Burning bush
A long-lived aromatic perennial of open oak woods and limestone slopes; its large pink flowers in May and June give good nectar to honeybees and bumblebees.
- Nectar
- Good
- Pollen
- Low
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Height
- 0,6-1,2 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
🐝 Add to my apiary
Log in to add it to your apiary.Value for beekeeping
Burning bush grows in open oak woods, scrub and on sunny limestone slopes from central and southern Europe to Anatolia, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Its large white, or pink and dark-veined, flowers in racemes carry long, upward-curving stamens. Nectar is plentiful at the base of the flower; honey bees and especially bumblebees visit regularly.
Flowering
It flowers for about three to four weeks from late May to late June. It grows slowly, but once established it can live for decades in the same spot.
Honey and pollen
Because it is neither widespread nor found in dense stands, it has no honey of its own; it makes a small contribution to local mixed honeys. Its pollen value is low.
Note for the beekeeper
The essential oils in the plant's glands can ignite in hot, still weather, which gives the plant its name. Touching the leaves and then going out into the sun can cause burns on the skin. No toxicity has been reported in bee products. Because it is declining in its natural habitats, it should not be dug up but propagated from seed for gardens.