Tansy
Mid-summer to autumn bloomer with limited appeal to honey bees; little nectar and moderate pollen. The plant itself is toxic to livestock.
- Nectar
- Low
- Pollen
- Medium
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Pollen colour
- Height
- 0,5-1,5 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
🐝 Add to my apiary
Log in to add it to your apiary.Value for beekeeping
Tansy is a strongly scented perennial that grows in clumps along roadsides, riverbanks and on abandoned land. Its button-shaped yellow flower heads are visited mainly by flies, wild bees and other insects; for the honey bee it is a secondary source. It has little nectar, its pollen contribution is moderate, and it gives a little support during the late-summer dearth.
Flowering
It stays in flower from July to the end of September, for about 8-10 weeks.
Honey and pollen
There is no monofloral honey; it leaves no noticeable trace in mixed summer honey. The pollen loads are yellow.
Note for the beekeeper
The plant contains thujone and is toxic to grazing animals; its spread into pastures is unwanted. No harmful effect on honey has been reported. It is not worth planting around the apiary as a bee plant; more productive late-summer plants should be preferred. It is considered invasive in North America.