Trees and shrubs for bees and other pollinators:
Trees
- Acacias:
- Acacia xanthophloea
- Acacia kirkii
- Acacia senegal
- Acacia tortilis
Note: All indigenous acacias are key resources for pollinators. An abundance and diversity of insects can be found swarming around flowering acacias. Acacia tortilis, and Acacia senegal are just two of many important dryland species.
Albizia spp. These trees flower synchronously, and are an important resource for bees, butterflies, and sunbirds.
Combretum spp. Important in the drylands and savannah, these species are visited by both bees, and flies.
Cordia africana An important tree in highland forest areas for bees, including honeybees, and carpenter bees.
Croton spp. As these trees often flower synchronously they are of considerable significance seasonally.
Croton megalocarpus can grow in many different zones—from forest to river-banks, and bush; it is visited by bees, butterflies, and flies.
Dombeya spp. Used by honeybees, and carpenter bees. In the drylands this tree species is often found on hilltops where it visited by a wide range of insects.
Eucalyptus spp. While these trees can be invasive and use a lot of water, in highlands where they are planted for timber, they support large numbers of honeybees.
Eucalyptus ficifolia is one species that is especially attractive to honeybees.
Maerua spp. These are important nectar sources for hawkmoths, and carpenter bees. Honeybees, and solitary bees also visit them for pollen.
Mangroves Most mangroves have open generalised flowers visited by large numbers of bees. Mangroves species important for honeybees include:Avicennia, Bruguiera, Ceriops, Heritiera, and Rhizophora.
Markhamia lutea One of Kenya’s loveliest flowering trees, its yellow flowers are visited, and pollinated by a wide range of bees including carpenter bees, and larger leafcutter bees.
Melia spp. Very attractive to bees, and butterflies, especially in the drylands.
Milletia dura This species produces large bunches of flowers that can be swarming with bees, including carpenter bees, and leafcutter bees in large numbers.
Moringa oleifera This useful multi-purpose tree is also great for bees, flies, and other pollinators.
Ochna spp. Used by bees primarily, including carpenter bees, and honeybees.
Senna spp. Important for a wide range of bees, and flies. Some specialised bees visit these flowers.
Syzygium spp. Crucial to honeybees especially in the highlands. Also supports carpenter bees, and sunbirds.
Terminalia spp. Supports bees, flies, and other insects in the drylands.
SHRUBS & CREEPERS
Acacia brevispica Acacia mellifera Acacia drepanolobium
Acacia brevispica Acacia mellifera Acacia drepanolobium–Acacia mellifera is one of the most important nectar species for honeybees, and produces a light and creamy, delicious honey. All shrubby acacias support large numbers of bees, butterflies, wasps, and flies. Their open flowers make it easy for insects to access nectar and pollen.
Abutilon spp. These are important plants whose flowers open and close depending on the light, and warmth. Amegilla bees, and longhorn bees (Tetraloniella and Tetralonia spp.) visit these plants.
Aloe spp. Aloes are important for sunbirds, butterflies, moths, and bees. Most aloe species have evolved to be pollinated by sunbirds, and butterflies. Many different bees collect pollen from aloes, and several species nest in the pithy old flowering stems.
Aspilia spp. A good source of pollen for many bees, this species is attractive to both bees and butterflies.
Caesalpinia decapetala Flowering at the edges of forest, woodland and rivers, this species is favoured by carpenter bees, and other large-bodied bees.
Calotropis spp. Very important for a number of different bees, wasps, and butterflies, in dryland and arid areas. The pollen is formed into pollinia that attach to the legs of visiting bees, and wasps, and virtually impossible to remove once they are in place!
Dichrostachyscinerea A shrub that is often found in overgrazed areas, it supports a wide range of solitary bees, and wasps.
Dodonaea angustifolia This is a species that flowers seasonally, and is visited by flies, and large numbers of honeybees.
Dovyalis spp. Commonly known as kei-apple, and used as a hedgerow species, the flowers are very attractive to both bees, and flies.
Euphorbia spp. The succulent euphorbias are sometimes the only plant that might be flowering in arid locations, or at periods of drought. Important to a wide range of insects, a single flowering euphorbia could easily have over one hundred different insects swarming about it.
Grewia spp. One of the most important bee plants. It is visited by carpenter bees, and a large number of other solitary bee species.
Hibiscus spp. Visited by a wide range of bees, especially in dryland and arid areas.
Ipomoea spp. These mass-flowering creepers can paint the entire landscape in colour. Many different bees visit the flowers including some like Systropha spp. that are specialised on collecting Ipomoea pollen almost exclusively.
Lantanaspp. While Lantanacamarais a serious invasive that should not be planted, indigenous Lantana trifolia is especially attractive to butterflies, and bees.
Rhus spp. Shrubs that are visited by bees, and flies.
Rubus spp. Visited and pollinated by honeybees, hoverflies, and some solitary bees.
Scutia myrtina When in flower they are very attractive to a number of bees, and large numbers of wasps, and flies.
Sesbania spp. These legumes are attractive to carpenter bees, and other solitary bees. They can be cultivated at farm edges to encourage pollinators to visit.
Ziziphus spp. Seasonally flowering, they are visited by large numbers of flies, and a few bees.
TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT Acacia brevispica, Mucuna sp., Ipomoea sp, Acanthus sp. and Calotropis procera a milkweed that attracts bees and butterflies, Triumfetta sp. (image cutout) BOTTOM Wild hibiscus sp.,
WILDFLOWERS
Clematisspp. Found in woodland, and highland forest edges.
Clematisare important for bees, including honeybees.
Cleome spp. Seasonally important for many different kinds of bees, butterflies, and hawkmoths.
Gynandropsisgynandra An important resource in grassland, bush, and savannah for honeybees, solitary bees, hawkmoths, and butterflies.
Kalanchoe spp. One of the most attractive and important nectar sources for butterflies and moths.
Kleinia spp. An important resource for butterflies in the drylands, grasslands, and savannah.
Cyathula spp. Important for bees, butterflies, and flies seasonally.
Tribulus spp. Even though the spiky seeds of this weed can annoyingly get stuck in boots and tyres, it is an important resource for many different kinds of bees in arid areas.
Impatiens spp. Plant species important for bees, butterflies (especially skipper butterflies), and hawkmoths.
Commicarpus spp. Weedy herbs that attract a lot of different bees.
Mormodica spp. An important genus of plants for some beautiful and rare and specialised bees (Ctenoplectra spp.) that collect oils from the flowers.
Tephrosia spp. A legume that attracts many different kinds of bees including
Pseudapis spp., and leafcutter bees.
Indigofera spp. Perhaps one of the most crucial plants for bees in the arid and seasonal habitats of eastern Africa. Many different kinds of bees visit
Indigofera spp. for both nectar and pollen.
TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT Leucassp., wild daisy family sp. Delphiniu sp., Commelina sp.
BOTTOM Gloriosa superba–a good plant for butterflies, Justiciasp. One of the most useful plants for bees.
Vigna spp. As with most of the legumes, this group of plants are pollinated by bees, and are especially attractive to large carpenter bees, and leafcutter bees.
Other important legumes: Dolichos spp., Lablab purpurea, Eriosema spp., Lupinus spp. in the highlands, and Trifolium.
Crotolaria spp. This genus is primarily pollinated by bees, and is essential for them. As with all legumes, the flowers need to be ‘tripped’, and many different kinds of bees have learned to do this.
Cyphostemma & CissusBoth of these plants are creepers that are visited by bees, flies, wasps, and butterflies. The related Rhoicissustridentatais also popular with insect pollinators.
Gomphocarpus spp. Bees, wasps, and butterflies visit these milkweed species. They are important food-plants for butterflies especially the lovely African Monarchs (Danaus spp.).
Pentas & Pentanisia Vital for butterflies and hawkmoths. It appears that it is mostly these insects that pollinate them.
Vernonia spp. One of the most significant wildflowers for pollinators in general.
Many different bees, butterflies, and other insects visit the open accessible flowers of Vernonia.
Some related species: Gutenbergia, Anisopappus,Sphaeranthus, Helichrysum, Conyza, Emilia, and Senecio.
Bidens spp. These common weedy plants are important for solitary bees (especially halictid bees) that can almost always be found visiting the flowers.
Heliotropium spp. These lovely flowers are visited by large numbers of insects including bees, wasps, flies, and butterflies for both nectar and pollen.
Solanum spp. These plants are often considered weedy, but are visited by many bees that are able to ‘buzz’ the flowers so as to release pollen. This is a specialised pollination system, and the bees that visit wild
Solanum species also pollinate eggplants, tomato (which are related), passionfruit, and legume crops.
Wildflowers.
TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT Cleome parvipetala, attracts bees, hawkmoths and butterflies, Solanum sp. are great for bees. Ocimum and Bidens, are two of the most useful ‘bee- plants’.
BOTTOM, LEFT TO RIGHT Bidens Crotolaria sp. are visited by large bees, and aloes by sunbirds, bees and butterflies.
Thunbergiaspp. Visited by bees, including Macrogaleabees that are important pollinators of crops.
Blepharis spp. Important for many different kinds of solitary bees especially in arid and dryland areas.
Barleria spp. This is an important group of wildflowers for both bees and butterflies. They tend to flower sparsely for longer periods, and are thereby a chief resource when other plants may not be flowering.
Justicia spp. An exceptional wildflower resource for bees found at forest edges, grassland, savannah, and in agricultural areas. Planting Justicia in wildflower strips will draw in bees, and support honeybees for honey production. Related species visited by bees include Hypoestes and Leucas.
Ocimum spp. These herbs are one of the most important ‘bee plants’, supporting and attracting all kinds of bees and other insects. Ocimum can be readily established from seed, and will naturally re-seed areas once in place. It is a good plant for honeybees, and the resulting honey has a distinctive herbal flavour.
Plectranthus spp. These wildflowers are really important for all kinds of bees. They are free flowering once established, and can be grown from cuttings. The related Orthosiphon spp. is also an important floral resource.
Commelina spp. Carpenter bees, honeybees, and other bees visit these attractive flowers. These wildflowers are a complex creation that both attract bees for pollen, and fools them with false pollen lures. Related plant species: Aneilema, Cyanotis, and Murdannia.
Bulbine spp. and Chlorophytum spp.Visited by bees, and flies, these plants often appear early at the start of the rains, and are an important resource at that time.
Wildflowers.TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT Tiny lily growing in grassland, Justicia sp.
2nd ROW Plectranthus sp., Gutenbergiasp.
3rd ROW Leonotis sp., BOTTOM Justicia flava–an important plant for bees and butterflies
Grasses & Sedges
A number of bees (especially Lipotriches spp.), and a few flies, collect pollen from grasses and sedges. These plants are wind pollinated so they don’t need pollinators. However, the pollen from grass and sedge is an important resource for bees. Honeybees will often take pollen from grasses (including Cynodon and Cenchrus), as well as from cultivated maize and sorghum
Grasses are important pollen sources for bees, but they do not depend on pollinators.
that are magnets for pollinators, especially bees and butterflies.
Grasses and grasslands. TOP, LEFT TO
RIGHT Lipotriches bee gathering pollen from Buffel grass, Grassland in Turkana–areas like this provide nesting habitat for bees.
