5.2 Perennials

48 PERENNIALS
Honey: usually mixed with other autumn sources 72 .
Notes: white flowers in loose terminal clusters; occurs wild across Canada and is
sometimes grown in gardens; native to e. N. America 49; found in low woods or
thickets, swales, wet shores and prairies; usually common in Que to se. Man., S. to N.S.
and beyond Can. limits 23 .
Foeniculum vulgare Mill.
(syn. F. officinale All.)
fennel, common fennel, fenouil
per., grown as an ann. in Canada Jul-Sep 150 cm
Value for honey: intensely visited by bees 54 ; suspected to yield a more concentrated N
in dry climates.
Notes: commercially grown for seeds used as a condiment; commonly grown in herb
gardens; feathery foliage makes an attractive addition to the flower border, found
naturally in dry fields and along roadsides 23 .
Galanthus nivalis L.
common snowdrop, perce neige, clochette d'hiver
per. -37° to -29° C Mar-Apr NP
Value for honey: bees visit these eagerly 35 .
Notes: white flowers; among the earliest bulbs to bloom; they usually increase
themselves (by seed) if left alone; partial shade is best; blooms last about 3-4 weeks 95 ;
spreads very slightly from cultivation 23 .
Geranium ibericum Cay.
meadow cranesbill, meadow geranium, geranium
per. -23° to -21° C May-Jul 30-80 cm NP
Value for honey: HP3 16 ; N sugar concentration 57-71% 17; a very good source 35 ; G.
phaeum L. (dusky cranesbill, geranium livide) and G. sanguineum L. (blood red
geranium, sanguinaire, herbe a becquet) are also noted to be attractive to honeybees 35 ,
but are not described here since they are not commonly cultivated in N. America.
Notes: purplish coloured flowers and deeply incised handsome foliage; not to be
confused with the common garden geranium that is often grown as a house plant (i.e.
Pelargonium); introduced sp.; G. pratense (meadow geranium, geranium des pres) is
also an exotic, and has spread more widely than meadow cranesbill but its value to bees
is unrecorded.
Geum L.
avens, ben6itre
per. -37° to -15° C May-Jun 25-90 cm P 36
Notes: brilliant flowers; some may bloom to frost; well-drained soil; many native spp.
Gladiolus L.
gladiolus, glads, corn flag, glaieul
per. (corm) very tender 60-120 cm N(P)
Value for honey: N is very dilute, but abundant and bees gather it readily 72 ; where
commercially grown, it can be an important source 72 .
Value for pollen: P is collected; P is purplish 72 .
Notes: colourful flowers borne on a long stalk, blooming successively from base to tip;
corms must be lifted to prevent exposure to frosts.