Bee Limerick: Major Native and Naturalised Foraging Plants for Irish bees

Common name	Botanical name	10:high rating 1:low rating	Family	Flowering Time
Common name	Botanical name	10:high rating 1:low rating	Family	Up to May	June	July	Aug.	After Aug.
Apple	Any Native variety	5	Rosaceae	Yes	Yes
Blackberry	Rubus fruiticosus	8	Rosaceae		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Blackthorn (sloe)	Prunas spinosa	7	Rosaceae	Yes
Clover, Red	Trifolium	5	Legumin -osae		Yes	Yes	Yes
Clover, White	Trifolium	9	Legumin -osae		Yes	Yes	Yes
Clover, Sweet	Trifolium	9	Legumin -osae		Yes	Yes	Yes
Cherry	Prunas sp	5	Rosaceae	Yes
Chestnut Horse (naturalised)	Aesclus hippocastanum	4	hippocastanum	Yes	Yes
Dandelion	Taraxacum officinale	9	Compasitae	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Gorse	Ulex sp	6	Leguminosae	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hawthorn	Crataegus monogyna	6	Rosaceae	Yes	Yes
Heather, Bell	Erica cinerea	8	Ericaeae			Yes	Yes
Heather, Ling	Calluna vulgaris	9	Ericaeae			Yes	Yes
Holly	Llex aquifolium	4	Aquifoliaceae	Yes
Ivy (most important Sept –Nov)	Hedera helix	7	Araliaceae					Yes
Sea Lavender	Limonium vulgare	7	Plumbaginaceae			Yes	Yes
Mustard, White (naturalised)	Sinapsis alba	7	Cruciferae		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Parsnip	Partinaca sativa	9	Umbelliferae	Yes	Yes	Yes
Phacelia (naturalised?)	Phacelia tanacetifolia	9	Hydrophyllaceae		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Rape, Wild	Brassica napis	9	Cruciferae	Yes	Yes
Raspberry	Rubus adaeus	9	Rosaceae	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sunflower (naturalised)	Hellianthus sp	7	Compositae		Yes	Yes	Yes
Thistle	Cirsium sp	8	Compositae		Yes	Yes	Yes
Willow	Salix sp	7	Salicaceae	Yes
Fruit – Cherry, Pear, plum and apple along with blackthorn occur early in the year and can give the colony pollen and nectar for a good early build up in the spring months. Willow – an extremely important source of early pollen. Sycamore – important source of pollen and nectar early in the season. Ivy – very important end of season for nectar. Blackberry – important dependable bee plant due to long flowering period.

Ref: Practical Beekeeping by Clive de Bruyn

Why Bee Limerick?

Bee Limerick was founded by an enthusiastic group with the goal of increasing the resilience of urban ecology in Limerick City. Our vision is to establish whole areas of native productive plants that will support native species and create a network of bee-keepers, throughout the city.

We believe city plants should have more than just aestheitic and maintenance values and should contribute significantly to increasing the resilience of urban ecology and furhter enhancing the community in general.

Local community groups will be encourgaed to participate in the planting and maintenance of native biodiversity areas. It is our aim to work with our partners and local governing bodies to bring our vision to fruition.

The group was established in August 2010 with the aim of achieving these goals.

Presently the group is self funded and relies on pledges made by local people. However, in the future we aim to gain funding for specific project segments and activities from a range of sources.

To date, we have planted a biodiversity flower bed in Clancy Strand along with our partners The Limerick Biodiversity
Network and with the support of the local community and city council. We also introduced our first bee hive.

Future projects will include increasing our network of bee keepers and bee hives and expand the native planting regime with the involvement of local community groups and schools. Hopefully, Limerick City honey will be available in 2012 too.

Bee Limerick

Major Native and Naturalised Foraging Plants for Irish bees

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