How to identify pollen value with Ebben Tree Nursery B.V.

Everyone knows that the bees are in trouble. Serious trouble. Luckily, more and more people are realising the urgent need to plant bee-friendly plants. Ecological value is becoming an increasingly important criterium in the selection of trees for public areas. The tree encyclopaedia TreeEbb has therefore added a new, unique functionality that you can now use to search based on the specific nectar and/or pollen value of trees or plants.

The TreeEbb already offered the option to search with the term ‘host plant/forage plant’ for insects like bees and butterflies. A new functionality was recently added to BALI Registered Affiliate member Ebben Nurseries’ tree search tool: the nectar and pollen value of forage plants for bees and other insects. You can use it not only to select trees that are host plants, but also to see what its specific nectar and/or pollen value is. Here, the nectar value indicates how frequently a species is ‘flown to’ for nectar; the pollen value indicates how much a tree’s pollen appeals to the bees.

Trees for bees

Which species are the most bee-friendly? The Tetradium daniellii - the bee-bee tree - of course. But also great ones like Salix capria, Cornus controversa, Tilia tomentosa ‘Szeleste’ and Zanthoxylum simulans score high nectar values. Other wishes? The TreeEbb shows you the best trees for bees – close to 300 species with nectar value 5 – at a glance. Start planting!