Eastern redbud Offers Spring Pollen

Spring in Missouri is lovely with a variety of trees adding color to the spring garden palette: Service berry starts the show, followed by a favorite pollen source of honeybees, the Eastern redbud. 

I didn't use to walk through my spring garden staring up at the sky until I started to follow my bees. 

One of my honeybees visiting an Eastern redbud tree in bloom spring 2016.

Beekeepers often talk about "BD," which stands for "before dandelions" and "AD" for "after dandelions," a prolific source of spring pollen. I tend to think of spring as "BR," "before redbuds," because these lovely ornamental trees seem to marshall the rest of spring flowers bloom.

Flowering Eastern redbud attracts honeybees from Bluebird Gardens.

Eastern redbuds grow close to one of Bluebird Gardens apiaries.

Do you enjoy seeing bees and other pollinators in your spring trees?

Charlotte