Bees and sunflowers: new varieties not bee-friendly
by Michael Watson (comments: 0
The sunflower embodies midsummer like no other wildflower. Despite the extreme heat, the sunflower grows to a height of up to three meters so that it gets the full broadside of the summer sun. Like many other wild flowers, both we humans and wild bees benefit from the sunflower: we process the sunflower seeds into oil; wild bees and other insects enjoy the rich pollen and nectar. As the sunflower blooms well into October, its pollen is a welcome snack for wild bees, which don't find too much to eat at this time of year.
Unfortunately, however, there is unpleasant news when it comes to the sunflower. Although the yellow flowers of the common sunflower (Helianthus annuus) are rich in pollen and nectar, more and more species are being bred that produce less pollen. The reason: many people are bothered by the yellow pollen, which could make their homes "dirty". Stupid, isn't it?
Name | (Common) sunflower |
Botanical name | Helianthus annuus |
Family | Compositae (Asteraceae) |
Order | Asteraceae (Asterales) |
New sunflower varieties not bee-friendly
If you sow sunflowers in your garden, you should therefore make sure that you use bee-friendly sunflower varieties, otherwise the bees will get very little out of it. So when buying sunflower (seeds), please make sure that you always use varieties that are rich in pollen and nectar. Basically, we believe that wildflowers should not only be planted because we humans find them aesthetically pleasing. There are so many bee-friendly flowers that we find beautiful AND that are valuable for bees and other insects.

Location and care of sunflowers
Like the other wildflowers in Bee friendly bee seed, the sunflower is also an easy-care companion. As the name suggests, the sunflower needs lots and lots and lots of sun. You should therefore choose a very sunny location with nutrient-rich soil for Helianthus. You can sow the sunflower seeds from April; however, we recommend waiting until after the Ice Saints to prevent your plants from being damaged by frost.
Once your sunflowers have germinated, you can sit back and relax. Water them moderately but regularly: sunflowers tolerate short dry periods better than waterlogging. You can also plant sunflowers in a flower pot if you don't have a garden. Of course, the sunflowers won't grow to a height of 3 meters. Bees and bumblebees will thank you anyway!
Identifying sunflowers
If you can't recognize a sunflower, you should definitely visit an optician to have your eyes checked. No other plant grows so tall and bears such huge, yellow flowers. It usually grows between 1 and 2 meters high; very rarely it can grow up to 3 meters. The stem and leaves of the sunflower are rough and hairy. The yellow flower heads, which always face the sun, grow up to 40 centimetres wide.