The ice begonia is not considered a bee pasture, it produces only little nectar and pollen. If you want to support the wild bees, then other flowering plants are more suitable. A big advantage of the polar begonia, however, is its extremely long flowering period.
Ice begonias produce little nectar
The heyday of the ice begonia
An almost unbeatable argument for ice begonias is their long flowering period, which lasts from late May, early June to the first frosts. Although ice begonia produces little food for bees, it reliably provides this small amount well into autumn. Hardly any other summer flower can do that.
The long flowering period probably explains the frequent use as grave planting. But it also cuts a fine figure in the garden or on the balcony, sometimes with double or two-tone flowers. The flower colors vary from white to pink and pink to deep red.
Where should I plant ice begonias?
Ice begonias make only few demands on their location, they grow almost everywhere. However, they prefer warmth and partial shade. The ice begonias show this with a rich abundance of flowers, which also benefits the bees in your garden. Alternatively, you can plant ice begonia in a bucket for your patio or in a window box. They even thrive on a drafty east-facing balcony.
However, the planting time is important for ice begonias, because they freeze to death at the first sign of frost. Let the frost saints pass before you plant ice begonias in the garden. Until then, leave a balcony box or tub that has already been planted in a frost-free place. Slowly getting used to the sun and fresh air is also recommended.
The essentials in brief:
- easy to care for and undemanding
- be sure to only plant out after the ice saints
- Beginning of the flowering period: from the end of May, beginning of June
- End of flowering: the first frost
- little nectar and pollen
- preferred location: semi-shade
tips
Thanks to its long flowering period until the beginning of winter, the ice begonia still supplies nectar when other summer flowers have long since withered.