The best summer wildflowers for bees
Most gardens are at their best in June and empty by late August. The plants worth adding are the ones that flower after the first flush is over.
87 plants in flower between June and August · 44 through the whole season
The rule behind this list
Plants the catalogue records as suited to a meadow or wildflower area. Filtered to plants whose flowering window overlaps June to August.
Months here are northern-hemisphere temperate. Southern-hemisphere readers should shift by roughly six months — but that shift is an approximation rather than a translation, because day length, rainfall pattern and the local flora do not shift with it. Records that genuinely span both hemispheres say so.
What to prioritise in summer
The competition here is fierce — almost everything flowers in June — so the useful question is not what flowers in summer but what flowers in late August. Marjoram, knapweed, scabious, agastache, Russian sage, sedum and heather all carry a garden through the point at which the June planting has finished. A second flush from cutting back catmint, geranium and salvia in early July costs nothing and buys six weeks.
The summer mistake
Deadheading everything and cutting the herbs before they flower. Both remove exactly the forage the plant was going to provide, and both are done for tidiness rather than for the plant's benefit.
In flower through the whole of summer
- ThymeThymusMay to August. Nectar very high, pollen moderate.Major honey crop
- White cloverTrifolium repensMay to September. Nectar very high, pollen high.Major honey crop
- BrambleRubus fruticosusJune to September. Nectar very high, pollen high.Major honey crop
- Wildflower meadowMixed native floraApril to September. Nectar very high, pollen very high.Major honey crop
- AlfalfaMedicago sativaJune to September. Nectar high, pollen high.Major honey crop
- BorageBorago officinalisJune to September. Nectar very high, pollen high.Minor honey crop
- PhaceliaPhacelia tanacetifoliaJune to October. Nectar very high, pollen very high.Minor honey crop
- DandelionTaraxacum officinaleMarch to October. Nectar high, pollen very high.Minor honey crop
- Rosebay willowherbChamaenerion angustifoliumJune to September. Nectar very high, pollen high.Major honey crop
- Viper's buglossEchium vulgareJune to September. Nectar very high, pollen high.Minor honey crop
- SageSalviaMay to October. Nectar very high, pollen moderate.Major honey crop
- ComfreySymphytum officinaleMay to September. Nectar very high, pollen moderate.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- VerbenaVerbena bonariensisJune to November. Nectar high, pollen moderate.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- CalendulaCalendula officinalisMay to December. Nectar moderate, pollen high.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- Red cloverTrifolium pratenseMay to September. Nectar very high, pollen high.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- Bird's-foot trefoilLotus corniculatusMay to September. Nectar high, pollen high.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- KnapweedCentaurea nigraJune to September. Nectar very high, pollen high.Minor honey crop
- YarrowAchillea millefoliumJune to October. Nectar moderate, pollen high.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- CornflowerCentaurea cyanusJune to September. Nectar high, pollen moderate.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- Common poppyPapaver rhoeasMay to August. Nectar none, pollen very high.Not a honey source
- Hardy geraniumGeraniumMay to October. Nectar high, pollen high.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- AlliumAlliumApril to August. Nectar high, pollen high.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- Sweet cloverMelilotus officinalisJune to August. Nectar very high, pollen high.Major honey crop
- Dead-nettleLamiumJanuary to December. Nectar high, pollen moderate.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- GorseUlex europaeusJanuary to December. Nectar none, pollen very high.Not a honey source
- BetonyBetonica officinalisJune to September. Nectar very high, pollen moderate.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- MeadowsweetFilipendula ulmariaJune to September. Nectar low, pollen high.Not a honey source
- Purple loosestrifeLythrum salicariaJune to September. Nectar very high, pollen high.Major honey crop
- Oxeye daisyLeucanthemum vulgareMay to September. Nectar moderate, pollen high.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- Wild carrotDaucus carotaJune to September. Nectar moderate, pollen high.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- Tufted vetchVicia craccaJune to August. Nectar very high, pollen high.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- Yellow rattleRhinanthus minorMay to August. Nectar moderate, pollen moderate.Not a honey source
- CatsearHypochaeris radicataJune to September. Nectar moderate, pollen high.Not a honey source
- Small scabiousScabiosa columbariaJune to October. Nectar high, pollen high.Not a honey source
- HogweedHeracleum sphondyliumJune to September. Nectar high, pollen high.Minor honey crop
- SelfhealPrunella vulgarisJune to September. Nectar high, pollen moderate.Not a honey source
- Common ragwortJacobaea vulgarisJune to October. Nectar high, pollen high.Minor honey crop
- Woodland sageSalvia nemorosaJune to September. Nectar very high, pollen moderate.Not a honey source
- St John's wortHypericum perforatumJune to September. Nectar none, pollen very high.Not a honey source
- California poppyEschscholzia californicaMay to September. Nectar none, pollen very high.Not a honey source
- AngelicaAngelica archangelicaJune to August. Nectar very high, pollen high.Minor honey crop
- MotherwortLeonurus cardiacaJune to August. Nectar very high, pollen moderate.Minor honey crop
- Common milkweedAsclepias syriacaJune to August. Nectar very high, pollen low.Minor honey crop
- Spanish needleBidens albaJanuary to December. Nectar high, pollen high.Major honey crop
In flower for part of summer
- FoxgloveDigitalis purpureaJune to July. Nectar high, pollen moderate.Not a honey source
- BuckwheatFagopyrum esculentumJuly to September. Nectar high, pollen moderate.Major honey crop
- Michaelmas daisySymphyotrichum novi-belgiiAugust to October. Nectar high, pollen high.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- MarjoramOriganum vulgareJuly to September. Nectar very high, pollen high.Minor honey crop
- CosmosCosmos bipinnatusJuly to October. Nectar high, pollen high.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- GoldenrodSolidagoAugust to October. Nectar very high, pollen very high.Major honey crop
- Field scabiousKnautia arvensisJuly to September. Nectar very high, pollen high.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- TeaselDipsacus fullonumJuly to August. Nectar high, pollen moderate.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- RowanSorbus aucupariaMay to June. Nectar moderate, pollen high.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- EchinaceaEchinacea purpureaJuly to September. Nectar high, pollen high.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- ThistleGalactites tomentosaMay to July. Nectar very high, pollen high.Major honey crop
- Forget-me-notMyosotis sylvaticaApril to June. Nectar moderate, pollen moderate.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- AgastacheAgastache foeniculumJuly to October. Nectar very high, pollen high.Minor honey crop
- BergamotMonarda didymaJuly to September. Nectar high, pollen moderate.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- Globe thistleEchinops ritroJuly to September. Nectar very high, pollen high.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- Sea hollyEryngiumJuly to September. Nectar very high, pollen high.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- FennelFoeniculum vulgareJuly to September. Nectar high, pollen high.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- ChicoryCichorium intybusJuly to October. Nectar high, pollen high.Minor honey crop
- RudbeckiaRudbeckia fulgidaAugust to October. Nectar high, pollen high.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- HeleniumHelenium autumnaleJuly to October. Nectar high, pollen high.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
- BroomCytisus scopariusApril to June. Nectar none, pollen very high.Not a honey source
- Alder buckthornFrangula alnusMay to July. Nectar very high, pollen moderate.Minor honey crop
- SainfoinOnobrychis viciifoliaMay to July. Nectar very high, pollen high.Major honey crop
- HarebellCampanula rotundifoliaJuly to September. Nectar moderate, pollen high.Not a honey source
- Red bartsiaOdontites vernusJuly to September. Nectar moderate, pollen moderate.Not a honey source
- Devil's-bit scabiousSuccisa pratensisJuly to October. Nectar very high, pollen high.Not a honey source
- Dog roseRosa caninaJune to July. Nectar none, pollen very high.Not a honey source
- BugleAjuga reptansApril to June. Nectar high, pollen moderate.Not a honey source
- Sweet rocketHesperis matronalisMay to July. Nectar high, pollen moderate.Not a honey source
- Wild garlicAllium ursinumApril to June. Nectar high, pollen high.Not a honey source
- ColumbineAquilegia vulgarisMay to June. Nectar high, pollen moderate.Not a honey source
- Hemp agrimonyEupatorium cannabinumJuly to September. Nectar very high, pollen high.Minor honey crop
- Joe Pye weedEutrochium purpureumJuly to September. Nectar very high, pollen high.Minor honey crop
- Culver's rootVeronicastrum virginicumJuly to September. Nectar high, pollen high.Not a honey source
- Blazing starLiatris spicataJuly to September. Nectar very high, pollen high.Not a honey source
- Poached egg plantLimnanthes douglasiiApril to July. Nectar very high, pollen high.Minor honey crop
- Crimson cloverTrifolium incarnatumMay to July. Nectar high, pollen high.Minor honey crop
- Fodder radishRaphanus sativusAugust to November. Nectar high, pollen high.Minor honey crop
- Globe artichokeCynara cardunculusJuly to September. Nectar very high, pollen high.Minor honey crop
- Common fleabanePulicaria dysentericaJuly to September. Nectar high, pollen high.Not a honey source
- Mexican sunflowerTithonia rotundifoliaAugust to October. Nectar very high, pollen high.Not a honey source
- SumacRhus speciesJune to July. Nectar high, pollen high.Minor honey crop
- Mountain mintPycnanthemum speciesJuly to September. Nectar high, pollen moderate.Feeds the colony but rarely yields a surplus
Check these against your region before planting
16 plants in this group carry an invasiveness or legal restriction note somewhere in the world: Bramble, Viper's bugloss, Goldenrod, Knapweed, Teasel, Thistle, Gorse, Purple loosestrife, Oxeye daisy, Fennel, Tufted vetch, Broom, Common ragwort, Sweet rocket, St John's wort, Spanish needle. HoneyHQ does not know where you are and will not guess, so it flags rather than filters.
Bees these plants are recorded with
Taken from the relationships on each plant record. These are the well-attested associations rather than an exhaustive list of visitors, so treat the number as a floor.
Honeys from these plants
- Thyme honeyWarm, herbal and savoury — thyme and dry stone, with a peppery lift and a very long finish.
- Alpine meadow honeyComplex and aromatic, with a herbal lift over warm caramel and a distinctly clean finish — the flavour of a great many plants rather than of any one.
- Hymettus honeyIntensely aromatic and herbal, with a warm thyme character, a resinous maquis edge and a long finish that carries a distinct savoury note.
- Alcarria honeyDelicate and aromatic, with a clean herbal sweetness — the rosemary type is softer and more floral, the lavender type more perfumed and slightly camphoraceous.
- Savory honeyIntensely herbal with a distinct peppery, almost oregano-like bite over a warm sweetness — one of the more assertive Mediterranean aromatics.
- Narbonne rosemary honeyDelicate and clean with a soft herbal floral note and a texture that does much of the work — one of the classic pale European honeys.
- Dittany honeyIntensely aromatic and herbal with a distinct medicinal lift and a warm oregano character — closer to a herbal infusion than to a floral honey.
- Ak balMild, creamy and delicately floral with a faint herbal lift — the texture is much of the appeal, dense and smooth and dissolving rather than sticky.
- Tibetan highland honeyDense and strongly herbal with a resinous depth and a faintly smoky finish — a concentrated honey that reflects both a short intense season and traditional processing.
- Blue curls honeyExtremely delicate with a clean sweetness and a faint herbal lift — one of the mildest honeys there is, and prized for exactly that.
- Central Otago thyme honeyIntensely aromatic and herbal with a warm thyme character and a long savoury finish — closely comparable to a good Greek thyme honey, which surprises most people.
- Clover honeyWarm, mild and rounded — sweet with a faint cinnamon-and-hay note underneath. The taste most English-speaking readers picture when they read the word honey.
Keep going
Plan the season
- Seasonal bee planner
It is this season and I want to do this — what should I plant?
- Flowering calendar
What should I plant so that something is always in flower for bees?
- Bee-friendly garden planner
What should I plant in the space I actually have?