Plants for MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD !
Did you know that some blossoms don't help bee at all!
Help honey bees! Grow plants with high nectar or pollen production scores*, AND that blossom in different months.
HOW TO USE THIS CHART:
- Click the top of a column to SORT plants based on the characteristics.
- "5" is the best Pollen and Nectar score (We included low scores so you'd know they don't help bees much)
- You can click the plant images to see a larger image
- You can search for specific plants on the chart with the search field - it is above the chart on the right
- You can search for plants that thrive in full shade by typing "full shade" in the search box (include the quote marks). You can also search for "full sun" and "part shady"
- To see more plants, click 'Next' - it is under the chart on the right
- SCROLL left, right, up down to see the whole chart
| TYPE | COMMON NAME | NECTAR SCORE | POLLEN SCORE | BLOOMING MONTHS | HEIGHT in FEET | IMAGE | LIGHT NEEDS | BOTANICAL NAME |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shrub or Tree | Allegheny Serviceberry | 1 | 1 | 04 Apr – 05 May | 15-25 |  | Sun to part shady | Amelanchier laevis |
| Shrub | American Elderberry | 1 | 2 | 05 May – 06 Jun | 5-12 |  | Sun to part shady | Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis |
| Shrub | Black Tupelo | 4 | 2 | 05 May – 06 Jun | 30-50 |  | Sun to part shady | Nyssa sylvatica |
| Shrub or small tree | Carolina Silverbell | 2 | 2 | 04 Apr - 05 May | 30-50 |  | Sun to part shady | Halesia carolina |
| Perennial | Catmint | 3 | 2 | 05 May - 09 Sept | 1-4 |  | Sun to part shady More info | Nepeta species |
| Shrub | Cornelian Cherry | 2 | 2 | 03 March | 15-20 |   | Sun to part shady | Cornus mas |
| Tree | Crimson Cloud English Hawthorn | 3 | 3 | 05 May | 20 |  | Sun | Crategus laevigata ‘Supurba’ |
| Bulb | Crocus | 2 | 3 | 02 Feb – 03 Mar | 0.25-0.5 |   | Sun to part shady More Info | Crocus species |
| Tree | Crusader Hawthorn | 3 | 3 | 05 May – 06 Jun | 15-20 | Sun | Crataegus ‘Cruzam’ | |
| Perennial | Culvers Root | 3 | 2 | 07 Jul - 08 Aug | 4-6 |  | Sun. Native. | Veronicastrum virginicum |
| Shrub | European Elderberry | 1 | 2 | 05 May | 8 |  | Sun to part shady | Sambucus nigra 'Eva' Black Lace |
| Perennial | Fireworks Goldenrod | 4 | 3 | 09 Sep – 10 Oct | 2.5-3 |  | Sun to part shady | Solidago rugose ‘Fireworks’ |
| Shrub | Flowering Quince | 3 | 2 | 04 Apr | 6-10 |  | Sun to part shade More Info | Chaenomeles speciosa |
| Bulb | Giant Onion | 3 | 2 | 05-May | 1.5-2.5 |  | Sun More info | Allium giganteum 'Globemaster' |
| Shrub | Glossy Abelia | 3 | 2 | 06 Jun – 10 Oct | 3-6 |   | Sun to part shady | Abelia x grandiflora |
| Perennial | Gold and Silver Chrysanthemum | 3 | 3 | 10 Oct – 11 Nov | 1.5-2 |  | Sun to part shady | Ajania pacificum |
| Tree | Greenspire Little-leaf Linden | 5 | 3 | 06 June - | 50-70 |  | Sun | Tilia cordata Greenspire™ |
| Tree | Higan Cherry | 2 | 2 | 03 Mar - 04 Apr | 20-30 |  | Sun to part shady | Prunus subhirtella 'Autumnali' |
| Shrub | Highbush Blueberry | 3 | 3 | 05 May | 6-12 | Sun to part shade | Vaccinium corymbosum | |
| Shrub or Tree | Holly | 3 | 3 | 05 May | 3-40 |  | Sun to part shady | Ilex species |
| Shrub or Tree | Hydrangea Paniculata | 3 | 3 | 08 Aug – 09 Sept | 8-10 |  | Sun to part shady More Info | TardivaSingle TardivaBee |
| Tree | Japanese Flowering Apricot | 2 | 2 | 03 March | 15-20 | | Sun | Prunus mume |
| Shrub | Japanese Kerria | 1 | 1 | 04 Apr | 2-6 |  | Sun to part shady to Shade. | Kerria japonica |
| Shrub | Leatherleaf Mahonia | 1 | 2 | 01 Jan - 02 Feb | 12-15 |   | Sun to part shady to shade More Info | Mahonia bealei |
| Shrub | Lowbush Blueberry | 3 | 3 | 05 May | 1-2 | Sun to part shady | Vaccinium angustifolium | |
| Perennial | Maximilian Sunflower | 2 | 3 | 10 Oct – 11 Nov | 4-10 | Sun | Helianthus maximilliani | |
| Perennial | New England Aster | 2 | 2 | 09 Sep – 10 Oct | 2-6 | Sun to part shady | Symphyotrichcum novae-angliae | |
| Shrub | Oakleaf Hydrangea | 3 | 3 | 05 May – 07 Jul | 4-8 |   | Sun to part shady | Hydrangea quercifolia |
| Shrub | Oregon Grapeholly | 1 | 2 | 03 March | 3-6 |  | Sun to part shady to Shade More Info | Mahonia aquifolium |
| Tree | Ornamental Cherry | 4 | 2 | 04 April | 15-25 |   | Sun to part shady | Prunus ‘Okame’ |
| Tree | Pink Princess Crabapple | 4 | 3 | 04 Apr – 05 May | 8 |   | Sun | Malus ‘Parrsi’ |
| Tree | Prairifire Crabapple | 4 | 3 | 04 Apr – 05 May | 15-20 |  | Sun | Malus ‘Prairifire’ |
| Tree | Pussy Willow | 2 | 4 | 03 March | 10-20 |   | Sun to part shady More Info | Salix caprea |
| Tree | Red Maple | 3 | 3 | 03 March | 40-50 |   | Sun to part shady | Acer rubrum |
| Shrub | Rockspray Cotoneaster | 4 | 1 | 05 May | 2-3 | Sun to part shady | Cotoneaster horizontalis | |
| Perennial | Russian Sage | 3 | 3 | 07 July - 09 Sept | 3-5 |  | Sun (Floppy without it) More info | Perovskia atriplicifolia |
| Shrub or Tree | Serviceberry | 1 | 1 | 03 Mar – 04 Apr | 6-20 |  | Sun to part shady | Amelanchier arborea, A. canadensis |
| Shrub or Tree | Seven-Son Flower | 3 | 3 | 08 Aug – 09 Sep | 15-20 |   | Sun to part shady | Heptacodium micronoides |
| Perennial | Snowdrop | 2 | 3 | 01 Jan – 02 Feb | 0.5 |  | Sun to part shady More Info | Galanthus nivalis |
| Perennial | Spiderwort | 3 | 3 | 05 May – 06 Jun | 2-4 |  | Part shady to shade | Tradescantia virginiana |
| Perennial | Stinking Hellebore | 3 | 3 | 02 Feb – 04 Apr | 1-3 |  | Partial to part shady to full shade | Helleborus foetidus |
| Perennial | Stonecrop | 3 | 3 | 09 Sept - 10 Oct | 2 |  Photo: Steve Dubik | Sun to part shady More info | Sedum 'Autumn Joy' |
| Shrub | Summersweet | 3 | 2 | 07 Jul 09 Sept | 3-6 |  | Sun to part shady Native. | Clethra alnifolia |
| Shrub | Sweetbox | 2 | 3 | 02 Feb - 03 Mar | 2 |  Photo: Steve Dubik | Part shady to Shade. | Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis |
| Tree | Tulip Poplar | 5 | 3 | 05 May | 60-90 |  | Sun to part shady | Liriodendron tulipifera |
| Bulb | Winter Aconite | 3 | 3 | 01 Jan – 02 Feb | 0.25 |  | Sun to part shady More Info | Eranthis hyemalis |
| Spreading climber | Winter Jasmine | 2 | 2 | 02 Feb - 03 Mar | 4-6 |  Photo: Steve Dubik | Sun to part shady to Shade | Jasminum nudiflorum |
| Tree | Winter King Hawthorn | 3 | 3 | 05 May – 06 Jun | 25-30 |  | Sun | Crataegus ‘Winter King’ |
| Tree | Zumi Crabapple | 4 | 3 | 04 Apr – 05 May | 12-20 |  | Sun | Malus zumi ‘Calocarpa’ |
*Pollen and Nectar Scores from Peter Lindtner's Garden Plants for Honey Bees, a fantastic resource for beekeepers who want to plant for honey bees.
*List based on Marie Rojas' Honey Bee Power Plant articles in the Honeypot. Plants will be added on an regular basis.