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Plants toxic to bees

WillowBarkWillowBark Posts: 243
in Wildlife gardening
I don't why it didn't occur to me before, but I've just found out that some plants (some of them quite popular) are toxic to bees. The Countryfile website has an article called "British bee guide: how to identify, where to spot, and how to attract bees to your garden" that lists some plants that are really good for bees, and some that really, really aren't.

Suffice to say, I will now definitely be binning the free azalea gift that came with my last plant order (I didn't want it anyway, so was debating whether to bother keeping it, and this is the death knell for it as far as I am concerned).

Thought I ought to post about it in case there are other novices like me who want to encourage bees to their garden but for whom this would never have crossed their mind. Flowers and bees seem such a positive combination, but clearly this is not always the case!
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  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    This is fascinating! I will check the list tomorrow 
  • WillowBarkWillowBark Posts: 243
    pansyface said:
    I wouldn’t panic. Even between Rhododendron species their toxicity varies a lot. Your Azalea may be completely innocent.
    @pansyface Well, that is reassuring then, because my neighbour has two azaleas in her front border. However, I'm not a fan of the look of azaleas anyway, so I think mine is still going in the bin! Also, thank you for the history snippet, I'd never heard of "mad honey" before.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    What is the advantage to a plant to kill pollinators? Very strange.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Some plants are pollinated by birds, bats, wind etc. In the azalea case, it seems to be butterflies that do the business.
  • WillowBarkWillowBark Posts: 243
    @Bee witched Thank you for your comment, that really is reassuring to know, as I was a bit worried about my neighbour's plants, and the article I read didn't go into much detail on the matter. Luckily there is plenty of other choice for the bees to forage on nearby, so hopefully they will be fine and do well, as yours have done. As mentioned in a previous comment, azaleas aren't really my thing, so I am probably going to get rid of it anyway, but maybe I will give it away to someone who appreciates them, rather than putting it in the bin.
  • WillowBarkWillowBark Posts: 243
    @pansyface That does sound entertaining! And like a good way to give stuff away. I might give that a go (minus the CCTV, unfortunately). Thanks.
  • TrantionTrantion Posts: 17
    pansyface said:
    Yes, Rhododendron ponticum produces nectar that kills bees but not before they have flown home and deposited it in the honey cells of the hive. It is known to produce “mad honey” which affects those who eat it. It has even been used as a primitive form of chemical warfare in the past.

    That's interesting, I was told a few years ago when I helped remove some rhodies for the local wildlife trust that rododendron honey is toxic but I assumed that was to humans - never imagined it would be to the bees!
  • FlyDragonFlyDragon Posts: 834
    pansyface said:
    Yes, Rhododendron ponticum produces nectar that kills bees but not before they have flown home and deposited it in the honey cells of the hive. It is known to produce “mad honey” which affects those who eat it. It has even been used as a primitive form of chemical warfare in the past.
    My next door neighbour has a huge one of these right along the border.   :(
  • healthexperts919healthexperts919 Posts: 12
    It's kind of scary. Few days back I also came across a picture on Insta that said if I remember it correctly- 'Hallucinating honey' or was it another similar word - something similar to this i guess it was the same honey you mentioned. 

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