Northern nectar sources for honey bees

The nectar source in a given area depends on the type of vegetation present and the length of their bloom period. What type of vegetation will grow in an area depends on soil texture, soil pH, soil drainage, daily maximum and minimum temperatures, precipitation, extreme minimum winter temperature, and growing degree days. The plants listed below are plants that grow in USDA Hardiness zone 5. A good predictor for when a plant will bloom and produce nectar is a calculation of the growing degree days. Hopkins' Bioclimatic Law states that in North America east of the Rockies, a 130 m (400-foot) increase in elevation, a 4° change in latitude north (444.48 km), or a 10° change in longitude east (two thirdth of a time zone) will cause any given biological event to occur four days later in the spring or four days earlier in the fall. In botany, the term phenology refers to the timing of flower emergence, sequence of bloom, fruiting, and leaf drop in autumn.

The classification in major or minor nectar source is very dependent on the agricultural use of the land. Agricultural crops like canola and alfalfa may be a major or minor source depending on local plantings. Generally, the more diverse a forage area is, the better for a stationary apiary. Urban, suburban and areas not under cultivation provide more consistent year-round nectar forage than areas that are heavily cultivated with a few agricultural crops. The nectar sources from large cultivated fields of blooming apples, cherries, canola, melons, sun flowers, clover etc. are of benefit to a bee keeper who is willing to travel with his hives throughout the season.

Honeydew sources are not included in this listing.

Contents 1 Spring 1.1 Spring - Trees and shrubs 1.2 Spring - Flowers and annual crop plants 2 Summer 2.1 Summer - Trees and shrubs 2.2 Summer - Flowers and annual crop plants 3 Fall 3.1 Fall - Trees and shrubs 3.2 Fall - Flowers and annual crop plants 4 See also 5 References

[edit] Spring

[edit] Spring - Trees and shrubs

Common name	Latin name	Blooming months	Monofloral honey	Availability	Source for honey bees
Maple	Acer	2Feb - Apr	no	feral	major but temperature usually too cold
Red Maple[1]	Acer rubrum	2Feb - Apr	no	feral	major but temperature usually too cold for bees to fly
Ohio Buckeye [2]	Aesculus glabra	4Apr - May	no	feral	minor
Shadbush	Amelanchier arborea	4Apr - May	no	feral	minor
Red Chokeberry	Aronia arbutifolia, Photinia pyrifolia	5May - Jun	no	feral	minor
Black Chokeberry[3]	Aronia melanocarpa	5May - Jun	no	feral	minor
Common Hackberry	Celtis occidentalis	4Apr - May	no	feral	minor
Hawthorn	Crataegus	4Apr - May	no	feral	minor - 50 - 100 pounds/acre
Honey Locust	Gleditsia triancanthos	5May - Jun	no	feral	minor
American Holly	Ilex opaca	4Apr - Jun	no	feral	minor, important in southeastern US
Tulip-tree[4]	Liriodendron tulipifera	5May - Jun	yes, see Monofloral honey	feral	major in southern Appalachians and Piedmont
Apple[3]	Malus domestica	4Apr - May	No, the nectar is mostly used for brood raising and stored for surplus. see Monofloral honey[5]	cultivated	minor
Crab Apple	Malus sylvestris; Malus coronaria [2]	3Mar - Jun	no	ornamental	minor
Cherry [2][3]	Prunus cerasus	4Apr - May	no	feral, cultivated	minor
Pear	Pyrus communis	4Apr - May	no	cultivated	minor
Black Cherry	Prunus serotina	4Apr - May	no	feral, cultivated	minor
Plum	Prunus	4Apr - May	no	feral, cultivated	minor
Common Buckthorn	Rhamnus cathartica	5May - Jun	no	feral	minor
Black Locust[3][5]	Robinia pseudoacacia	5May - Jun	yes, see Monofloral honey	feral	major - 800 - 1200 pounds/; short bloom period
Raspberry	Rubus	5May - Jun	yes, see Monofloral honey	feral, cultivated	major in some areas
Blackberry	Rubus spp.	5May - Jun	yes, see Monofloral honey [2]	feral, cultivated	major in some areas[3]
Willow	Salix	2Feb - Apr	no	feral, ornamental	major but temperature usually too cold for bees to fly. 100 - 150 pounds honey per acre; 1,500 pounds pollen
Pussy Willow	Salix discolor	3Mar - Apr	no	feral, ornamental	major but temperature usually too cold for bees to fly
American Elm	Ulmus americana	2Feb - Apr	no	feral	minor
Blueberry	Vaccinium corymbosum, Vaccinium angustifolium, Vaccinium pennsylvanicum	5May - Jun	no. Honey amber and of good flavor.	cultivated	minor in most areas. Strong colonies may store 50-90 pounds of surplus from it.[2]
Black haw[3]	Viburnum prunifolium	5May - Jun

[edit] Spring - Flowers and annual crop plants

Common name	Latin name	Blooming months	Monofloral honey	Availability	Source for honey bees
Chives [3]	Allium schoenoprasum	5May - Sep	no	cultivated	minor
Blue bugle, Bugleherb, Bugleweed, Carpetweed, Common bugle[3]	Ajuga reptans	5May
Asparagus	Asparagus officinalis	5May - Jun	no	cultivated	minor
Milk Vetch	Astragalus spp.	5May - Jun	no	feral	minor
Mustard[4]	Brassica arvenisi (L.); Brassica capestris	4Apr - May	no?	cultivated	minor?
Oilseed Rape (Canola) [3]	Brassica napus L., Brassica rapa	5May - Jun	yes, see Monofloral honey	cultivated	major
Mountain Bluet	Centaurea Montana (Knapweed)	5May	no??	feral	major
Leopardsbane	Doronicum cordatum	4Apr - May	no	feral	minor
Candytuft[3]	Iberis sempervirens	5May
Henbit Deadnettle	Lamium sp	3Mar - May	no	feral	minor but valuable due to earliness/frost hardiness
White Sweet Clover[2][5]	Melilotus alba	5May - Aug	yes	feral, cultivated	major
Yellow Sweet Clover[2][5]	Melilotus officinalis	5May - Aug	yes	feral, cultivated	major
Phacelia, Tansy	Phacelia tanacetifolia			Western US - One of the best spring forage sources for honeybees. Blooms 45–60 days and continuously produces nectar throughout the day. Can be seeded several times per year. Prefers three feet of topsoil.	180 - 1,500 pounds honey per acre, depending on soil quality and depth; 300-1000 pounds of pollen.[6]
Lungwort	Pulmonaria spp.	5May	no	feral	minor
Woundwort	Stachys byzantina	5May	no	feral	minor
Chickweed [3]	Stellaria Media	4Apr - Jul	no	feral	minor
Dandelion	Taraxicum officinale	4Apr - May	no Honey deep yellow will granulate quickly; mostly consumed by bees doing brood rearing [5]	feral	major
Speedwell	Veronica spicata	6June	no	feral	minor
Blackhaw	Viburnum prunifolium	5May - Jun	no	feral	minor

[edit] Summer

[edit] Summer - Trees and shrubs

Common name	Latin name	Blooming months	Monofloral honey	Availability	Source for honey bees
Devils-walkingstick	Aralia spinosa	7Jul - Aug	no	feral	minor
Catalpa, Indian Bean [2][3][5]	Catalpa speciosa	6Jun - Jul	no	feral, ornamental	minor
Buttonbush [2]	Cephalantus occidentalis	7Jul - Aug	Honey is light in color and mild n flavor.	feral
Bush honeysuckle [2]	Diervilla lonicera	6Jun - Aug		minor
Sumac[2]	Rhus glabra	6Jun - Jul	mixed with other honeys	feral	major
Bee bee tree	Tetradium	7July - Sept		ornamental	major
Basswood[3][5]	Tilia americana, Tilia cordata	6June - July	yes, short flow up to 14 days; Honey white; aromatic [2] see Monofloral honey	feral, ornamental Produces a high volume of honey on a cycle of every five to eight years, with lower volume of nectar other years.	major 800 - 1,100 pounds honey

See also: Honeydew source

[edit] Summer - Flowers and annual crop plants

Common name	Latin name	Blooming months	Monofloral honey	Availability	Source for honeybees
Anise hyssop[3]	Agstache foeniculum	7Jul-Frost	no	feral	minor
Chives	Allium schoenoprasum	5May - Sep	no	feral, cultivated	minor
Garlic chives	Allium tuberosa	8Aug - Sep	no	cultivated	minor
Leadwort	Amorpha fruticosa	6Jun - Jul	no	feral	minor
Milkweed [4][5]	Asclepias spp. 55 species	7Jul - Aug		feral All species are great for honeybees. Nectar is so abundant that it is possible to shake the blossom and actually see the nectar fall.	major 120 - 250 pounds honey, depending on soil and if good fertilization Asclepias syriaca has the highest honey yield.
Butterfly Weed[3]	Asclepias tuberosa	7Jul - Aug	no	feral	minor
Aster	Asteraceae spp.	8Aug - Sep	no	feral, ornamental	can be major
Borage[3]	Borago officinalis	6Jun - Frost	no	feral, ornamental	minor, but can be major on cultivated area 200 pounds honey per acre; 60-160 pounds pollen
Marigold	Calendula officinalis	6Jun - Sep	no	ornamental	minor
Canada thistle	Carduus arvensis		light honey of good quality [2]
Thistle	Centaurea spp.	7Jul - Sep	no	feral	minor
Creeping thistle	Cirsium arvense	7Jul - Sep		feral (invasive in North America)
Clethra Summersweet [3]	Clethra alnifolia	7Jul - Aug	no	feral	minor
Cucumber	Cucumis spp.		no; Honey is pale yellow or amber with strong flavor.[2]	cultivated	minor
Melon	Cucumis melo	6Jun-Frost	no	cultivated	minor
Pumpkin	Cucurbita pepo	6Jun-Frost	no	cultivated	minor
Wild Carrot	Daucus carota	8Aug - Sep	no	feral	minor
Blue thistle, Viper's bugloss Blue weed[3]	Echium vulgare Echium vulgare is most widely known, though there are about 60 additional species.	6Jun - Aug	no	feral In California, spring blooming plant with repeat bloom. Fall bloom provides nectar for bees for overwintering. The most unusual feature of Echium vulgare is the protection of the nectar inside the flower from vaporization (when it’s hot) or flushing away (when it rains). It is why almost for 2 months this plant is a stable source of nectar for bees. Additionally this plant produces nectar throughout the day unlike most plants which produce nectar for a short period of time. If the bees have a good access to Echium they can collect between 12-20 lbs of nectar a day. The concentration of sugars in the nectar vary 22.6-48.3% depending on the quality of the soil, and not on the amount of rain. The honey is light amber in color and ver y fragrant with a pleasant taste, and does not crystallize for 9–15 months.[6]	major 300 - 1,000 pounds honey/acre depending on soil. 500-2000 lbs of dark blue pollen.
Globe Thistle	Echinops ritro	August		feral	major
Fireweed	Epilobium angustifolium	6Jun - Sep	yes	feral	major
Joe-Pye weed, Boneset, White Snakeroot [3]	Eutrochium spp. "Eupatorium spp. Eupatorium purpureum; Eupatorium perfoliatum; Eupatorium ageratoides	8Aug - Sep	no	feral	minor
Buckwheat [3]	Fagopyrum esculentum	7Jul - Aug	can be; dark honey with distinct flavor; granulates quickly [4]	rarely cultivated now	minor
Blue vine	Gonolobus laevis		no. Honey is clear, heavy bodied of excellent flavor.[2]	feral	minor; Strong hives can collect up to 100 pounds.[2]
Soybean	Glycine soja	7Jul - Oct		cultivated	major
Sunflower	Helianthus annuus	6Jun - Sep	can be	feral, cultivated	minor 30 - 100 pounds/acre
Basil	Koellia		cultivated	no	minor
Lavender	Lavandula angustifolia	6Jun - Sep	can be, see Monofloral honey	cultivated	minor
Birdsfoot trefoil[3]	Lotus corniculatus	6Jun - Aug	no	feral	minor
Alfalfa[2][3]	Medicago sativa	7July - Aug	as clover honey. Alfalfa honey granulates readily.[2]	feral, cultivated	major
Clover[3]	Melilotus spp. and Trifolium spp.	5May - Aug	as clover honey	feral, cultivated	major - up to 500 pounds per acre in a good year [2]
White Sweet Clover[2][5]	Melilotus alba	6Jun - Aug	as clover honey, see Monofloral honey	feral, cultivated	major; up to 200 pounds per hive
Yellow Sweet Clover[2][5]	Melilotus officinalis	6Jun - Aug	as clover honey	feral, cultivated	major; up to 200 pounds per hive
Melissa, Lemon Balm [2]	Melissa officinalis			Western USA - Prolonged bloom of 45 – 50 days generally in summer, but with repeat blooming in California. Delicate honey with very light, pinkish color.	150 - 250 pounds honey per acre; 50-120 pounds pollen
Peppermint[5]	Mentha piperita		no	feral
Catnip, Cat mint [2][3]	Nepeta mussinii; Nepeta grandiflora; Nepeta cataria	6Jun - Sep	no	feral, ornamental	minor
Oregano	Origanum vulgare	6Jun - Sep	no	cultivated?	minor
Poppy	Papaver somniferum				minor - 20 - 30 pounds /acre
Russian Sage	Perovskia atriplicifolia	7Jul - Sep	can be	ornamental	minor
Smartweed	Polygonum spp.	8Aug - Sep		feral	major
Selfheal	Prunella vulgaris	7Jul - Aug	no	feral	minor
Mountain Mint	Pycnanthemum flexuosum	8Aug-Frost	no	feral	minor
Azalea	Rhododendron spp.	6Jun - Aug	no	ornamental	minor
Scrophularia	Scrophularia spp.	7July	no	feral	minor
Chick weed	Stellaria media	4Apr - Jul	no	feral	minor
Korean euodia	Tetradium daniellii	8Aug - Sep	no	feral	minor
Germander, Thyme	Teucrium canadense	7Jul - Aug	no	feral	minor
Thyme	Thymus pulegioides; Thymus serpyllum	6Jun - Jul	no	feral, cultivated	minor - 50 - 150 pounds honey/acre
Red-Flowering Thyme	Thymus praecox	6Jun - Jul		feral?	major
Alsike Clover [2]	Trifolium hybridum		as clover honey. Alsike clover honey is one of the very best honey plants in America.[2]	feral, cultivated	major, up to 500 pounds/acre [3]
Crimson clover	Trifolium incarnatum		as clover honey	feral, cultivated	major [2]
Red Clover	Trifolium pratense	6Jun - Jul	as clover honey	feral, cultivated	major
White Clover[4][5]	Trifolium repens	6Jun - Jul	as clover honey; The honey is white or nearly white; very mild flavored and does not granulate readily. see Monofloral honey	feral, cultivated	major
Blue Vervain	Verbena hastata L.	7Jul - Aug	no	ornamental?	minor
Tall Ironweed	Vernonia altissima	Aug - Sep	no	feral	minor
Tufted Vetch, Common Vetch[3]	Vicia cracca	7Jul - Aug	no	feral	minor
Common Vetch	Vicia sativa	7Jul - Aug	no	feral	minor

[edit] Fall

[edit] Fall - Trees and shrubs

Common name	Latin name	Blooming months	Monofloral honey	Availability	Source for honey bees
Bee bee tree	Tetradium	7July - Sept		ornamental	major

[edit] Fall - Flowers and annual crop plants

Common name	Latin name	Blooming months	Monofloral honey	Availability	Source for honey bees
Anise hyssop	Agstache foeniculum	7Jul-Frost		feral	minor
Aster	Aster spp.	9Sep-Frost	usually mixed with goldenrod [2]	feral, ornamental	major[3]
Borage	Borago officinalis	Jun - Frost			minor
Sweet Autumn Clematis	Clematis terniflora	9Sep		ornamental	minor
Melons	Cucumis melo	6Jun-Frost		cultivated	minor
Pumpkin	Cucurbita pepto	6Jun-Frost		cultivated	minor
Heather	Erica vulgaris, though many varieties		see Monofloral honey		100 - 200 pounds honey
Soybean	Glycine soja	7Jul - Oct		cultivated	minor
Appalachian Mountain Mint	Pycnanthemum flexuosum	8Aug-Frost			minor
Sedum, Autumn Joy [3]	Sedum spectabile
Goldenrod[2]	Solidago spp.	9Sep - Oct	can be; Honey golden color of deep amber; marked flavor; granulates quickly	feral	major
Tall Ironweed	Vernonia altissima, Vernonia gigantea	8Aug - Oct		feral	minor

[edit] See also

• Forage (honeybee)
• List of honey plants
• Honeydew source
• Nectar source
• Pollen source

[edit] References