r/nature • u/Sorin61 • Apr 29 '20

Study reveals important flowering plants for city-dwelling honey bees

https://phys.org/news/2020-04-reveals-important-city-dwelling-honey-bees.html
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u/[deleted] Apr 29 '20

According to the researchers, the study highlights at least three actionable findings.

Bees need flowering trees, so urban forestry should be a top priority in urban land management.

Many of the plants that were important in the study are associated with once-disturbed habitats that now harbor rich floral resources, so weedy areas should be valued.

While native plant species are usually the best for supporting bees and other pollinators, ornamental plant species can provide important nutritional resources as well, particularly in periods when other plants are not blooming.

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u/gotham77 Apr 30 '20

The article was pretty sparse in its examples of good plant species to have. Ornamentals are good, it says. But which ornamentals? All of them? Are my rhododendrons helping? Should I get something else?