Here are 30+ plants for Arizona bees that you can pick up at the nursery now to provide nectar and pollen all summer long.
I just got back from visiting one of my favorite nurseries in the valley, Summerwinds Nursery. There have been lots of questions about what to plant for bees right now, so I thought it might be helpful to run through the nursery with my camera so I could show you exactly what you can plant here in Arizona for your bees. In the process I made a new beekeeper friend, Eric, who gave me an up-close-and-personal tour of the bee-loving plants at Summerwinds. Thanks Eric! (I’ll be seeing you on the Arizona Backyard Beekeepers Facebook page from now on.)
30+ Plants for Arizona Bees
Rock Verbena (perennial)
Verbena bonariensis (perennial)
Bulbine frutescens (perennial)
Coreopsis (perennial)
Salvia nemorosa (perennial)
Salvia farinacea (perennial)
Ageratum (perennial)
Shasta Daisies (perennial)
Gloriosa Daisy (perennial)
Red Salvia (annual/perennial)
Rudbeckia—Black-eyed Susan (perennial)
Dahlberg Daisy (annual)
Zinnias (annual)
Autumn Sage (perennial)
Society Garlic (perennial)
Dwarf Buddleja (perennial) Lots of beautiful purple flowers
Cape Mallow (perennial)
Heliotrope (perennial/annual)
Verbenas of all colors (perennial/annual)
Scabiosa/Pincusion Flower (perennial)
Basils of all kinds (most are annual)
Herbs (thyme, marjoram, rosemary, oregano, mints…)
Lavender – French, English, Spanish, Fern Leaf (perennial)
Native Perennials
Don’t forget seeds!
In my garden now
These are some of the flowers the bees are loving right now in my garden. It’s always nice to know what is flowering throughout the year to make sure that bees are getting enough nectar and pollen. Keep a log of what is blooming in your garden to help plan for future plantings. Most of the plants listed above are perennial, which means they will bloom year after year.
The bees will thank you!
