August is the true test season for my pollinator-minded garden. The blackberry blooms that helped fill hives in June are now fat, sweet berries, beginning to fill our bellies and freezers. Native flowers and shrubs have long since made their contribution to the nectar flow. Many native pollinators, such as mason and minor bees, cleverly complete their foraging season as indigenous plants cease flowering, waiting patiently in resting states to emerge as adults when spring returns with a new round of nourishing flowers. But what’s available in “dearthy” August for pollen- and nectar-seeking creatures, particularly our beloved imported honey bees? Well, beloved imported flowers, mostly! Here’s a list of things currently blooming near my bee yard:
Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) and Knapweed (Centaurea spp.) Miserable invasives, but rich forage resources for honey bees
Cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum)
Borage (Borago offinalis)
Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea)
Sunflower (Helianthus spp.)
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia spp.)
Squash and cucumber (Cucurbit spp.)
Crocosmia (Crocosmia spp.) A hummingbird favorite
Western sunflower (Helianthus occidentalis)
Calendula (Calendula officinalus)
Mayweed Chamomile (Anthemis cotula)
Mint (Mentha spp.)
Lavender (Lavandula spp.)
Anise Hyssop (Agastahe foeniculum)
Oregano (Oreganum vulgare)
Zinnia (Zinnia spp.)
Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)
Rugose Roses (Rosa rugose)
Lane County HiveWays 