Click on the drop-downs below for more information (including pollen color) on a variety of pollinator-friendly flowers, both wild and store-bought, that can thrive on and around the mountain.

Wild Geranium

Binomial Name: Geranium maculatum

Bloom Period: Spring to early summer (April–June)

Habitat: Woodlands, forest edges, moist soils

Identifying Characteristics: Five-petaled flowers in shades of pink to purple; deeply lobed, serrated leaves; hairy stems

Pollen Color: Yellow

Honey Color: Light amber

Honey Flavor Profile: Mild, floral, slightly herbal

Sunlight: Partial shade to full sun

Wild Chicory

Binomial Name: Cichorium intybus

Bloom Period: Summer to fall (June–October)

Habitat: Roadsides, fields, disturbed soils

Identifying Characteristics: Bright blue, dandelion-like flowers; deeply lobed basal leaves; rough, hairy stems

Pollen Color: Yellow

Honey Color: Light amber

Honey Flavor Profile: Earthy, slightly bitter, with a caramel-like undertone

Sunlight: Full sun

Queen Anne's Lace

Binomial Name: Daucus carota

Bloom Period: Summer (June–August)

Habitat: Roadsides, fields, disturbed areas

Identifying Characteristics: Flat-topped, lacy white flower clusters; hairy stems; finely dissected leaves; often has a single dark purple flower in the center

Pollen Color: White

Honey Color: Light amber

Honey Flavor Profile: Mildly floral, slightly citrusy, with a hint of spiciness

Sunlight: Full sun

Virginia Bluebell

Binomial Name: Mertensia virginica

Bloom Period: Spring (March–May)

Habitat: Moist woodlands, floodplains, shaded meadows

Identifying Characteristics: Clusters of trumpet-shaped blue flowers; broad, smooth leaves; stems turn yellow in fall

Pollen Color: Yellow

Honey Color: Light amber

Honey Flavor Profile: Light and delicate, floral, with subtle sweetness

Creeping Phlox

Binomial Name: Phlox subulata

Bloom Period: Spring (April–May)

Habitat: Rocky hillsides, open woodlands, lawns

Identifying Characteristics: Low-growing ground cover; star-shaped flowers in pink, purple, or white; needle-like evergreen leaves

Pollen Color: Yellow

Honey Color: Light amber

Honey Flavor Profile: Light, mildly floral, but rarely a dominant nectar source

Sunlight: Full sun

Purple Coneflower

Binomial Name: Echinacea purpurea

Bloom Period: Summer to fall (June–September)

Habitat: Prairies, meadows, open woodlands

Identifying Characteristics: Large, daisy-like purple petals around a spiny, raised brownish-orange center; rough, dark green leaves

Pollen Color: Yellow

Honey Color: Light amber

Honey Flavor Profile: Mildly sweet, slightly medicinal or herbal due to its Echinacea content

Sunlight: Full sun

Hyssop

Binomial Name: Hyssopus officinalis

Bloom Period: Summer to fall (July–September)

Habitat: Dry, rocky soils, meadows

Identifying Characteristics: Small tubular flowers in shades of purple, blue, or pink; aromatic narrow leaves; square stems

Pollen Color: Yellow

Honey Color: Light amber to medium amber

Honey Flavor Profile: Strong, slightly minty, with herbal and floral undertones

Sunlight: Full sun

Jacobs Ladder

Binomial Name: Polemonium reptans

Bloom Period: Spring (April–June)

Habitat: Wooded areas, shaded meadows, moist soils

Identifying Characteristics: Loose clusters of bell-shaped blue to purple flowers; pinnate leaves that resemble a ladder

Pollen Color: Yellow

Honey Color: Light amber

Honey Flavor Profile: Delicate, mild floral notes (not commonly harvested in large quantities)

Sunlight: Partial shade to full sun

Bee Balm

Binomial Name: Monarda didyma

Bloom Period: Summer (June–August)

Habitat: Wet meadows, stream banks, woodland edges

Identifying Characteristics: Bright red, pink, or purple tubular flowers in dense, rounded clusters; square stems; aromatic leaves

Pollen Color: Red

Honey Color: Light amber to medium amber

Honey Flavor Profile: Rich, herbal, slightly spicy with minty undertones

Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade

Aster

Binomial Name: Symphyotrichum spp. (Multiple species)

Bloom Period: Late summer to fall (August–October)

Habitat: Meadows, prairies, roadsides, woodland edges

Identifying Characteristics: Small, daisy-like flowers with purple, blue, or white petals and yellow centers; lance-shaped leaves

Pollen Color: Yellow

Honey Color: Light amber

Honey Flavor Profile: Strong, dark, and molasses-like, sometimes with a slightly astringent aftertaste

Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade