Giant echium plant

[peteshive]

I have about a 100 giant echuim in my garden any good for bees

 

[Hivemaker.]

If it is the same type as in this chart,then yes.

http://www.themelissagarden.com/TMG_Vetaley031608.htm

 

[Finman]

.
At least a small Echium plantagineum is good nectar plant and its pollen has high quality protein content 30%.
In Australia Echium vulgare has spreaded to wast pastures and beehives have been transported to harwest them.

 

[Finman]

If it is the same type as in this chart,then yes.

http://www.themelissagarden.com/TMG_Vetaley031608.htm

I wonder that link what is the value of it. It names many species as nectar plant even if they do not exrecete honey. Poppies, rosa, ...

Quercus is a wind pollinator. Aphids give leaf honey.

Those "pounds nectar from acre" are humbug.

The author writes that willows give highest quality pollen. That he tooks from his own head.
According protein analysis willows have about 15% crude protein and it is very light.
Echium plantagineum has 30-33% crude protein.

 

[tonybloke]

I have about a 100 giant echuim in my garden any good for bees

yes.
I've seen echiums in the Chelsea Physic Garden absolutely smothered with bees!

 

[newportbuzz]

I wonder that link what is the value of it. It names many species as nectar plant even if they do not exrecete honey. Poppies, rosa, ...

Quercus is a wind pollinator. Aphids give leaf honey.

Those "pounds nectar from acre" are humbug.

The author writes that willows give highest quality pollen. That he tooks from his own head.
According protein analysis willows have about 15% crude protein and it is very light.
Echium plantagineum has 30-33% crude protein.

any chance you would have a better chart. made interesting reading if nothing else

 

[Swarm]

yes.
I've seen echiums in the Chelsea Physic Garden absolutely smothered with bees!

Couldn't agree more, Tony. Echium is my first choice annual for the garden, for the reason you've stated. Bees love them and they are in bloom for ages.

 

[Finman]

any chance you would have a better chart. made interesting reading if nothing else

bee plants have been my hobby 50 years.
I do not accept what ever rubbish. Too many faults in that catalogue.

30-50 pound honey per acre is pure nonsense. No one has measured them. It is impossible task.

For example rape/canola gives good yield if soil is moist and temp is about 20C. When temp rises to 25C and wind is dry, no bees visit in flowers.
But rape is my best honey yield plant here.

 

[Finman]

.
If you put into google "protein content and amino acid profiles Austalia", you get a real researched knowledge about some bee plants.

The latest invention in "bee plant cataloque" is Linaria vulgaris. I have learned now to cultivate it.
I searched from internet how to grow it. That I did not find but advices how to destroy it. It is a bad weed in Central Europe and in America.

I have found great stocks of Linaria and I have planted them into my cottage yard. I will compare their growth and blooming next summer.

 

[richardbees]

YES! bees love them!

The best of 'giant' echium are the Canary Island 'Pininana" hybrids over 10ft tall. I keep trying to grow these but they're not frost hardy so keep getting knocked on the head over winter.

 

[Finman]

There are two strains of Echium plantagineum, annuals and biennals.
I suppose that biennal is a natural form. If the plants get nutrients all the time, they bloom the whole summer.