Wild Flowers for Honey Bees in the Central United States
Area of the US Midwest with similar flowers and bloom times to those shown below (map source: nationalatlas.gov)
Below is a collection of bloom times for some of the wildflowers used by pollinators in the American Midwest. Included are wild-growing plants that provide some sustenance to western honey bees (apis mellifera). Their importance as nectar and pollen sources varies greatly, as does their density of distribution. Some of these flowers would only be worked when little other forage is available. I’ve withheld any plants that are predominantly used in domestic landscapes. This list is in no way exhaustive—it only includes my personal observations, so if I haven’t seen and identified a flower myself, it’s not shown here.
The map above shows the approximate area of reference, centered on Missouri. Beekeepers in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, and Tennessee may encounter a similar selection of flowers. Based on bloom dates reported by other beekeepers in the region, for every 100 miles south of St Louis the bloom times will be about 1-2 weeks earlier, and for every 100 miles north of St Louis it will be about 1-2 weeks later. St Louis city itself also sees blooms earlier than what’s shown below, because the temperatures are consistently warmer there. I do the best I can to identify flowers being used by honey bees, but I’m not a botanist—if you see a mistake or an obvious omission, please let me know by sending a message through the Contact page.
January
Ozark Witch Hazel
Blooms in mid-January
Status in Missouri: Native
February
Alder
Blooms in mid-February
Status in Missouri: Native
Silver Maple
Blooms in mid-February
Status in Missouri: Native
Crocus
Blooms in late February
Status in Missouri: Introduced
March
Hazelnut
Blooms in early March
Status in Missouri: Native
Elm
Blooms in early March
Status in Missouri: Native
Spicebush
Blooms in early March
Status in Missouri: Native
Red Maple
Blooms in mid-March
Status in Missouri: Native
Bradford (Callery) Pear
Blooms in mid-March
Status in Missouri: Invasive
Native alternative: Wild Plum
Cutleaf Toothwort
Blooms in mid-to-late March
Status in Missouri: Native
Purple Deadnettle
Blooms in mid-to-late March
Status in Missouri: Introduced
Henbit
Blooms in mid-to-late March
Status in Missouri: Introduced
Fragrant Sumac
Blooms in late March
Status in Missouri: Native
Phlox
Blooms in late March
Status in Missouri: Native
Pussy Willow
Blooms in late March
Status in Missouri: Introduced
Golden Currant
Blooms in late March
Status in Missouri: Native
Grape Hyacinth
Blooms in late March
Status in Missouri: Introduced
Boxelder Maple
Blooms in late March
Status in Missouri: Native
Serviceberry
Blooms in late March
Status in Missouri: Native
Virginia Bluebell
Blooms in late March
Status in Missouri: Native
Wild Plum
Blooms in late March
Status in Missouri: Native
Beekeeper note: I consider the plum bloom to be the unofficial start of the spring nectar flow here. Honey bees will have a lot of choices for forage from now through June.
Filaree
Blooms in late March
Status in Missouri: Invasive
Native alternative: Phlox
Dandelion
Blooms in large numbers in late March
Status in Missouri: Introduced
April
Pussytoes
Blooms in early April
Status in Missouri: Native
Redbud
Blooms in early April
Status in Missouri: Native
Ground Ivy
Blooms in early April
Status in Missouri: Introduced
Sugar Maple
Blooms in early April
Status in Missouri: Native
Yellow Rocket
Blooms in early April
Status in Missouri: Introduced
Crabapple
Blooms in early April
Status in Missouri: Native
Black Willow
Blooms in early April
Status in Missouri: Native
Autumn Olive
Blooms in early April
Status in Missouri: Invasive
Native alternative: Ninebark
Butterweed
Blooms in early-to-mid-April
Status in Missouri: Native
Comfrey
Blooms in mid-April
Status in Missouri: Introduced
Lilac
Blooms in mid-April
Status in Missouri: Introduced
Beekeeper note: Mostly used by longer-tongued pollinators, but the shorter flowers on some lilacs are likely accessible by honey bees.
Yellow Woodsorrel
Blooms in mid-April
Status in Missouri: Native
Wild Hyacinth
Blooms in mid-to-late April
Status in Missouri: Native
Wild Chives
Blooms in late April
Status in Missouri: Native
Blackhaw
Blooms in late April
Status in Missouri: Native
Golden Alexanders
Blooms in late April
Status in Missouri: Native
Black Cherry
Blooms in late April
Status in Missouri: Native
White Clover
Blooms in late April
Status in Missouri: Introduced
Beekeeper note: White clover is worked hard during the peak of our nectar flow from mid-May through mid-June.
Blackberry
Blooms in late April
Status in Missouri: Native
May
Possumhaw
Blooms in early May
Status in Missouri: Native
Crimson Clover
Blooms in early May
Status in Missouri: Introduced
Bee Balm
Blooms in early May
Status in Missouri: Native
Spiderwort
Blooms in early May
Status in Missouri: Native
Hop Clover
Blooms in early May
Status in Missouri: Introduced
Ninebark
Blooms in early May
Status in Missouri: Native
Tulip Poplar
Blooms in early May
Status in Missouri: Native
Honey Locust
Blooms in early May
Status in Missouri: Native
Black Locust
Blooms in early May
Status in Missouri: Native
Beekeeper note: Known as perhaps the greatest potential nectar source in our region, the quality of the black locust bloom has a major impact on the quality of our honey flow.
Black Raspberry
Blooms in early May
Status in Missouri: Native
Oxeye Daisy
Blooms in mid-May
Status in Missouri: Introduced
Fourleaf Milkweed
Blooms in mid-May
Status in Missouri: Native
Kentucky Yellowwood
Blooms in mid-May
Status in Missouri: Native
Yarrow
Blooms in mid-May
Status in Missouri: Native
Multiflora Rose
Blooms in mid-May
Status in Missouri: Invasive
Native alternative: Prairie Rose
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Blooms in mid-May
Status in Missouri: Native
Poison Ivy
Blooms in mid-May
Status in Missouri: Native
Dogbane
Blooms in mid-May
Status in Missouri: Native
Beekeeper note: Dogbane is one of our longest-flowering species, so it feeds bees from late spring to late summer.
Glade Coneflower
Blooms in mid-May
Status in Missouri: Native
Fleabane
Blooms in mid-May
Status in Missouri: Native
Green Antelopehorn Milkweed
Blooms in mid-May
Status in Missouri: Native
Yellow Sweet Clover
Blooms in mid-May
Status in Missouri: Invasive
Native alternative: Purple Prairie Clover
Cornflower
Blooms in mid-May
Status in Missouri: Introduced
Sowthistle
Blooms in mid-May
Status in Missouri: Introduced
Catalpa
Blooms in late May
Status in Missouri: Native
Star Tickseed
Blooms in late May
Status in Missouri: Native
Prairie Rose
Blooms in late May
Status in Missouri: Native
Wild Privet
Blooms in late May
Status in Missouri: Invasive
Native alternative: Fragrant Sumac
Persimmon
Blooms in late May
Status in Missouri: Native
Self-Heal
Blooms in late May
Status in Missouri: Native
Alfalfa
Blooms in late May
Status in Missouri: Introduced
Birdsfoot Trefoil
Blooms in late May
Status in Missouri: Invasive
Native alternative: Coreopsis
Smooth Sumac
Blooms in late May
Status in Missouri: Native
Blanket Flower
Blooms in late May
Status in Missouri: Native
Purple Milkweed
Blooms in late May
Status in Missouri: Native
June
Ohio Horsemint
Blooms in early June
Status in Missouri: Native
Yellow Crownbeard
Blooms in early June
Status in Missouri: Native
Elderberry
Blooms in early June
Status in Missouri: Native
Thistle (non-native)
Status in Missouri: Native and Invasive (depending on species)
Native alternative: Field Thistle
Purple Coneflower
Blooms in early June
Status in Missouri: Native
Carolina Buckthorn
Blooms in early June
Status in Missouri: Native
Queen Anne’s Lace
Blooms in early June
Status in Missouri: Introduced
Common Milkweed
Blooms in early June
Status in Missouri: Native
Obedient Plant
Blooms in early June
Status in Missouri: Native
Wild Hydrangea
Blooms in early June
Status in Missouri: Native
Moonflower
Blooms in early June
Status in Missouri: Introduced
Cosmos
Blooms in early June
Status in Missouri: Introduced
Black-Eyed Susan
Blooms in mid-June
Status in Missouri: Native
Great Mullein
Blooms in mid-June
Status in Missouri: Introduced
Jewelweed
Blooms in mid-June
Status in Missouri: Native
Butterfly Weed (Milkweed)
Blooms in mid-June
Status in Missouri: Native
Late Figwort
Blooms in mid-June
Status in Missouri: Native
Beekeeper note: Its tiny, bucket-like flower fills with nectar the honey bees and other pollinators—including hummingbirds—can’t resist.
Mallow
Blooms in mid-June
Status in Missouri: Introduced
Trumpet Vine
Blooms in mid-June
Status in Missouri: Native
White Sweet Clover
Blooms in mid-June
Status in Missouri: Invasive
Native alternative: White Prairie Clover
Chicory
Blooms in mid-June
Status in Missouri: Introduced
Wild Bergamot
Blooms in mid-June
Status in Missouri: Native
Golden Rain Tree
Blooms in mid-June
Status in Missouri: Invasive
Native alternative: Blackhaw
Plains Coreopsis
Blooms in mid-June
Status in Missouri: Native
American Basswood
Blooms in mid-June
Status in Missouri: Native
Beekeeper note: If I could only choose one bee tree, it would be the American basswood.
Slender Mountain Mint
Blooms in mid-June
Status in Missouri: Native
Beekeeper note: Just after the main flow in early July, it’s not unusual to see dozens of honey bees working a single mountain mint shrub.
Grayheaded Coneflower
Blooms in mid-June
Status in Missouri: Native
St. John’s Wort
Blooms in mid-June
Status in Missouri: Native and Introduced (depending on species)
White Prairie Clover
Blooms in mid-June
Status in Missouri: Native
White Vervain
Blooms in mid-June
Status in Missouri: Native
Wild Garlic
Blooms in late June
Status in Missouri: Introduced
American Germander
Blooms in late June
Status in Missouri: Native
Beekeeper note: American germander flowers are massively popular with bumble bees.
Common Sunflower
Blooms in late June
Status in Missouri: Native
July
Ironweed
Blooms in early July
Status in Missouri: Native
Rose of Sharon
Blooms in early July
Status in Missouri: Introduced
Compass Plant
Blooms in early July
Status in Missouri: Native
Winged Sumac
Blooms in early July
Status in Missouri: Native
Burdock
Blooms in early July
Status in Missouri: Invasive
Native alternative: Field Thistle
Culver’s Root
Blooms in early July
Status in Missouri: Native
Gum Bumelia
Blooms in early July
Status in Missouri: Native
Hairy Mountain Mint
Blooms in early July
Status in Missouri: Native
Early Goldenrods
Blooms in early July
Status in Missouri: Native
Purple Passionflower
Blooms in early July
Status in Missouri: Native
Rattlesnake Master
Blooms in early July
Status in Missouri: Native
Blazing Star
Blooms in mid-July
Status in Missouri: Native
Snow-on-the-Mountain
Blooms in mid-July
Status in Missouri: Native
Hogwort
Blooms in mid-July
Status in Missouri: Native
Tall Green Milkweed
Blooms in mid-July
Status in Missouri: Native
Woodland Sunflower
Blooms in mid-July
Status in Missouri: Native
Pinkweed
Blooms in late July
Status in Missouri: Native
Partridge Pea
Blooms in late July
Status in Missouri: Native
August
White Snakeroot
Blooms in early August
Status in Missouri: Native
Elephant’s Foot
Blooms in early August
Status in Missouri: Native
Spanish Needles
Blooms in early August
Status in Missouri: Native
Ticktrefoil
Blooms in early August
Status in Missouri: Native
Joe Pye Weed
Blooms in early August
Status in Missouri: Native
Garlic Chives
Blooms in mid-August
Status in Missouri: Introduced
Gumweed
Blooms in mid-August
Status in Missouri: Native
Wingstem
Blooms in mid-August
Status in Missouri: Native
Beeblossom
Blooms in mid-August
Status in Missouri: Native
Evening Primrose
Blooms in mid-August
Status in Missouri: Native
American Groundnut
Blooms in mid-August
Status in Missouri: Native
Thistle (Native)
Blooms in mid-August
Status in Missouri: Native and Invasive (depending on species)
Prairie Dock
Blooms in mid-August
Status in Missouri: Native
New England Aster
Blooms in mid-August
Status in Missouri: Native
Late Boneset
Blooms in late August
Status in Missouri: Native
Blue Mistflower
Blooms in late August
Status in Missouri: Native
Prairie Onion
Blooms in late August
Status in Missouri: Native
Savanna Blazing Star
Blooms in late August
Status in Missouri: Native
Tickseed Sunflower
Blooms in late August
Status in Missouri: Native
Sweet Autumn Clematis
Blooms in late August
Status in Missouri: Invasive
Native alternative: Woodbine
Chinese Bush Clover
Blooms in late August
Status in Missouri: Invasive
Native alternative: Violet Bush Clover (see below)
September
Bush Clover
Blooms in early September
Status in Missouri: Native
Late Goldenrods
Blooms in early September
Status in Missouri: Native
Purple Aster
Blooms in mid-September
Status in Missouri: Native
Beekeeper note: Aster species are challenging to identify, so I’m lumping the purple-blue asters together.
White Aster
Blooms in mid-September
Status in Missouri: Native
Beekeeper note: Aster species are challenging to identify, so I’m lumping some white asters together.
Calico Aster
Blooms in late September
Status in Missouri: Native
November
Common Witch Hazel
Blooms in mid-November
Status in Missouri: Native
All of the pictures above are my own, unless noted otherwise.