cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/50109406
Bumblebees and honeybees alike go gaga for artichoke flowers. They really have to dig in there to get to the nectar, but given how many other wildflowers are currently blooming in my yard right now that don't require spelunking that the bees could be feeding from instead, the artichokes must be producing some really premium nectar to be worth the extra trouble!
Side view:
Honestly never seen bees swarm so much except on Oregano flowers. I think it's like a drug.
Where I live we have something called calico aster. Bees swarm on it so much you’d think they moved the hive into the plant.
I planted leeks last year, but didn’t harvest them. Let them bloom this year and holy hell do the bees love them.
Part of it was lucky timing; literally a minute earlier there were only three bees at the artichoke!
In terms of bees per flower, only sunflowers compare in my experience. Echinacea also has a good track record for this, although their flower heads are a good deal smaller, so it's more like bees per square inch of flower.