Common zinnia

Value for beekeeping

Zinnia is an annual ornamental from Mexico that loves hot summers. Its main visitors are long-tongued butterflies; the small yellow disc florets among the ray florets offer honey bees a little nectar and pollen. In the double varieties grown in gardens the disc florets are largely hidden, so they are of even less use to bees.

Flowering

Sown in May, it flowers without a break from July until the first frosts; as flowers are cut, new ones follow.

Honey and pollen

There is no monofloral honey; its importance as bee forage is low.

Note for the beekeeper

For a bee-friendly garden, choose single varieties with a visible open centre. More productive late-summer plants for honey bees include cosmos, Mexican sunflower and late-sown phacelia. In Turkey it is also popularly known as kirli hanım çiçeği.