The question of whether bees are attracted to geraniums is common for gardeners hoping to support local ecosystems while maintaining beautiful flower displays. The answer depends on the specific plant being grown. Understanding the botanical identity of the flower is the first step in knowing its value to pollinators. The traits that make a flower visually appealing to humans are often the same traits that make it uninteresting or inaccessible to foraging insects.
Understanding the Two Types of Geraniums
The plant most often sold in garden centers as a “geranium” is actually a species of Pelargonium. These plants are typically tender annuals in most climates, originating from warmer regions like South Africa. They are known for their bright, long-lasting clusters of flowers. Their flowers are characteristically asymmetrical, featuring two upper petals that differ in shape and size from the three lower petals.
The true geranium belongs to the genus Geranium and is commonly known as Cranesbill. These plants are hardy, cold-tolerant perennials that return year after year. Their flowers are radially symmetrical with five nearly identical petals. This difference in classification determines the flower’s pollen and nectar content, as well as its overall shape, which directly impacts a bee’s ability to forage.
Floral Structure and Bee Accessibility
The common bedding Pelargonium is generally unappealing to bees due to structural and chemical factors. Many popular cultivars have been bred to produce large, showy blooms with dense, ruffled petals, often at the expense of producing high-quality nectar and pollen. Furthermore, many Pelargonium varieties are deep red, a color that bees cannot perceive. To a bee, these flowers appear black and blend into the foliage, lacking the bright visual cues insects rely on.
The flowers of true Geranium species, or Cranesbills, are often highly attractive to a variety of pollinators. These perennial flowers typically have an open, saucer-like shape that provides easy access to the central reproductive parts. Many Cranesbill varieties feature distinct color markings, known as nectar guides, which direct foraging bees toward the pollen and nectar rewards. Larger bees, such as bumblebees and mason bees, are considered effective pollinators of Cranesbills because their bodies brush against the pollen-bearing anthers as they collect resources.
Providing the Direct Answer
The direct answer is that the common bedding plant, Pelargonium, offers little to no benefit for bees. These flowers have low nutritional rewards and may even possess a scent that some insects find unappealing. Bees that visit these plants may only do so briefly out of curiosity or if no other forage is available, making their visits inefficient.
The hardy, perennial Cranesbill varieties, or true Geraniums, are highly beneficial. Species like ‘Rozanne’ or ‘Johnson’s Blue’ are known to be visited by a range of native bees, including small carpenter bees, mason bees, and honeybees, which seek out both nectar and pollen. While the Pelargonium is a brightly colored garden accent, the true Geranium serves as a reliable, moderate-reward food source for generalist pollinators.
Better Blooms for Pollinator Gardens
For gardeners whose primary goal is supporting a thriving pollinator population, choosing high-yield plants over Pelargoniums makes a significant difference. Excellent alternatives offer abundant nectar and pollen in an accessible floral structure. For instance, Coneflowers (Echinacea) provide a sturdy landing platform and a dense, accessible core of florets rich in pollen.
Another superior choice is Catmint (Nepeta), which produces long, dense spikes of small, nectar-rich flowers that bloom continuously throughout the summer. Similarly, Salvias, or sages, are renowned for their high nectar content and tubular flowers that are perfectly suited for bees with longer tongues. These plants not only attract a higher volume of insects but also provide reliable, sustained forage for the local ecosystem.