Skip to main content
← Plants for Bees
Blue Mustard
Blue Mustard botanical plate
Field guide plate · click to zoom

Blue Mustard

Chorispora tenella
In the United States: Introduced · also called purple mustard, musk mustard, crossflower

Honeybees primarily visit Chorispora tenella for its abundant pollen in early spring, with limited nectar available to support foraging during a critical period before major flows. Peak bloom occurs in April to May in temperate climates, providing a brief but valuable resource when few other options are present. As an annual, it self-seeds prolifically in disturbed, dry soils and can form dense stands that require management to prevent overwhelming nearby plantings.

Nectarlow
Pollenmedium
Bloom (US) March–June
TypePerennial
Sunfull

Reported nearby

No reports nearby in the last 14 days.

Sign in to report this plant blooming nearby.

BeeAI — Ask the old beekeeper
Hey there, honey. Ask me anything about your bees.