Raphanus raphanistrum, Apis mellifera

Sarah Red-Laird, 1978

Trisaetum Bee Habitat in Cyanotype Three

Ribbon Ridge Vineyard

Raphanus raphanistrum, Apis mellifera

Cyanotype, goldleaf paint, Trisaetum/BGO Entomological Collection

Summer, 2022

Raphanus raphanistrum goes by the common names wild radish, white charlock or jointed charlock.  It’s native to parts of Asia, Europe, and Northern Africa, which would explain why Apis mellifera (honey bees) love it, as they are also native to these parts of the world!

Honey bees arrive on the shores of the east coast of America in the mid-1600’s, coming along with the colonialists for their aptitude for making healthy carbohydrates – honey!!  It wasn’t until the 1800’s that the discovery was made that honey bees also facilitate the pollination of many of the foods that also came from Europe, Asia, and Africa.  Today, we rely on them to provide us with one out of every three bites of food that we eat in the US. 

Though wild radish is often considered a weed, we let it live its best life here in the vineyards, as it’s kept in balance with the other flower we cultivate here.  Its flowers, seed pods, roots, and leaves are all edible and offer a powerful zip to any dish.  In the mid-1700’s John Walker (of whiskey fame) made a horseradish alternative from its roots after discovering it growing on the west coast of Scotland.     

Though honey bees evolved with this plant, a few natives enjoy visiting it, as well.  We’ve spotted long-horned bees, mason bees, and bumble bees on this flower.

If you would like to know what other “weeds” are bee friendly or would like to do some planning for your garden and are looking for flower seed ideas, we’ve compiled a list of the flowers that we’ve observed that are attractive to bees here in the vineyards.  Here are photo guides, sorted by name and color.