Planting Honey and Pollen Flora for Bees (DPI Vic)

May, 1995 Planting honey and pollen flora for AG0462 bees ISSN 1329-8062 Russell Goodman, Burnley Expiry date: May, 1998 Introduction Best results are obtained with multiple plantings of a few species, rather then plantings containing one or two Continual supplies of nectar and/or pollen are not usually examples of a wide variety of species. available to bees kept on the one site throughout the year. The lack of nectar at certain times of the year may result in Choosing the best plants the starvation of the bee colony while a shortage of pollen • Choose species that will grow well in your district. would reduce brood rearing. Trees native to the district are suitable. Consult Migratory beekeepers are more able to ensure that their gardening experts and the Department of bees have adequate supplies of nectar and pollen by Conservation, Forests and Lands (CFL) for advice on moving their hives to stands of flowering plants. the best trees to plant. Hobby or small beekeepers who do not move their hives • Choose species that yield nectar and/or pollen at a can increase the amount of nectar and pollen by planting time when food supplies for bees are scarce in your suitable trees and shrubs. Nectar- and pollen-yielding flora district. should be included in roadside plantations, farm shelter • Avoid planting excessive numbers of winter-flowering belts and in ornamental plantings on the property and plants as it may be too cold for the bees to leave their around the house. hives and work the flowers. While some pollen- bearing plants are an asset during winter, the thin Agroforestry plantations should include eucalypts that are nectar from some plants can be hazardous and may favored for honey production. Suitable species are listed cause sickness in bees and loss of colonies; for below. For commercial apiaries it is not possible to plant example, winter-flowering red ironbark (Eucalyptus sufficient flora, but where a small apiary is kept, provision sideroxylon ) and white box (E. albens ). of suitable plants can be very useful. • If bees are kept for crop pollination, avoid planting flora that will entice bees from the flowering crop.

Suitable species The following list may be used as a guide to suitable species. The heights refer to flora growing in the natural habitat and may vary in other districts. Flowering times are also given. Common (scientific) names Flowers Height Banksias Coast banksia (B. integrifolia ) March - September 10 - 13 m These yield nectar and pollen. The honey tends Desert banksia (B. ornata) March - July 2 m. to be dark, strongly flavoured and it candies Hairpin banksia (B.spinulosa) Summer-Autumn 3 m. quickly. When it is mixed by the bees with Heath banksia (B. ericifolia ) Autumn - Winter 4 m. honey from other sources the value of the total Saw banksia (B. serrata ) December- April 10 m. crop is considerably lowered. Silver banksia (B. marginata ) October- March 5 – 7m Bottlebrushes Crimson bottlebrush (C. citrinus) October – December 4 m. A large number of colourful bottlebrushes Swamp bottlebrush (C. paludosus) December – March 3 m. (Callistemon species) are available; they yield Scarlet bottlebrush (C. macropunctatus) November – March 3 m. nectar and pollen. A few of them are noted here. Grevillea Silky oak (Grevillea robusta)s Early summer 12-40 m Most of these yield nectar and pollen and are Silky oak (Grevillea. rosmarinifolia) Late winter and Spring. 2 m attractive to bees. Many garden varieties are available in the form of shrubs.

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Common (scientific) names Flowers Height Hakeas Pin cushion hakea (H. laurina ) Autumn - Early winter 5 m These shrubs or small trees yield pollen and are Sea urchin hakea (H. petiolaris) Autumn - Winter 4 m useful nectar plants. They are excellent for Willow-leaved hakea (H. salicifolia) Spring - Summer 8 m shelter belts. Some species bear attractive pin- Willow-leaved hakea (H. verrucosa) Winter 2 m cushion flowers. Willow-leaved hakea (H. corymbosa ) Winter - Spring 2 m Paperbarks and honey myrtles Scented paperbark (Melaleuca squarrosa) October - February, 4 - 20 m These melaleuca species are very attractive to Moonah (Melaleuca lanceolata ), Summer and Autumn 1 - 8 m bees, yielding nectar and pollen. The honey is strongly flavoured. Wattles Cootamundra wattle (A. baileyana) July – September 7 m Most acacia species are useful for their pollen, Golden wattle (A. pycnantha ) August – October 8 m but only one or two yield nectar. Silver wattle (A. dealbata ) August – September 10-30 m Sunshine wattle (A. terminalis ). It March – August 5 m occasionally yields dark honey from glands on the leaves. Willows Pussy willow (S. caprea). The copious August – September 7 m These Salix species are exotic deciduous trees amounts of pollen yielded by this tree are yielding nectar and pollen. useful for early spring build-up of colonies. Weeping willow (S. babylonica) September 16 m Queensland Box Tristania conferta. December - January 7 - 15 m Produces a choice flavoured honey. Sweet pittosporum Pittosporum undulatum. Early spring 5 m A useful source of nectar for building up bees: a light-coloured but rank-flavoured honey. Pepper trees Schinus molle. December - January 8 m Nectar is secreted and a high yield of pollen is eagerly gathered by bees. False tree lucerne Chamaecytisus proliferus. July -October 7 m An excellent source of nectar and pollen for building up bees. A large shrub often used in shelter belts. Apple gum Angophora costata. Spring - Early summer 30 m This attractive shade and shelter tree yields good quantities of pollen. Suitable for poor coastal soils. Norfolk Island hibiscus Lagunaria patersoni Summer and Autumn 10 m An ornamental tree suitable for exposed coastail plantings; a heavy yielder of pollen.

Eucalypts - Ornamental trees Coral gum (E. torquata). Yields nectar and November - January 10 m The following is a small selection of the pollen. eucalypts used by beekeepers: Red flowering gum (E. ficifolia). Good Late summer 10 m yields of nectar and pollen. Fuschia gum (E. Forrestiana). An May 9-10 m ornamental and street tree yielding nectar and pollen. Red-flowered yellow gum (E. leucoxylon 13 m rosea). Yields nectar. Bell-fruited mallee (E. preissiana). Yellow August - November 4 m flowers and bell-shaped fruits, yields nectar and pollen. Goldfields blackbutt (E. lesouefii ), October - December, 12 m. Yellow flowers, yields nectar and pollen. Crimson mallee box (E. lansdowneana ). December - February, 5 m. Yields nectar and pollen.

Continue Common (scientific) names Flowers Height Eucalypt- Trees Sugar gum (E. cladocalyx). Yields nectar January - February, 8 - 35 m. The following is a small selection of the and pollen. A dwarf form (E. cladocalyx eucalypts used by beekeepers: 'Nana') is widely used in shelter belts and is suitable for bees. River red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis). Late spring - summer, 12 – 45 m Heavy yielder of pollen and nectar; good quality honey. Red stringybark (E. macrorhyncha ).. A February 12 – 35 m good source of nectar and pollen. Yellow box (E. melliodora). A good yield September - February 12 – 30 m of nectar producing an excellent honey. The pollen is not gathered by bees. Red ironbark (E. sideroxylon ). A good Summer-flowering 10 – 30 m quality honey. The pollen is not gathered by variety bees. Avoid the winter-flowering type. Yellow gum (E. leucoxylon). A good nectar Up to 27 m yielder, but bees do not gather pollen from this tree. Grey box (E. microcarpa). A good yielder Up to 21 m of nectar and pollen. Black box (E. largiflorens). A good honey Up to 18 m and pollen yielder. Mallees White mallee (E. gracilis). A good nectar Up to 18 m yielder but little if any pollen. Christmas mallee (E. socialis). Yields 8 - 20 m nectar and pollen in good quantities.

Availability of plants Pear nectar has a low content of sugar and is not very attractive to bees. Many of the plants listed above may be purchased from CFL plant nurseries provided you own rural land. The Warning Natural Resources Conservation League, Springvale, will sell plants to persons owning four or more hectares of Remember that the application of pesticides on flowering land. Both organisations offer planting advice. fruit trees or on flowering plants growing beneath the trees may kill bees. Retail plant nurseries are also able to supply many of the plants listed. Some of the plants listed in this Agnote may cause damage to building foundations, drains and sewers. Eucalypts, Fruit trees willows and pepper trees are examples. The common types of fruit trees yield variable quantities Further information may be obtained from organisations of nectar, and in many cases it is used in brood rearing, so selling plants or from CFL district offices. little if any extractable surplus is available. Acknowledgment Apples, cherries and citrus are the most useful of the fruit trees. Most citrus trees yield nectar in good quantities, but Some of the information included in this Agnote was taken they are a poor sources of pollen. Almonds, apples, from a paper entitled, "Guide to Honey Flora for apricots, peaches, and plums all yield pollen. Reafforestation", published by the Victorian Apiarists' Association Inc., 1983.

The advice provided in this publication is intended as a source of information only. Always read the label before using any of the products mentioned. The State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication.