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

mustard

Brassica rapa

Honey bees forage heavily on field mustard for its abundant nectar and protein-rich pollen during early spring buildup; peak bloom occurs in April to June in most regions. As a winter annual, it provides critical early-season resources but can become weedy and invasive, requiring control to prevent unwanted spread in beekeeping landscapes.

Nectarhigh
Pollenhigh
BloomApril–June
USDA zones3-10
TypePerennial
Sunfull
NativeEurasia — naturalized in North America
BeeAI — Ask the old beekeeper
Hey there, honey. Ask me anything about your bees.