Educational · Gardening for bees

Winter flowers for bees in Cape Town — what to plant and why it matters

Cape Town’s wet, cool winters leave bees with far less to forage on than the rest of the year. The right plants in your garden can make a real difference to local honeybee colonies during the months when food is hardest to find.

Bee approaching a flower in a Cape Town garden

Why it matters

Winter is the hardest season for Cape Town bees.

Cape Town has a Mediterranean climate — warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Most of the region’s fynbos and garden plants flower in spring and summer, which means the months from May through August can leave local honeybee colonies with very little to forage on.

A colony that cannot find enough nectar and pollen will draw down its honey stores. If those stores run out before the spring flush arrives, the colony can starve. Planting winter-flowering species in your garden is one of the most practical things a homeowner can do to support local bee populations — and it costs very little.

What bees need from flowers

Bees collect two things from flowers: nectar, which they convert into honey for energy, and pollen, which is their main source of protein and is essential for raising new brood. The best winter plants for bees offer both, are accessible to honeybees (open or shallow flowers work better than deep tubular ones), and flower reliably through the cooler months rather than just briefly.

Native Cape plants

Fynbos and indigenous plants that flower in Cape Town winters.

Aloe ferox — the Cape Aloe

If you only plant one thing for winter bees, make it an Aloe ferox. The Cape Aloe produces tall, flame-orange flower spikes from June through August — exactly when most other plants are dormant. The flowers are packed with nectar and are visited constantly by honeybees, sunbirds, and other pollinators. Aloe ferox is also drought-tolerant, low-maintenance, and well suited to Cape Town gardens.

Aloe arborescens (the Krantz Aloe) is another excellent choice — it flowers slightly earlier, often from May, and its bright red blooms attract bees reliably through the coldest part of winter.

Leucospermum — Pincushion Proteas

Several Leucospermum species begin flowering in late winter and early spring, bridging the gap between the cold months and the spring flush. They are native to the Western Cape, attract a wide range of pollinators, and produce substantial amounts of nectar. Leucospermum cordifolium (Heartleaf Pincushion) and Leucospermum conocarpodendron (Tree Pincushion) are both relatively easy to establish in a Cape Town garden.

Polygala myrtifolia — September Bush

Despite its common name, Polygala myrtifolia flowers almost year-round in the Western Cape, including through winter. It is a hardy, fast-growing shrub that tolerates poor soils, requires little water, and produces purple flowers continuously. Honeybees visit it regularly and it is an excellent filler plant for a bee-friendly garden.

Melianthus major — Honey Flower

The Honey Flower (also known as Kruidjie-roer-my-nie) produces deep reddish-brown flowers through winter and is exceptionally rich in nectar — so much so that nectar sometimes drips from the flower heads. It is a bold, architectural plant that works well in larger gardens and is one of the best winter nectar sources for honeybees in the Cape.

Garden plants and herbs

Non-native plants that also perform well for winter bees.

Rosemary

Rosemary is one of the most reliable winter bee plants in Cape Town. It flowers heavily through the cooler months, tolerates the wet winter conditions well, and the small blue flowers are perfectly shaped for honeybee access. It also thrives in Cape Town’s soil and climate with almost no attention. If you have a sunny spot, a rosemary hedge is one of the most productive things you can grow for winter bees.

Calendula — Pot Marigold

Calendula is a winter annual that thrives in Cape Town’s cooler, wetter months. It produces bright orange and yellow flowers that are rich in pollen and easy for bees to access. Scatter seeds in a sunny bed in autumn and it will flower from June through spring. It is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to add winter colour and bee forage to any garden.

Borage

Borage grows readily from seed and flowers in winter in Cape Town’s mild climate. The star-shaped blue flowers are a favourite of honeybees and are particularly high in nectar. Once established, borage will self-seed and return each year with very little intervention.

Lavender

While lavender peaks in summer, some varieties — particularly Lavandula dentata (French Lavender) — flower through much of the year in Cape Town, including into winter. It is extremely well-loved by honeybees and easy to maintain in a sunny, well-drained spot.

Phacelia

Phacelia tanacetifolia is sometimes called a “bee magnet” and for good reason. Sow it in autumn and it will flower through winter, producing masses of small purple-blue flowers that honeybees find irresistible. It is fast-growing, easy from seed, and works well as a cover crop between other plants.

Practical tips

A few things worth knowing before you plant.

Plant in drifts, not singles

A single rosemary bush is useful. A row of them is far more valuable to a foraging bee. Bees are efficient: they prefer to work one type of flower at a time rather than moving between species on every visit. Planting the same species in groups makes foraging faster and more rewarding for them.

Avoid double or hybrid flowers

Many ornamental varieties of common flowers — double marigolds, filled dahlias, and hybrid roses — have been bred for appearance at the expense of function. Their extra petals often block bee access to pollen and nectar entirely. Stick to single-flowered, open varieties wherever possible.

Leave some bare soil and stems

Not all bees live in hives. Many of South Africa’s native bee species are solitary ground-nesters. Leaving a patch of undisturbed bare or lightly mulched soil in a sunny spot, and avoiding the urge to cut back all hollow stems in winter, gives these bees a place to overwinter and nest in spring.

Skip the pesticides

Systemic pesticides, particularly neonicotinoids, are absorbed by plants and end up in their pollen and nectar. Bees that forage on treated plants can be harmed even if the visible spray has long since dried. If you are growing for bees, treat pest problems mechanically or with targeted organic methods rather than broad-spectrum sprays.

Supporting bees starts in the garden.

If you have a swarm settle in your garden or bees entering your home, Charles can assess the situation and handle safe removal and relocation.

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