List of crop plants pollinated by bees


This is a list of crop plants pollinated by bees along with how much crop yield is improved by bee pollination. Most of them are pollinated in whole or part by honey bees and by the crop's natural pollinators such as bumblebees, orchard bees, squash bees, and solitary bees. Where the same plants have non-bee pollinators such as birds or other insects like flies, these are also indicated.
Pollination by insects is called entomophily. Entomophily is a form of plant pollination whereby pollen is distributed by insects, particularly bees, Lepidoptera, flies and beetles. Honey bees pollinate many plant species that are not native to their natural habitat but are often inefficient pollinators of such plants; if they are visiting ten different species of flower, only a tenth of the pollen they carry may be the right species. Other bees tend to favor one species at a time, therefore do most of the actual pollination.
Most staple food grains, like corn, wheat, rice, soybean and sorghum, need no insect help at all; they are wind or self-pollinated. Other staple food crops, like bananas and plantains, are propagated from cuttings, and produce fruit without pollination. Further, foods such as root vegetables and leafy vegetables will produce a useful food crop without pollination, though pollination may be required for the purpose of seed production or breeding.
Common nameLatin namePollinatorCommercial product
of pollination
Pollinator
impact
Number of
honey bee hives
per acre
Geography of cultivation
OkraAbelmoschus esculentusHoney bees, solitary bees fruit2-modesttemperate
KiwifruitActinidia deliciosaHoney bees, bumblebees, solitary beesfruit4-essential
PotatoSolanum tuberosumBumblebees, solitary beesseed1-littletemperate, tropical
OnionAllium cepaHoney bees, solitary bees, blow fliesseed1-littletemperate, tropical
CashewAnacardium occidentaleHoney bees, stingless bees, bumblebees, solitary bees, butterflies, flies, hummingbirdsnut3-greattropical
CeleryApium graveolensHoney bees, solitary bees, fliesseedtemperate
Strawberry treeArbutus unedoHoney bees, bumblebeesfruit2-modest
Carambola, starfruitAverrhoa carambolaHoney bees, stingless beesfruit3-greattropical
Brazil nutBertholletia excelsaBumblebees, orchid bees, carpenter beesnut4-essentialequatorial
BeetBeta vulgarisHover flies, honey bees, solitary beesseed1-littletemperate
MustardBrassica alba, Brassica hirta, Brassica nigraHoney bees, solitary bees seed2-modesttemperate
RapeseedBrassica napusHoney bees, solitary beesseed2-modesttemperate
BroccoliBrassica oleracea cultivarHoney bees, solitary beesseed1-littletemperate
CauliflowerBrassica oleracea Botrytis GroupHoney bees, solitary beesseed1-littletemperate
CabbageBrassica oleracea Capitata GroupHoney bees, solitary beesseed1-littletemperate
Brussels sproutsBrassica oleracea Gemmifera GroupHoney bees, solitary beesseed1-littletemperate
Chinese cabbageBrassica rapaHoney bees, solitary beesseed1-littletemperate
Turnip, canolaBrassica rapaHoney bees, solitary bees, fliesseed3-great1temperate
Pigeon pea, Cajan pea, Congo beanCajanus cajanHoney bees, solitary bees, carpenter beesseed1-little
Jack bean, horse bean, sword beanCanavalia spp.Solitary bees, carpenter bees seed2-modest
Chilli pepper, red pepper, bell pepper, green pepperCapsicum annuum, Capsicum frutescensHoney bees, stingless bees, bumblebees, solitary bees, hover fliesfruit1-little
PapayaCarica papayaHoney bees, thrips, large sphinx moths, moths, butterfliesfruit1-little
SafflowerCarthamus tinctoriusHoney bees, solitary beesseed1-little
CarawayCarum carviHoney bees, solitary bees, fliesseed2-modest1temperate
ChestnutCastanea sativaHoney bees, solitary beesnut2-modestsub-tropical, Mediterranean or temperate,
WatermelonCitrullus lanatusHoney bees, bumblebees, solitary beesfruit4-essential1-3temperate
TangerineCitrus tangerinaHoney bees, bumblebeesfruit1-littlesub-tropical
Orange, grapefruit, tangeloCitrus spp.Honey bees, bumblebeesfruit1-littlesub-tropical
CoconutCocos nuciferaHoney bees, stingless beesnut2-modesttropical
Coffea spp. Coffea arabica, Coffea canephoraCoffea spp.Honey bees, stingless bees, solitary beesfruit2-modesttropical
CorianderCoriandrum sativumHoney bees, solitary beesseed3-great
CrownvetchCoronilla varia L.Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary beesseed temperate
AzaroleCrataegus azarolusHoney bees, solitary beesfruit1-little
Cantaloupe, melonCucumis melo L.Honey bees, squash bees, bumblebees, solitary bees fruit4-essential2-4temperate
CucumberCucumis sativusHoney bees, squash bees, bumblebees, leafcutter bee, solitary bees fruit3-great1-2temperate
Squash, pumpkin, gourd, marrow, zucchiniCucurbita spp.Honey bees, squash bees, bumblebees, solitary beesfruit4-essential1temperate
Guar bean, Goa beanCyamopsis tetragonolobaHoney beesseed1-little
QuinceCydonia oblonga Mill.Honey beesfruittemperate
LemonCitrus limonHoney bees fruittemperate
LimeCitrus limettaHoney bees fruittemperate
CarrotDaucus carotaFlies, solitary bees, honey beesseedtemperate
Hyacinth beanDolichos spp.Honey bees, solitary beesseed2-modest
LonganDimocarpus longanHoney bees, stingless bees1-little
PersimmonDiospyros kaki, Diospyros virginianaHoney bees, bumblebees, solitary beesfruit1-little-
CardamomElettaria cardamomumHoney bees, solitary bees3-great
LoquatEriobotrya japonicaHoney bees, bumblebeesfruit3-great
BuckwheatFagopyrum esculentumHoney bees, solitary beesseed3-great1temperate
FeijoaFeijoa sellowianaHoney bees, solitary beesfruit3-greattropical
FennelFoeniculum vulgareHoney bees, solitary bees, fliesseed3-greattemperate
StrawberryFragaria spp.Honey bees, stingless bees, bumblebees, solitary bees, hover fliesfruit2-modest1temperate
CottonGossypium spp.Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary beesseed, fiber2-modest
SunflowerHelianthus annuusBumblebees, solitary bees, honey beesseed2-modest1temperate
FlaxLinum usitatissimumHoney bees, bumblebees, solitary beesseed1-littletemperate
LycheeLitchi chinensisHoney bees, fliesfruit1-little
LupineLupinus angustifolius L.Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary beesseedtemperate
MacadamiaMacadamia ternifoliaHoney bees, stingless bees, solitary bees, wasps, butterfliesnut4-essentialtropical
AcerolaMalpighia glabraHoney bees, solitary beesfruit
AppleMalus domestica or Malus sylvestrisHoney bees, orchard mason bee, bumblebees, solitary bees, hover flies fruit3-great1, 2 semi dwarf, 3 dwarftemperate
Mammee appleMammea americanaBeesfruit2-modesttropical
MangoMangifera indicaHoney bees, stingless bees, flies, ants, waspsfruit3-greatsub-tropical
AlfalfaMedicago sativaAlfalfa leafcutter bee, alkali bee, honey beesseed1temperate
RambutanNephelium lappaceumHoney bees, stingless bees, fliesfruit
1-little
tropical
Cactus, prickly pearOpuntia spp.Bumblebees, solitary beesfruit2-modest
SainfoinOnobrychis spp.Honey bees, solitary beesseedtemperate
Passion fruit, maracujaPassiflora edulisCarpenter bees, solitary bees, bumblebees, hummingbirdsfruit4-essentialtropical
AvocadoPersea americanaStingless bees, solitary bees, honey beesfruit3-great
Lima bean, kidney bean, haricot bean, adzuki bean, mungo bean, string bean, green beanPhaseolus spp.Honey bees, solitary beesfruit, seed1-little
Scarlet runner beanPhaseolus coccineus L.Bumblebees, honey bees, solitary bees, thripsseed
AllspicePimenta dioicaHoney bees, solitary bees 3-great
ApricotPrunus armeniacaHoney bees, bumblebees, solitary bees, fliesfruit3-great1temperate
Sweet cherryPrunus avium spp.Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees, fliesfruit3-greattemperate
Sour cherryPrunus cerasusHoney bees, bumblebees, solitary bees, fliesfruit3-greattemperate
Plum, greengage, mirabelle, sloePrunus domestica, Prunus spinosaHoney bees, bumblebees, solitary bees, fliesfruit3-great1temperate
AlmondPrunus dulcis, Prunus amygdalus, or Amygdalus communisHoney bees, bumblebees, solitary bees, fliesnut3-great2-3temperate
Peach, nectarinePrunus persicaHoney bees, bumblebees, solitary bees, fliesfruit3-great1temperate
GuavaPsidium guajavaHoney bees, stingless bees, bumblebees, solitary bees fruit2-modesttropical
PomegranatePunica granatumHoney bees, solitary bees, beetlesfruit2-modest
PearPyrus communisHoney bees, bumblebees, solitary bees, hover flies fruit3-great1temperate
Black currant, red currantRibes nigrum, Ribes rubrumHoney bees, bumblebees, solitary beesfruit2-modesttemperate
Rose hips, dogrosesRosa spp.Honey bees, bumblebees, carpenter bees, solitary bees, hover flies3-greattemperate
BoysenberryRubus spp.Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary beesfruittemperate
RaspberryRubus idaeusHoney bees, bumblebees, solitary bees, hover flies fruit3-great1temperate
BlackberryRubus fruticosusHoney bees, bumblebees, solitary bees, hover flies fruit3-greattemperate
ElderberrySambucus nigraHoney bees, solitary bees, flies, longhorn beetlesfruit2-modesttemperate
SesameSesamum indicumHoney bees, solitary bees, wasps, fliesseed2-modest
EggplantSolanum melongenaBumblebees, solitary beesfruit2-modest temperate
NaranjillaSolanum quitoenseBumblebees, solitary beesfruit3-greattropical
RowanberrySorbus aucupariaHoney bees, solitary bees, bumblebees, hover fliesfruit4-essentialtemperate
Service treeSorbus domesticaBees, fliesfruit2-modest
Hog plumSpondias spp.Honey bees, stingless bees fruit1-little
TamarindTamarindus indicaHoney bees fruit1-little
Clover Trifolium spp.Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary beesseed1temperate
White cloverTrifolium albaHoney bees, bumblebees, solitary beesseed1temperate
Alsike cloverTrifolium hybridum L.Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary beesseed1temperate
Crimson cloverTrifolium incarnatumHoney bees, bumblebees, solitary beesseed1
Red cloverTrifolium pratenseHoney bees, bumblebees, solitary beesseed1temperate
Arrowleaf cloverTrifolium vesiculosum SaviHoney bees, bumblebees, solitary beesseed1temperate
BlueberryVaccinium spp.Alfalfa leafcutter bees, southeastern blueberry bee, bumblebees, solitary bees, honey beesfruit3-great3-4temperate
CranberryVaccinium oxycoccus, Vaccinium macrocarponBumblebees, solitary bees, honey beesfruit3temperate
Broad beanVicia fabaHoney bees, bumblebees, solitary beesseed2-modest
VetchVicia spp.Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary beesseedtemperate
Cowpea, black-eyed pea, blackeye beanVigna unguiculataHoney bees, bumblebees, solitary beesseed1-little
KariteVitellaria paradoxaHoney beesnut2-modesttemperate
TomatoSolanum lycopersicumBumblebees, solitary bees fruit2-modest temperate, tropical
GrapeVitis spp.Honey bees, solitary bees, fliesfruit0-no increasetemperate
JujubeZizyphus jujubaHoney bees, solitary bees, flies, beetles, waspsfruit2-modest-