Common lilac
A fragrant garden classic; its nectar lies deep in a narrow tube, so it is of little value to honey bees and attracts mostly bumblebees.
- Nectar
- Low
- Pollen
- Low
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Height
- 2-6 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
🐝 Add to my apiary
Log in to add it to your apiary.Value for beekeeping
Common lilac is a fragrant shrub that grows wild on rocky slopes in the Balkan mountains and has been planted in gardens for centuries. Its nectar lies at the base of a long, narrow flower tube, so honey bees often cannot reach it; the flowers are mostly visited by long-tongued bumblebees and butterflies. Its value for honey bees is low.
Flowering
It flowers for about two to three weeks in April and May. This period coincides with fruit trees, maples and dandelion, so bees usually prefer these more productive sources.
Honey and pollen
Honey bees occasionally collect pollen; the amount is small. There is no honey under its name.
Note for the beekeeper
Do not expect honey from lilac; if bee forage is the aim, privet (Ligustrum) from the same family is far more useful for honey bees. Lilac spreads by root suckers and has gone wild in some Eastern European countries. As a garden plant it still contributes to local biodiversity.