Michigan Beekeepers Association

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Trees for Pollinators

Michigan Beekeepers Association announces the "Trees for Pollinators" program for spring 2025. We invite local bee clubs, garden clubs, pollinator groups, arborist organizations, schools and local communities to help distribute tree seedlings.

Trees must be paid for by credit card. The price per tree is $20.

This year we will be offering 2 foot to 3 foot bare root trees:

Buttonbush
Silky Dogwood
Black Gum, Tupelo
Little Leaf Linden
Tulip Poplar
Tree Lilac

All orders will be taken through the MBA website and distributed through a local bee club in your area. The expected delivery date is early April.

Place your Tree Order Here

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)

A small bush that bears attractive summer foliage with creamy-white flowers appearing in mid-summer. Appears in wetlands and has high value as a honey plant.

Mature Height: 5-15 feet
Mature Spread: 5-15 feet
Hardiness Zone: 5 to 10
Soil Type: heavy clay, loamy clay, loam
Soil Condition: wet, tolerates wet, moist, well drained
Attracts Wildlife: songbirds, upland birds & game
Exposure: full sun
Usage: wetland restoration, ornamental, wildlife planting, wildlife cover
Form: small shrub
Growing Speed: fast, medium
Value to bees: A dependable July honey plant

Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum)

Shrub form dogwood. Berries are a pale blue with foliage turning a deep red in fall.

Mature Height: 6-10 feet
Mature Spread: 6-10 feet
Hardiness Zone: 5 to 8
SoilType: heavy clay, loamy clay, loam, sandy loam, sandy
Soil Condition: wet, tolerates wet, moist, well drained, tolerates dry
Attracts Wildlife: songbirds, upland birds & game deer
Exposure: full sun, partial shade
Usage: wetland restoration, wildlife planting, wind break
Form: small shrub
Growing Speed: fast
Value to bees: this shrub form dogwood blooms in late May or early June and is extremely attractive to both native bees, butterflies, and honey bees.

Black Gum, Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica)

Beautiful native trees with excellent and the most consistent fall color of all species. Excellent landscape tree due to outstanding summer and fall foliage

Mature Height: 30-50 feet
Mature Spread: 20-30 feet
Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
Soil Type: loamy clay, loam, sandy loam
Soil Condition: tolerates wet , moist, well drained, tolerates dry
Attracts Wildlife: songbirds
Exposure: full Sun , partial shade
Usage: wetland restoration, ornamental, wildlife cover
Form: medium tree, small tree
Growing Speed: medium slow
Value to bees: undetermined. A southern cousin to this tree provides a consistent major honey crop ; some Beekeepers claim a major honey crop can be obtained in Michigan too!

Little Leaf Linden (Tilia cordata)

A dependable June bloomer, commonly used as a landscape or street tree.

Native Range: Europe, southwestern Asia
Zone: 3 to 7
Height: 50 to 70 feet
Spread: 35 to 50 feet
Bloom Time: June
Bloom Description: pale yellow
Sun: full sun to part shade
Water: medium
Maintenance: low
Suggested Use: shade tree, street tree, flowering tree
Flower: showy, fragrant
Attracts: large numbers of native bees, bumble bees, honey bees, and butterflies.
Fruit: showy
Tolerate: drought

Tulip Popular (Liriodendron tulipifera)

Large and fast-growing shade tree: 70 feet to 100 feet, give it space to grow.
A native tree, they can produce a large honey crop.
They prefer deep, moist soil but are quite adaptable. Plant in full sun.
Yellow-green-orange tulip-like flowers in early summer are carried high on the branches.

Tree Lilac (Syringa reticulata)

Zone: 3 to 7
Height: 20 feet
Spread: 15
Bloom Time: May to June
Bloom Description: creamy white
Sun: full sun to part shade
Water: medium
Maintenance: low
Suggested Use: street tree, flowering tree
Flower: showy, fragrant
Attracts: hummingbirds, butterflies
Other: winter interest
Tolerate: deer, clay soil
Bees: native and honey bees

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