey bees against some pathogens. For humans, Sunflower petals tea is believed to have potent health benefits such as reducing inflammation, especially in the throat, windpipes, and tonsils.

Sweet Alyssum: this plant, with its strong sweet scent, can attract bees from miles away. It can grow and bloom all year long. It is also tolerant to cold and drought, thus, making it a good candidate for a bee-friendly garden. In herbal medicine, this flower is believed to have powerful health benefits such as preventing several kidney diseases and excessive retention of water in the body.

Thyme: a great body of research suggests that thyme not only provides nectar and pollen for the bees but it also helps maintain bee health by providing natural protection against certain bacteria and diseases. Thyme tea is likely used in traditional herbal medicine to calm the nervous system, treat cough, and act as an antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antimicrobial supplement.

Yarrow: thanks to its easy landing pad, yarrow is not only a source of nectar and pollen, but it is also great for the bees to take a rest after a “buzzy” day! In ancient Greece, yarrow tea has been used to enhance wound healing, alleviate digestive discomfort, reduce depression, optimize brain health, and decrease inflammation.

Zinnia: this lovely unique flower attracts bees like a magnet; its vibrant life-full shades of pink, orange, red, yellow, and green will bring delight to your garden and to the bees. The zinnia flower essence is believed to enhance one’s ability to rediscover the child within again; it empowers child-like qualities of playfulness, joy, delight, and unconditional love.

Few more tips that are equally important to mention:

1. Try to minimize using pesticides as much as possible.

2. Plant a whole collection of flowers in a way that provides enough pollen and nectar for the bees all season long.

3. Consider a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors when planting for the bees as these lovely creatures rely on the length of their tongues to access nectar from the plant. As for colors, they are more attractive to purple, blue, white, and yellow.

4. Keep in mind that hybridized plants that were bred to be sterile or contain no nectar have no benefits for bees nor for other pollinators.

5. Avoid planting double-flowering plants as the extra petals would make it way harder for the bees to access pollen and nectar.

6. Remember that bees need more than pollen to survive; they need clean air, water, and shelter. Thus, be mindful about using harmful ingredients around your garden that might contaminate their peaceful happy place.

7. When buying plants, make sure you are getting chemical-free ones. Otherwise, the pollen and nectar of such plants won’t serve the bees at all.

These were some of the plants that you can harvest in your garden to serve the ecosystem and contribute to the world food safety movement. Luckily, the collective awareness about the importance of bees and the efforts to save them are spreading continuously worldwide, so if you live near such organizations, you may consider joining a community to learn more about the topic and implement better gardening practices in the future.

For the medicinal uses discussed above of the different plants, keep in mind that herbal medicine is NOT for everyone. Do your own research, ask a professional healthcare provider before using any supplement including herbal teas and tinctures, and don’t forget to mention any health issues you are dealing with or pharmaceuticals you are taking.

Happy Gardening!

Useful links:

https://www.xerces.org/ : The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is an international nonprofit science-based organization that protects the natural world through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats. Their key programs are pollinator conservation, endangered species conservation, and reducing pesticide use and impacts.

https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/herb_All.html : Refer to this website to learn more about the medicinal use of herbs, botanicals, and various natural supplements.

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Rahma Toumi

Artist, scientist, & entrepreneur; writing about the things that spark my interests.. sometimes to inspire, sometimes to get inspired.