Backyard: if there was one tree you could buy, which one and why

[radu43]

I have space to put in one tree in my backyard. Which one should I get for the bees? Can't get bigger than 20 feet.
Thank you

[KQ6AR]

Ca Privet only gets about 20' & blooms in the summer when most trees are finished. They have purple seeds on them right now in my neighborhood. Grows like a weed easy to start.
The Bee Bee tree also blooms in the summer. Might get to tall?

My why on choosing them is the bloom time, & that the bees really work them.
If you didn't have the height restriction I'd add some winter blooming eucalyptus.

[odfrank]

I would recommend a BeeBee tree, it stays small and is in bloom after a most of the flow is drawing down in Menlo Park. Also rare and special in your area. Luckily for you there is a very honest supplier for these trees close to you, check out this thread:

http://www.beesource.com/forums/show...ree-Whip/page2

[DBeeCooper]

How about a dwarf variety fruit tree?

[Ben Brewcat]

There are lots of great trees out there. I haven't bought a single plant for our yard in 10+years that wasn't a good bee plant. BUT, what you should do is some homework... find a tree that blooms during a dearth in your area. Adding a crabapple in an area dense with crabapples, well it's a great bee tree but if you want to help the colonies out (and have denser foraging and viewing), pick something hardy that meets a forage need in your locale. The easy way is to wait until a dearth, and then go to the tree center and see what has tons of bees on it .

[Spark]

The easy way is to wait until a dearth, and then go to the tree center and see what has tons of bees on it .

Haha I do that, easy way to determine which plant to buy!

[gunho23]

I'm curious about peppermint peach trees....lots of flowers and blooms twice a year.