This African Blue Basil is bringing in a swarm of pollinators, mostly bumblebees and honey bees. I just sit and watch them every morning—it’s mesmerizing.
My basil brings all the bees to the yard!
Torrance said:
My basil brings all the bees to the yard!
I used to love all the bees until a bumblebee stung my poor dog.
Mine tries to catch them in the air! I have to steer him around the basil because it’s planted right by the porch.
Torrance said:
My basil brings all the bees to the yard!
I used to love all the bees until a bumblebee stung my poor dog.
Bumblebees don’t usually sting unless they’re really provoked. Are you sure your dog didn’t try to chomp it?
I love watching the bees too!
We barely use our basil for cooking, but it’s amazing how many pollinators it brings.
Daryl said:
We barely use our basil for cooking, but it’s amazing how many pollinators it brings.
Homemade pizza with fresh basil is the best!
Daryl said:
We barely use our basil for cooking, but it’s amazing how many pollinators it brings.
People always tell me I’m wasting basil by letting it go to seed. But 1. The bees love it, and 2. I get tons of new plants next season. Seems like a win to me!
It’s like a buffet for the pollinators! Love it!
Just a tip—African Blue Basil doesn’t produce seeds, so cuttings are the way to go.
It almost looks like Russian Sage! We have a few, and the bees go wild for it every summer.
Paris said:
It almost looks like Russian Sage! We have a few, and the bees go wild for it every summer.
I have both Russian sage and African blue basil, and this definitely looks like basil. Ours got huge in grow bags, but nothing like this one.
@Hadi
Agree, looks like basil! Mine brings in 50+ bees at a time, it’s the best pollinator magnet.
@Hadi
The veins on the leaves look like African Blue Basil to me. Mine grew huge too, though the weather kept knocking it over.
@Hadi
We actually have two salvia plants and two lavenders hiding under the basil. It grew way bigger than we expected!
@Hadi
My Russian sage grows to about 4 feet tall and 5 feet wide after winter pruning. The blooms last well into fall here in the Northwest.
I did the same! Watching the bees while cleaning and filling the birdbath is my morning zen.
Mica said:
I did the same! Watching the bees while cleaning and filling the birdbath is my morning zen.
Planning to get a birdbath soon!
Zoren said:
My basil is massive too, and the bees love it! Hoping it comes back next year.
Take a cutting and grow it indoors over winter!
Zoren said:
My basil is massive too, and the bees love it! Hoping it comes back next year.
I was told it would die in winter but regrow in spring. Fingers crossed!