Trees for Bees

To ensure the future of farming, everyone needs to play their part in protecting the honey bee. The bee is one of the hardest workers in horticulture and agriculture; about $3 billion of our GDP in New Zealand is directly attributable to the intensive pollination of horticultural and specialty agricultural crops by bees. In addition there is a huge indirect contribution through the pollination of clover, sown as a nitrogen regeneration source for the land we farm. This benefit flows on to our meat export industry through livestock production and sales.

The beekeeping industry is facing some of its biggest challenges with increasing bee pests and diseases. This is of great concern because, in terms of the food we eat, about a third of the calories and three-quarters of the diversity rely on bees for pollination. The most important issue leading to a bee crisis in New Zealand is declining floral resources and the subsequent scarcity of quality pollen, which leads to bee malnutrition. The key to good bee health is a continual supply of diverse pollen and nectar from natural sources. Bees consume pollen as a protein and vitamin source and nectar for energy. While gathering these resources, they move pollen from one plant to another thus benefiting the farm by pollinating crops. Availability of quality pollen resources is critical during spring when beekeepers are building up bee populations for pollination services. Any shortfall leads to protein stress that weakens bees making them more susceptible to diseases and pests (e.g., varroa mite); it also dramatically slows the queens breeding output and this results in low field strength and under-performing pollination services. Today, you can help to reverse this trend by choosing bee friendly trees and shrubs for planting in waterway margins, windbreaks, field edges, under pivots and along roadsides. Fortunately a number of shelter and erosion control plants have abundant flowers to feed bees so selecting multi-purpose plants is smart farming for healthy bees.

This information will help you provide pollen that these vital creatures need. To find out where to source the plants on this list please go to www.plantfinder.co.nz or ask at your local nursery.

LEGEND: Common Name (Scientific name) --- Life form, Maximum height in metres, Months of flowering

Native Trees and Shrubs for Bees

plants are the best choice to increase “on-farm” native biodiversity and benefit both the honey bee and the environment.

Cabbage tree (Cordyline australis) --- Tree, 15m, Oct-Dec
Five-finger (Pseudopanax arboreus) --- Tree, 8m, Jun-Aug
Hangehange (Geniostoma rupestre var. ligustrifolium) --- Shrub,
3m, Sep-Nov
Hinau (Elaeocarpus dentatus) --- Tree, 15m, Oct-Feb
Horoeka (Pseudopanax crassifolius) --- Tree, 15m, Jan-Apr
K?mahi (Weinmannia racemosa) --- Tree, 20m, Dec-Jan
K?nuka (Kunzea ericoides) --- Tree/Shrub, 15m, Sep-Feb
Karamu (Coprosma robusta) --- Tree/Shrub, 6m
Karo (Pittosporum ralphii) --- Shrub, 4m, Sep-Dec-(Jun)
Kohuhu (Pittosporum tenuifolium) --- Tree, 6m, Oct-Nov
Lemonwood (Pittosporum eugenioides) --- Tree, 10m, Oct-Dec
Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) - Tree/Shrub, 5m, Sep-Mar
Mingimingi (Leucopogon fasciculatus) --- Shrub, 5m, Sep-Nov
Napuka (Hebe speciosa) --- Shrub, 2m
Narrow-lv lacebark (Hoheria angustifolia) --Tree, 10m, Dec-Mar
Nikau palm (Rhopalostylis sapida) --- Tree, 15m, Nov-Apr
North Island broom (Carmichaelia australis) --- Shrub, 2m, Oct-Feb
North Island kowhai (Sophora tetraptera) --- Tree, 12m
NZ flax (Phormium tenax) --- Tufted, up to 5m flw stalk, Nov-Dec
Pohutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa) --- Tree, 20m, Dec-Jan
Rata (Metrosideros robusta) --- Tree, 25m, Nov-Jan
Rewarewa (Knightia excelsa) --- Tree, 30m, Oct-Dec
Scented broom (Carmichaelia odorata) --- Shrub, 3m
Sth. Rata (Metrosideros umbellata) --- Tree/Shrub, 15m, Nov-Jan
Three-finger (Pseudopanax colensoi) --- Tree/Shrub, 5m, Oct-Mar
Weeping kowhai (Sophora microphylla) --- Tree, 10m
Westland quintinia (Quintinia acutifolia) --- Tree, 12m, Oct-Nov
Whiteywood (Melicytus ramiflorus) --- Tree, 10m, Nov-Feb
Wineberry (Aristotelia serrata) --- Tree, 10m, Sep-Dec

Non-native Trees and Shrubs for Bees

Exotic plants are good choices because many are multi-purpose for farming and have excellent pollen and nectar.

Apple (Malus ×domestica) --- Tree, Sep-Nov
Grevillea (Grevillea spp.) --- Tree/Shrub, 9m, Sep-Nov
Pear (Pyrus communis) --- Tree, Sep-Oct
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) --- Shrub, 1.5m, Sep-Nov
Tree lucerne (Chamaecytisus palmensis) --- Tree, 5m, May-Oct
Weeping willow (Salix babylonica) --- Tree, 25m, Aug-Sep
Blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) --- Tree, 40m, Aug-Nov
Red-flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia) --- Tree, 10m, Dec-Feb
Silver dollar gum (Eucalyptus cinerea) --- Tree, 15m, Dec-Feb
White ironbark (Eucalyptus leucoxylon) --- Tree, 30m, Mar-Nov

match plants to your site, consult a plant adviser, e.g. Tree and Shrub Propagation Ph: 06 326 8118; Email: 4trees@inspire.net.nz

plants listed above are examples of good Bee Plants that are not on any list of pest plants (weeds) for Taranaki, Manawatu-Wanganui and Wellington. Although some plants are good for bees they are on pest plant lists because they are invasive. Planting them would be detrimental to farmers or to the environment and in some cases even illegal (e.g., Unwanted Organisms list). Lists of pest plants change regularly so it is best to consult your regional authorities.

1. Regional Pest Management Strategies are at

http://www.biosecurityperformance.maf.govt.nz/
Plants listed in the strategy must not be planted for various reasons. For advice in your area, contact
Taranaki Regional Council Ph: 06 765 7127 www.trc.govt.nz, info@trc.govt.nz Horizons Regional Council Ph: 06 952 2800, www.horizons.govt.nz; help@horizons.govt.nz
Wellington Regional Council Ph: 0800 496 734 www.gw.govt.nz, info@gw.govt.nz .

For example do not plant:
Barberry (Berberis darwinii and B. glaucocarpa) ---Shrub
Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus) --- Shrub
Buddleja (Buddleja dysophylla) --- Shrub
Gorse (Ulex europaeus) --- Shrub
Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) --- Shrub
Spanish heath (Erica lusitanica) --- Shrub

2. The National Pest Plant Accord (NPPA) is listed at

www.biosecurity.govt.nz/nppa.
Plants listed on the NPPA are unwanted organisms under the Biosecurity Act 1993 and cannot be sold, propagated or distributed even though some are high value bee plants

For example do not plant:
Crack willow (Salix fragilis) --- Tree
Grey willow (Salix cinerea) --- Tree/Shrub
Lantana (Lantana camara) --- Shrub
Scottish heather (Calluna vulgaris) --- Shrub

3. The Department of Conservation (DOC) Weed List

contains around 20 high value bee plants that are aggressive environmental weeds. To protect the environment, please consult a DOC weed expert for your situation
www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/threats-and-mpacts/weeds/docsweed-work/

Thanks to the New Zealand Charitable Honey Industry Trust for funding. This list was produced from Landcare Research databases
http://nzflora.landcareresearch.co.nz/ with support from the Oceania Pollinator Initiative www.oceaniapollinator.org. For other regional Bee Plant Guides and how to use them see Federated Farmers website www.fedfarm.org.nz/ourcampaigns or contact Shona Sluys at ssluys@fedfarm.org.nz or Linda Newstrom-Lloyd at newstroml@landcareresearch.co.nz