bee on oregano flower
This week is Pollinator Week, from June 22 to 28, 2026. Recently I gave a presentation to the Northern Virginia Beekeepers Association in Alexandria about culinary herbs they can grow to attract and support bees plus use for themselves in the kitchen. These herbs also support beneficial insects and butterflies. Many are drought tolerant, deer and rabbit resistant, and make great landscape plants.
African blue basil
Most people associate basil (Ocimum spp.) with the sweet Genovese type that has large green puckered leaves. This type of basil is grown for its foliage because it is so tasty and useful in the kitchen. However, there are basils grown for their flowers – think of them as annual flowering plants. Try Thai basil, African blue basil, and cinnamon basil. Thai and cinnamon can be grown from seed but you would have to either purchase an African blue basil or ask a friend for a stem cutting (roots easily).
Borage (Borago officinalis) is a beautiful annual plant, easy to grow from seed. In the summer, the 2-3-foot-tall plant blooms blue or white flowers. The flowers are edible and so unique in shape that they add interest to cakes and baked goods, either on top or by the sides on the platter. The blossoms can be frozen in ice cube trays to add to drinks and punch bowls.
borage
Also easy to grow from seed, calendula (Calendula officinalis) blooms yellow or orange flowers predominately in the spring or fall. It prefers the cool spring and fall weather and may pout a little during our hot and humid summer. The edible flowers can be used as a garnish for a charcuterie board or around a platter of green vegetables or a cake. You can also separate the petals to mix into herbal butters or cornbread, sprinkle on green cooked vegetables like beans, or lay a few petals on red tomato soup for contrast.
Most people think of nasturtium plants (Tropaeolum majus) as summer flowering annuals but they also are culinary herbs. Petals and leaves can be added to green salads both for the color as well as the peppery flavor. Separate the flower to sprinkle petals on cooked vegetables or keep whole to stuff with chicken salad. Create “capers” by soaking the green, immature seed pods in a brine solution.
There are many perennial culinary herbs that bloom for the bees so if you want to purchase the plant you may find them in the perennial section of the local garden center. You will find anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) in the perennial section but you can easily grow this from seed too. Only a few feet tall, anise hyssop blooms blue purple spikes in the summer. The foliage has an anise or licorice flavor and is used to brew herbal tea or minced to add to baked goods, ice cream, cordials, and vinegars. The individual florets can be added to fruit salad or sprinkled like a garnish on baked goods. According to 100 Plants to Feed the Bees: Provide a Healthy Habitat to Help Pollinators Thrive published by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, mass plantings of anise hyssop were established in parts of Midwest and Canada specifically as a honey plant. Beekeeper accounts from the 19th century claim that a single acre could provide ample forage for 100 colonies of bees.
chives
A member of the allium family, chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are really small bulbs. Although you can grow them from seed it is quicker to purchase a small plant or ask a friend for a division. These perennial plants emerge in March and by April you can start harvesting. Cut across or cut a few leaves whenever you want an onion flavor. In spring and summer, chives bloom edible purple flowers. The whole head can be used when making vinegar and individual florets can be added when an onion flavor is desired to green salads, vegetables, or pierogies.
Leafy (not bulbing) fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is marginally hardy in this area but if you can find a warm microclimate it may come back. In the summer it can grow to be quite large, 4 to 5 feet, and blooms yellow flowers. This plant not only attracts bees but just about every other insect including the black swallowtail butterfly caterpillars. The foliage can be cut any time for a licorice flavor and the seeds can be eaten like licorice candy.
lavender
Lavender (Lavandula) is one of the most important honey plants in Europe. In our area we can grow several species. The one favored by chefs for best flavor is English lavender Lavandula angustifolia. This is really a woody shrub that blooms in early spring. It really needs well drained soil which is a challenge for us. An easier shrub lavender to grow (but maybe not as sweet) is Lavandula x intermedia or “lavandins.” They will bloom for a few weeks later in the summer. These plants tolerate our clay soil better and if you prune them correctly will last quite a few years. Lavender needs well drained soil and full sun. It is best to purchase a plant instead of starting from seed because it is quicker to get to the blooming stage. There are other types that we can grow for the summer (they are not hardy). Bees love all lavender so here is a Monrovia link to learn more about the types. You should be able to purchase plants at the local nursery or visit Blooming Hill Lavender Farm in Purcellville, VA, to see the many varieties in bloom and purchase quality plants.
Himalayan silver mint
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a small perennial plant with textured light green leaves and small white flowers. The word “melissa” means “bees” in Greek so you know the bees love this plant. Lemon balm emerges in April and can be harvested several times for the lemon scented leaves. The leaves can be used whenever you want to add lemon flavor – to your drinking water, tea, muffin mix, cookie dough, cake mixes, or melted butter. The leaves hold up well as a garnish on cakes and baked goods.
Most people are not aware that mint plants flower (Mentha spp.). Some flower more than others and are real bee magnets. My doublemint and spearmint plants flower a little in the summer but the grapefruit and strawberry mints flower quite a bit. I have seen Himalayan silver mint that has beautiful long purple flowers in public gardens so I have added that one to my wish list.
Mint must be grown in containers. Mint roots so easily you can probably ask a friend for a cutting. Of course, mint leaves have a wide variety of uses in the kitchen, from sweets to savory to drinks to candy.
bee balm (Monarda didyma)
Native to north America, bee balm (there’s a clue!) or Monarda spp. attracts bees as well as hummingbirds and butterflies. Monarda didyma is the one with red flowers and M. fistulosa is the one with purple flowers. Both are edible however the M. didyma is sweeter. Usually, the leaves are used for tea and the vivid red flowers can be used to add color and interest to baked goods, butters, and drinks. The individual florets can be put in ice cubes for punch bowls. M. fistulosa is more savory, more like thyme/oregano so it can be used to add that flavor to meats and vegetables. Although not used as much in the kitchen, Monarda punctata is a top honey plant with reported honey yields of up to 500 lbs. per acre according to the 100 Plants to Feed the Bees: Provide a Healthy Habitat to Help Pollinators Thrive.
Speaking of oregano, the book also states that oregano nectar (Origanum vulgare) has some of the highest documented sugar concentration of any plant, up to 76 percent. Honey produced from oregano is famous in parts of Greece as well as honey from thyme (Thymus spp.) with a sugar concentration of 27 to 45 percent. Oregano is a very hardy drought tolerant perennial that blooms small flowers in the summer. Bees love this plant which may remain green and above ground in the winter. The leaves can be harvested for that well known pizza oregano flavor – great for yeast breads, focaccia, pasta sauces, soups and stews. If you have a friend who has oregano just ask for a division, it roots easily.
Thyme is a low growing groundcover that does remain green and above ground in the winter. In the summer, thyme blooms small white flowers and is surrounded by bees and beneficial insects The leaves are also tiny and can be cut any time. The plant roots easily so if you have a friend who has thyme, just ask for a division or stem cutting. Thyme can be used for baked goods, vegetables, pasta, and breads. The small leaves can be sprinkled as a garnish on chowders or appetizers.
These are just a few herbs to get you started. For more information on herbs visit the Herb Society of America or join the local Potomac Unit. For information on protecting and supporting bees, visit the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation; the Pollinator Partnership; and The Bee Conservancy. If you are interested in beekeeping, contact the Northern Virginia Beekeepers Association; or the Maryland State Beekeepers Association; or the DC Beekeepers Alliance.
