Top 10 Garden Plants for Native Bees in NH

Robert Eckert asked a very simple question in the Portsmouth Caterpillar Club Facebook Page back on August 9, 2022.  It was:  "which species attracts the most wild bees?"  The question sent me on a journey to make a Top 5 list, which is nearly impossible because of all the different species, different soils, different seasons and different objectives which need to be taken into account when developing an ecosystem that sustains and promotes life from one year to the next.  

Bombus fervidus, August 2022, is nearly extinct in N.H.

As you read this list, keep in mind that, to support native bees, you really need an ecosystem, not just a garden for the summer or the spring.  A garden that does not support life cycles year-round will not succeed.  It can only borrow or steal from the ecosystem around it.  Our native bees and insects need habitat for the entire year if they are to survive.  This means that, even if you plant all of the best plants, a spring or fall cleanup can undo all of your work by damaging or exposing the nests of the bees you worked to hard to attract in the summer.  Leaving the leaves, stumps, rotting wood and protecting messy areas is just as important as planting native plants.  If you do both, you may have the same spectacular fortune I had when a Golden Northern Bumblebee visited me for 2 weeks in the summer of 2022, a species not recorded by NH Fish and Game since 1998 and barely seen in NH on iNaturalist.  

So with that said, forget about a "Top 5."  Here is my best "Top 10" list of plants to support native bees year round but remember to leave the leaves, sticks and stumps!  This is based on my experience building habitat over the last 6 years.  I am sure it is incomplete and there are species in different seasons that I overlooked.  So, please feel free to suggest or ask about any others you think belong on the list that I may have missed.  And please don't forget that a rising tide lifts all ships.  All of these plants will help wasps and Lepidoptera as well!  

1.     Thimbleberry, Rubus odoratus. Not only is this an early flowering plant that coincides closely with bumblebee emergence, it is one of the few plants that provide pollen to all three at-risk bumblebee species in Massachusetts according to Robert Gegear.  It is used extensively by female bumblebees "buzz pollinating" which is the practice of shaking the entire flower and then scraping the pollen into its pollen baskets, called "corbicula" (seen in the photo above), on its rear legs.  Male bumblebees do not have corbicula and are almost never seen on Thimbleberry, but this is a good thing.  The pollen is then used to feed bumblebee larvae in the nest.  Nectar, while important, is typically used only as a source of energy for adults.   

Many species of smaller bees use Thimbleberry as well as katydids, long legged flies, leaf hoppers, and too many other insects to name. Plants in the genus Rubus host 158 species of larvae in Rockingham County per the National Wildlife Federation's Native Plant Finder.  It is a major cornerstone species in the ecological food web.  I have also observed curious clouds of small flies that swarm over Thimbleberry at different times of the day, seemingly not interacting with it at all yet circling above it as if to celebrate its presence in the nature.  You may not believe this claim until it finds a home near you.   Lastly, it has edible raspberry-like fruits that are extremely delicate and flavorful.  

2.    Spiraea alba, Meadowsweet. This is another early season source of pollen that is on Professor Gegear's List of Plants for at-risk Bumblebees and pollinators in Massachusetts. Early in the summer it is the center of bumblebee activity.  Female common eastern bumblebees (pictured) collect sticky balls of pollen to bring back to feed larvae in their nest and grow the colony.  

I see many species of wasps, flies and small bees on Meadowsweet and it is also a host plant to 95 species of larvae in Rockingham County according to the NWF.  Meadowsweet leaves and stems are a nice addition to the garden and in August you might get lucky and find a sphinx month caterpillar browsing.  Unlike Thimbleberry (Rubus odoaratus), I see both male and female bumblebees on this plant, though a clear majority are females gathering pollen.  Cottontails will eat the newer stems to the ground in the winter months, so if you have young plants you may want to put a screen around them in the fall.  

3.  Boneset, Eupatorium perfoliatum. Boneset's contribution to bees and wasps cannot be overstated. There are days in August when Boneset accounts for half the pollinator diversity in my yard.  That may be an exaggeration, but not by much. This photo is of a Hairy-banded Mining Bee, Andrena hirticincta, on my garden on August 1, 2022.  It attracts so many bees and other insects it felt wrong to chose only one photo.  The National Wildlife Federation reports the genus Eupatorium is a host plant to 29 species in our area. This is absolutely a must-have plant. 

4.  Partridge Pea, Chamaecrista fasciculata is an often overlooked plant that surpasses any non-native ornamental ever described by the phrase "bees love it."  It is an annual in the bean family that fixes nitrogen.   It attracts more Bumblebees than any other plant I have had occasion to observe, as well as many wasps (especially thread-waisted wasps), ants and butterflies (sulphurs and coppers). 

Partridge Pea is reported to be a host plant for Cloudless giant sulphur, Orange sulphur, and Sleepy orange butterflies according to some sources. I have observed caterpillars of Yellows on it in my garden but the NWF lists it as a host plant for Lo Moths, Gray Hairstreaks, and It flowers from late July through August and as this video shows, the bees appear to buzz pollinate which means female bees collect it to feed larvae.   

The Botanical North American Atlas of Plants (BONAP) indicates its range included Essex County, Massachusetts but not Rockingham County, NH.  However, there are observations of it wild in both Rockingham (NH) and York (ME) Counties.  It seems likely that the plant is native but these observations have not found their way through official scientific channels.  I'm  always happy to share seed in the fall or you can now purchase seed from Wild Seed Project. It self seeds but the plants are very easy to manage.  

5.  Liatris novae-angliae, New England Blazing Star.  This plant is classified as endangered in New Hampshire and Maine and as uncommon in Massachusetts.  The Kennebunk Plains in Maine has the largest population in New England.  It is a host plant for three species in NH (according to the NWF): the Wavy-Lined Emerald, the Camoflauged Looper; and Autographa flagellum.  

Blazing Star can claim a lovely shade of purple entirely to itself.  What you may notice most of all is that it is an absolute rock star for attracting bumblebees in all of August and September in abundance.  

As a plant that grows in gravelly soil, it is also extremely drought and will not require extensive watering in drought years.  I put it near the borders of my garden, though it can grow to 3 feet tall in full sun.  

6.  Hypericum kalmianum, Kalm's St. John's Wort.  This recommendation is a little controversial for me to make because Kalm's St. John's Wort is not native east of New York and is endangered in part of its range.  But I recommend this plant because it can be purchased from reputable suppliers that grow it from seed (or cuttings in some cases) and Hypericum is one of the critical plant species recommended by Robert Gegear for threatened bumblebees in New England.  

The problem is that most of us will not have the wetland type habitat in our gardens needed for the native species of hypericum like Hypericum canadense (Lesser St. John's Wort), Hypericum boreale (Northern St. John's Wort) and many others that are almost aquatic plants.   

As a result, I recommend Kalm's St. John's Wort because it is a really nice shrub tolerates drought very well and it blooms in late June during the lull between spring flowers and the late summer festival in late July.  It is native to parts of New York, so it is close enough in range so that our native insects should be adapted to it.  You will see numerous female bumblebees that gather pollen from this plant, so it is supporting the larval stages that are critical to sustaining populations of our endangered bees.  You will also see sweat bees like the one pictured above.  It is an all-around win.  You can buy this plant both at Green Art in Kittery and Oak Haven Sanctuary in North Andover MA.  

7.  Agastache scrophularifolia, Purple Giant Hyssop, & Agastache foeniculum, Anise Hyssop.  I am listing these two species together because they hybridize.  Scrophularifolia is native to New England whereas foeniculum is native to our south. Both are valued by native bees.  According to the Native Plant Trust, our native  "Purple giant-hyssop (scrophularifolia) is very rare in New England, and its range is apparently shrinking further." It is also identified by Professor Gegear as a beneficial nectar plant for all three species of threatened bumblebees in Massachusetts (Bombus tericola, fervidus & vagans).  

In my experience, both hyssops appear to be attractive for both bees, flies, humans and other species.  You won't be disappointed with one or both in your yard in July through September watching all of the visitors, whether they are hover flies, bumblebees or others.  

8.  Helenium autumnale, Sneezeweed.  There is something special about watching sleeping bumblebees on Sneezeweed in September mornings.  Is it the bright yellow flowers?  The large globular disks?  The stillness of some that hang upside down while others buzz from one flower to the next.  Or the faded striped arch of a blackberry looper moth caterpillar?  I cannot say, but my guess would be all of these and other things.  Give sneezeweed a place of its own and see what you find.  Ecologically, I cannot say that this is terribly important plant.  The NWF Reports it as a host plant for 5 species in our area.  I mostly see it as a nectar plant during the end of season when nest building comes to an end.  But in this case, its beauty in the later summer and fall garden is more than enough.   

9.  Solidago spp.  All of our goldenrods are important for pollen and nectar.  The goldenrod genus Solidago spp. are host plants for 114 species of caterpillars in our region according to NWF!  Supporting such a large number and diversity of pollinators is something that cannot be overlooked.  Think of goldenrods as an opportunity to support the entire ecosystem while helping bees at the same time. 

Shown here is a Carpenter Bee on a Seaside Goldenrod, Solidago sempervirens.  This is a great choice for near roads because of its salt tolerance.  Showy goldenrod (S. speciosa) is a great choice for highly visible areas in the garden with full sun.  Downey goldenrods are a lovely choice along the edges of paths in full sun and are drought tolerant.  In the shade, zig zag goldenrod (S. flexicaulis) and blue stem goldenrod (S. caesia) are excellent choices.   

10.  Violets, Blueberry, Viburnums, Monarda, Mountain Mints, Willows,   Ironweed, Vervain, and, All Early Season Flowers.  This is the hard part where I must again admit to my mistakes and  errors of omission.  You hopefully noticed that I have not given adequate consideration to spring and early summer pollen and nectar sources.  What this tells us is that even a "Top 10" list of species for bees is not enough to fully support our natural ecosystems.  In fact, scientific research tells us that the more native plant diversity we add to an area, the more productive our local natural ecosystem will become.  This is especially true in our gardens!  

Where to find native plants near me?  We are lucky to have a couple of options in close proximity as well as others nearby.  Here is my "short list" of places to check out:  

Green Art in Kittery Maine sells almost exclusively native plants during the summer on Fridays and Saturdays 9 to 5.  Its owner, Thomas Berger is a good friend and great resource for gardeners.  Be sure to check out his sculptures and his dragonfly pond!

Green Art, Kittery Maine

Walter Kittredge's Oak Haven Sanctuary is a fantastic small scale grown-from-seed nursey in Andover Massachusetts.  Walter is a native plan enthusiast and an active member of the Native Plants of New England Facebook group.  He has many native plants that you won't find anywhere else but his hours are limited so please make sure to check his hours of operation before making the drive.  

Bagley Pond Perennials in Warner NH is a new nursery that has a fantastic web site.  Definitely check it out.   

Sweat Bees on Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium spp).

Lastly, I don't think anyone could argue that the best-of-the-best for native plants is the Native Plant
Trust's Garden in the Woods in Framingham, Massachusetts.  It has by far the best selection of native plants and a trip to see its woodland gardens is an experience that never disappoints in any season.  If you go, plan at least 2-hours to walk along the garden paths.  I can think of no other experience like it.   

If you follow these suggestions, the bees will praise your efforts before long, and, as Tolkien wrote: the praise from the praiseworthy lies above all other rewards!