Another vote for Agastache, bees and butterflies loved the plants I planted last year, plus lavender, salvia, etc. Top bee favourite though was Tithonia with those big open flowers - deadheading the Tith was a hazardous occupation though, I had to do it really early before the bees got up.
Marc I love reading all the posts, even for plants I never plan to grow or know nothing about, there is always something fascinating to learn, but not much point in replying ‘sorry mate, can’t help ya’
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Maybe I have picky bees! The things they seem to go for most here are Deutzia "Mont Rose", Teucrium fruticans, Knautia macedonica, Caryopteris, single-flowered dahlias, lavender, Linaria purpurea, and of course buddleia.
Yes you have more and much better choice things there they like They don't have that much choice here. Though the one (fuchsia) we have does have odd little tiny trumpet shaped flowers, (did you see the photo in my link). I think on most bigger "normal" fuchsias the dangly bits are harder for bees to use.
I guess they're just like us - if there's a choice, they'll pick what they like best (or maybe what's least effort to get at). I googled your fuchsia microphylla but I don't think it would be hardy enough to grow here. It's mostly a matter of luck that I have bee-friendly plants - it's a combination of what I like and what will grow here.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
If you want a really hardy fuchsia, magellanica grows wild by roadsides. I have one, I've never noticed whether it attracts bees or not, but it gets berries so I assume something's interested in the pollen There's another one with flowers that look like skinny pale pink ballerinas. That's really hardy too.
At 3 feet in height I recommend Fuchsia White Knights Pearl. Very delicate shape but not suitable in colder areas. As recommended earlier Fuchsia Riccartonii. A very tough shrub that should be more suitable in colder areas. I bought one for my mum 2 years ago for a damp dark corner crowded by loads of plants in heavy clay and it’s doing very well.
At 3 feet in height I recommend Fuchsia White Knights Pearl. Very delicate shape but not suitable in colder areas. As recommended earlier Fuchsia Riccartonii. A very tough shrub that should be more suitable in colder areas. I bought one for my mum 2 years ago for a damp dark corner crowded by loads of plants in heavy clay and it’s doing very well.
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Marc I love reading all the posts, even for plants I never plan to grow or know nothing about, there is always something fascinating to learn, but not much point in replying ‘sorry mate, can’t help ya’
They don't have that much choice here. Though the one (fuchsia) we have does have odd little tiny trumpet shaped flowers, (did you see the photo in my link).
I think on most bigger "normal" fuchsias the dangly bits are harder for bees to use.
Edit. Shoot me now! Sorry I forgot the link earlier.....
https://www.ballyrobertgardens.com/products/fuchsia-microphylla
There's another one with flowers that look like skinny pale pink ballerinas. That's really hardy too.
All regularly visited by bees.