Key takeaways
- Flowering ivy is the most valuable autumn plant for bees, open from September to November
- New bumblebee queens feed hard in autumn to build up reserves before they hibernate
- Choose single, open-centred flowers; tight double dahlias and pompons offer bees little
- Plant in waves so something is always in flower from late August into winter
- Mahonia and winter heather feed bees on mild days from November to February
- Leave late flowers and ivy uncut until they finish; tidy in late winter instead
The best autumn flowering plants for bees keep food going once summer borders have faded. Flowering ivy tops the list, followed by sedum, Michaelmas daisies and Verbena bonariensis. Mahonia and winter heather then take over into winter.
By late September most gardens go quiet, yet bees are still flying on warm days. Late-season forage makes a big difference to them, especially new bumblebee queens fattening up for winter. This guide covers 13 of the best autumn plants for bees, why ivy beats the showier flowers, and how to plant so something is always open. For spring and summer plants, see the guide to the best bee-friendly plants for UK gardens.
Why autumn flowers matter so much to bees
New bumblebee queens are the only members of a colony that survive winter. In late summer and autumn they feed heavily to build up reserves, then find a spot to hibernate. A queen that goes into winter well fed has a much better chance of starting a nest in spring.
Honeybees need autumn nectar too. They turn it into honey to feed the colony through the months when nothing flowers. The ivy bee, a solitary bee, only flies in autumn and times its whole life around flowering ivy.
The problem is the gap. Summer borders fade fast in late September, but bees keep flying on mild days. Autumn is the mirror of the hungry gap in early spring, which the guide to early spring pollinator plants covers.
The 13 best autumn flowering plants for bees
| Plant | Flowers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ivy (Hedera helix) | September to November | The best late forage. Only mature ivy flowers |
| Sedum (Hylotelephium) ‘Autumn Joy’ | August to October | Flat flower heads, easy landing pad |
| Michaelmas daisies (asters) | August to October | Choose single, open-centred types |
| Verbena bonariensis | July to October | Tall and airy, self-seeds |
| Single dahlias, such as Bishop series | July to first frosts | Open centres full of pollen |
| Helenium | August to October | Daisy flowers in warm reds and yellows |
| Rudbeckia | August to October | Tough, long-flowering daisies |
| Japanese anemone | August to October | Good in part shade |
| Salvia, such as ‘Amistad’ or ‘Hot Lips’ | Summer to first frosts | Long-tongued bumblebees love them |
| Agastache | July to October | Spikes of nectar-rich flowers |
| Single chrysanthemums | September to November | Pick loose, daisy-like forms |
| Mahonia x media ‘Charity’ or ‘Winter Sun’ | November to February | Scented yellow spikes for winter bees |
| Winter heather (Erica carnea) | Winter to spring | Plant in a block in full sun |
You don’t need a big border. A couple of pots of asters and sedum on a balcony can feed bees well into October.
Warning: Ivy, dahlias, chrysanthemums and Japanese anemones can upset dogs and cats if chewed. Plant them where pets don’t graze, or keep an eye on young animals.
Michaelmas daisies are some of the easiest to grow, and the guide to growing asters covers the best types. Agastache is another easy one, flowering from midsummer right through to autumn.
Why flowering ivy is the most important autumn plant
Flowering ivy is the most valuable autumn plant for bees, and the most underrated. Mature ivy carries round clusters of small green-yellow flowers from September to November. They’re full of nectar and pollen when the rest of the garden has run dry. On a sunny autumn afternoon, a flowering ivy can hum with honeybees, bumblebees, hoverflies and wasps.
There’s a catch. Ivy only flowers once it’s mature, usually after it has climbed up high and started growing bushy, upright shoots. Ivy that’s kept clipped flat against a fence rarely flowers. Let a patch grow up a wall, tree or post and leave it unclipped through autumn. The guide to English ivy explains how to keep it in bounds.
Mature ivy flowers are round clusters of tiny green-yellow blooms. They don’t look much, but bees can’t get enough of them.
Sedum, verbena and asters: easy autumn favourites
These three are the backbone of an autumn bee border. They’re easy to grow, flower for weeks and are covered in bees on warm days.
Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ has flat pink heads that turn rusty red as they age. They make an easy landing pad for bumblebees, honeybees and butterflies. Grow it in sun and poor, well-drained soil, or it flops.
Verbena bonariensis grows to about 1.5m on wiry stems topped with small purple clusters. It’s see-through, so you can plant it at the front or back of a border. It self-seeds, so you’ll usually get new plants each year.
Michaelmas daisies fill late September and October with purple, blue and pink. Choose single, open-centred types. Some can get mildew, so give them space and plant them in sun.
Sedum’s flat flower heads are easy for bees to land on. Butterflies love them just as much.
Single or double flowers: which feed bees?
Single, open-centred flowers feed bees. Tight doubles mostly don’t. In many double flowers, the parts that make pollen and nectar have been bred into extra petals. Even where some reward remains, bees often can’t get in.
Dahlias show the difference best. A single dahlia has an open centre packed with pollen, and bees visit it all day. A pompon or ball dahlia is a tight dome of petals with no way in. The same goes for chrysanthemums: loose single forms feed bees, packed doubles don’t.
The test is simple. Look for a visible middle with stamens. If you can see one, bees can feed. If it’s a solid ball of petals, choose something else.
Left, a single dahlia with an open centre that bees can feed from. Right, a pompon dahlia with no way in.
Late autumn into winter: mahonia, heather and salvia
A few plants stretch the season past the ivy and into the frosts.
Mahonia x media, such as ‘Charity’ and ‘Winter Sun’, carries bright yellow flower spikes from about November to February. On mild winter days it feeds honeybees and any bumblebees that are still about. In parts of southern England, some buff-tailed bumblebee colonies stay active all winter, and mahonia is a lifeline for them.
Winter heather (Erica carnea) flowers from winter into spring, depending on the variety. Plant it in a block in full sun, as bees work a dense patch more easily than scattered plants.
Salvias such as ‘Amistad’ and ‘Hot Lips’ often keep flowering until the first hard frost. Their tube-shaped flowers suit long-tongued bumblebees.
Mahonia flowers through the coldest months. On a mild winter afternoon it can be the only food around for bees.
How to plant for autumn succession
Succession means having something in flower every week. Ten plants that all bloom in the same fortnight leave bees hungry the rest of the time. The aim is overlap, so as one plant fades another opens.
Plan it in three waves:
- Early autumn (late August to mid-September): sedum, helenium, rudbeckia, agastache and the first Michaelmas daisies.
- Mid-autumn (mid-September to late October): ivy, later asters, single dahlias, Japanese anemones and salvias.
- Late autumn into winter (November onwards): the last salvias, then mahonia and winter heather.
Even a small garden or balcony can manage two or three of these. A pot of asters and a mahonia by the back door covers a surprising amount of the season.
Ivy on the wall, verbena at the back, sedum and asters in the middle and rudbeckia at the front keep the border busy for weeks.
Month-by-month autumn and winter forage calendar
| Month | Main plants in flower | Bees you may see |
|---|---|---|
| September | Ivy starting, sedum, verbena, asters, dahlias, helenium | Honeybees, bumblebee workers and queens, ivy bees |
| October | Ivy at its best, late asters, salvias, single chrysanthemums, anemones | Honeybees, bumblebee queens, ivy bees |
| November | Ivy finishing, mahonia starting, last salvias | Honeybees on mild days, the odd bumblebee |
| December | Mahonia, early winter heather | Honeybees on mild days |
| January | Mahonia, winter heather, first snowdrops | Bees only on mild, sunny days |
| February | Winter heather, snowdrops, crocuses, hellebores | Queen bumblebees waking, honeybees |
Gardener’s tip: Check plants on a warm, still afternoon. Honeybees mostly stay in below about 10°C, so a cold, breezy day isn’t a fair test of a plant.
Common mistakes that starve autumn bees
Cutting back too early. Tidying borders in September strips out nectar bees still need. Leave late flowers and seed heads standing, then tidy in late winter. They shelter insects and feed birds too. The guide to the best autumn flowers for UK gardens has more ideas.
Leaving faded stems and seed heads until late winter keeps late food and shelter going for bees and other insects.
Planting only doubles. A border of pompon dahlias and tight chrysanthemums looks full but gives bees little. Check for an open centre before you buy.
Clipping ivy before it flowers. Ivy is often trimmed in late summer, just before it blooms. Leave a patch alone through autumn. Trim it in late winter, before birds start nesting in it.
Having nothing after August. Many gardens peak in July and then go bare. Even two or three autumn plants make a big difference. Bumblebees have different tongue lengths too, as the bumblebee species guide explains, so a mix of flower shapes helps.
Warning: Never spray insecticides on open flowers. If you need to treat a pest, use an approved product for that use, follow the label and avoid plants in flower.
Leave the ivy, plant in waves and pick single flowers, and your garden can hum on warm October afternoons. The Bumblebee Conservation Trust has more on helping bumblebees, and the wildlife section has plenty of ideas for the rest of the year. Next, read the guide to honeybees in the garden to see how they use your autumn flowers.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best autumn flowering plants for bees in the UK?
Flowering ivy is the best, followed by sedum, Michaelmas daisies and Verbena bonariensis. Add single dahlias, heleniums, rudbeckias, Japanese anemones and salvias for colour. For forage into winter, plant mahonia and winter-flowering heather. Always pick single, open-centred flowers.
Why is ivy so important for bees in autumn?
Ivy flowers from September to November, when little else does. It gives bees plenty of nectar and pollen right at the end of the year. Honeybees use it to stock up for winter, bumblebee queens feed on it before hibernating, and the ivy bee depends on it.
Do double-flowered plants feed bees?
Most tight double flowers feed bees poorly or not at all. In many doubles, the parts that make pollen and nectar have turned into extra petals. Even when there’s some reward, bees can’t get in. Choose single flowers with a visible centre.
When do bumblebees stop flying in autumn?
Most bumblebee workers die off by late autumn, but new queens fly later. Queens feed up before hibernating, often into October. In mild parts of southern England, some buff-tailed bumblebee colonies stay active all winter and feed on mahonia and heather.
Should I cut back my plants in autumn for bees?
No, leave late flowers and seed heads standing. Cutting back too early removes nectar that bees still need. Hollow stems and seed heads also shelter insects over winter. Tidy up in late winter or early spring instead.
Our team produces practical UK gardening guidance from source research, contributor records and established horticultural practice. Editorial standards are overseen by Matt W.
