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crepe myrtle

21K views 38 replies 31 participants last post by  22DPac 
#1 ·
Do honey bees work crepe myrtle? I am new to this and have several trees in bloom. I see bumble bees and other bees working it but not my honey bees. If they do work it is it a good nectar/ pollen resource. They are very easy to grow around here.
 
#5 ·
Interesting that they go after it in CA, but not FL. I am in Orlando, and Crepe Myrtle is everywhere. I've never seen a honey bee on them and very rarely have I seen anything else either.

I have however seen honey bees on them in Williamsburg, VA.
 
#23 · (Edited)
When the White ones were in bloom ( Central AL) they were covered with bees. When the red ones bloomed I didn't see any bees on them.
On the main, with some minor exceptions, this is my experience here in Texas too; Mornings rather than mid day or evenings, and when there is nothing they prefer in bloom (read: When they are desperate for nectar).

ADDED: I looked again this morning....They are off any dark red trees and only on the pink, lavender and white colors.....And for just pollen, not working the blooms this morning. :)
 
#13 ·
I read somewhere that these plants are usually hybridized and that there are three or four different kinds. Some of the hybrids don't produce nectar, while some of the unhybridized or less hybridized ones do. The white ones, on average, probably have less breeding. However, I also remember reading that color alone does not control, and that offspring from a plant with colored flowers can be white.

Assuming that's all true, I think the answer is that some crepe myrtles are good for bees and some aren't. I suppose is could also be affected by climate.

I have some in my yard that bees don't work, but there are some in the neighborhood that they do work.

ndvan
 
#19 ·
Maybe it depends on what else is available?

Seems to me like its a matter of preference. If there is something else blooming that they like more, then the Crepe Myrtles are bypassed. If there is not a better source, then the myrtles get their attention. The city where I live has crepe myrtles on every street, mostly pink, and I have not seen much bee activity on them. Then again I haven't been looking all that closely either.
I have lavender planted in my yard, which is listed as a big bee plant, and it is, my bees love it. But it depends on the time of the year and what else is blooming. My lavender is in flower all spring & summer, but in the spring when so much else is blooming you wont see a honey bee any where near it. When the nectar flow dries up they are all over it. For that matter the Tulip Poplar across the street was almost bee free this spring also, I dont know what they were working but it wasn't that.
 
#22 ·
Re: no bee on my crepe myrtle

Drought early bloom/nectar flow and bees are only working those that are in watered properties and then only until about mid morning. I see them buzz around the flowers a little after but I think the nectar is either dried up or minimal amount of nectar available from drought. I posted a few years back that I never see the bees on them and since then they have repeatedly made me eat my words. Makes some awful thin soup (tic).
 
#25 ·
Re: Maybe it depends on what else is available?

I agree that it depends on what else in available. Last year, during the severe drought, the bees were all over my crape myrtles. This year, we've had a tremendous wildflower season, and I see maybe 5 or 6 bees on my Crapes. Same with my lavender. The bees used to be all over it, but I have hardly any bees foraging in my yard this year, even on the sunflowers. Why should they?!! There were countless fields of wildflowers in bloom.
 
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