Bee Friendly Plants for Shaded Areas
Generally, bees prefer to buzz around plants in full sun, but there are some shade plants that bees love just as well. Honeybees are usually attracted to yellow, white, blue, and purple flowers. Native bees, like the mason bee — who actually pollinates more plants than honeybees, are attracted to fruit tree blossoms and native shrubs and perennials. Some shade-tolerant plants for bees are:
Jacob’s ladder Bleeding heart Bee balm Coral bells Hosta Columbine Hellebores Penstemon Viola Bellflowers Trollius Trillium Fuchsia Torenia Clethra Itea Mint Lamium Cranesbill Ligularia
Additional Shade Loving Plants for Pollinators
Besides bees, butterflies and moths also pollinate plants. Butterflies are usually attracted to plants with red, orange, pink, or yellow flowers. Most butterflies and moths prefer plants with flat tops that they can land on, however, the hummingbird sphinx moth can flutter around small tube flowers to collect nectar and pollen. Some part shade to shade-loving plants for pollinators like butterflies and moths include:
Astilbe Fragaria Mint Balloon flower Yarrow Lemon balm Blue star amsonia Jasmine Verbena Honeysuckle Buddleia Clethra Fothergilla Ligularia Hydrangea
Don’t be discouraged by a little shade. You can still do your part to help pollinators. While bees and butterflies need the warm sun in the morning to dry the dew off their wings, they can oftentimes be found seeking the refuge of shade in the hot afternoon. A large variety of blooms, both sun and shade loving, can draw a wide variety of pollinators.
