Honeywort - Cerinthe major 'Purpurascens'

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Honeywort - Cerinthe major 'Purpurascens'
© Dr Chris Gibson/English Nature

These exotic and unusual-looking plants from central and southern Europe are actually quite hardy. Attractive blue-green foliage wraps round the deep purple, tubular flowers which - as the name implies - are rich in nectar and very attractive to bees.

This is a good species in which to see 'nectar theft' in action! Instead of entering the flower as intended and collecting pollen on the way, bees access the nectar by biting holes into the base of the flower. Honeywort should be grown in well-drained, preferably rich, soil in full sun or partial shade. Deadhead them to encourage repeat-flowering. A member of the borage family, this species is unusual in having hairless foliage.

Animals

Buff-tailed bumble bee, Honey bee, Red mason bee, Red-tailed bumble bee, White-tailed bumble bee

Foliage	Green
Flower	Purple, April to June
Moisture	(Dry)
Sunlight	(Full sun to Part-shade)
Origin	Non-native