Nectar source
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Northern nectar sources for honeybees
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 would 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. Even more accurate would be a calculation of the growing degree hours. 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, or a 10° change in longitude east 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. Honeydew sources are not included in this listing.
Spring
Trees and shrubs
| Common name | Latin name | Blooming months | Monofloral honey | Source for honeybees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maple | Acer | Feb - Apr | no | major but temperature usually too cold |
| Red Maple | Acer rubrum | Feb - Apr | no | major but temperature usually too cold for bees to fly |
| Shadbush | Amelanchier arborea | Apr - May | no | minor |
| Red Chokeberry | Aronia arbutifolia, Photinia pyrifolia | May - Jun | no | minor |
| Black Chokeberry | Aronia melanocarpa | May - Jun | no | minor |
| Ohio Buckeye | Aesculus glabra | Apr - May | no | minor |
| Common Hackberry | Celtis occidentalis | Apr - May | no | minor |
| Hawthorn | Crataegus | Apr - May | no | minor |
| Honey Locust | Gleditsia triancanthos | May - Jun | no | minor |
| American Holly | Ilex opaca | Apr - Jun | no | minor, important in southeastern US |
| Tulip-tree | Lirodendron tulipifera | May - Jun | yes | major in southern Appalachians and piedmont |
| Apple | Malus domestica | Apr - May | no | minor |
| Crab Apple | Malus | Mar - Jun | no | minor |
| Cherry | Prunus cerasus | Apr - May | no | minor |
| Pear | Pyrus communis | Apr - May | no | minor |
| Black Cherry | Prunus serotina | Apr - May | no | minor |
| Plum | Prunus | Apr - May | no | minor |
| Common Buckthorn | Rhamnus cathartica | May - Jun | no | minor |
| Black Locust | Robinia pseudoacacia | May - Jun | yes | major |
| Raspberry | Rubus | May - Jun | yes | major in some areas |
| Blackberry | Rubus | May - Jun | yes | major in some areas |
| Willow | Salix | Feb - Apr | no | major but temperature usually too cold for bees to fly |
| Pussy Willow | Salix discolor | Mar - Apr | no | major but temperature usually too cold for bees to fly |
| American Elm | Ulmus americana | Feb - Apr | no | minor |
| Blueberry | Vaccinium corymbosum | May - Jun | no | minor |
Flowers and annual crop plants
| Common name | Latin name | Blooming months | Monofloral honey | Source for honeybees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chives | Allium schoenoprasum | May - Sep | no | minor |
| Asparagus | Asparagus officinalis | May - Jun | no | minor |
| Milk Vetch | Astragalus spp. | May - Jun | no | minor |
| Mustard | Brassica arvenisi (L.) | Apr - May | no? | minor? |
| Oilseed Rape (Canola) | Brassica napus L., Brassica rapa | May - Jun | yes | major |
| Mountain Bluet | Centaurea montana (Knapweed) | May | no?? | major |
| Leopardsbane | Doronicum cordatum | Apr - May | no | minor |
| White Sweet Clover | Melilotus alba | May - Aug | yes | major |
| Yellow Sweet Clover | Melilotus officinalis | May - Aug | yes | major |
| Lungwort | Pulmonaria spp. | May | no | minor |
| Woundwort | Stachys byzantina | May | no | minor |
| Chickweed | Stellaria Media | Apr - Jul | no | minor |
| Dandelion | Taraxicum officinale | Apr - May | no? | major |
| Speedwell | Veronica spicata | June | no | minor |
| Blackhaw | Viburnum prunifolium | May - Jun | no | minor |
Summer
Trees and shrubs
Major Nectar Source
| Common name | Latin name | Blooming months | Monofloral honey | Source for honeybees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catalpa | Catalpa speciosa | Jun - Jul | no | minor |
| Sumac | Rhus glabra | Jun - Jul | ?? | major |
| Basswood | Tilia americana | June - July | yes | major |
See also Honeydew source
Summer Flowers and annual crop plants
Major Nectar Source
| Common name | Latin name | Blooming months | Monofloral honey | Source for honeybees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milkweed | Asclepias spp. | Jul - Aug | major | |
| Aster | Aster spp. | Sep-Frost | ?? | major |
| Globe Thistle | Echniops ritro | August | major | |
| Soybean | Glycine soja | Jul - Oct | major | |
| Alfalfa | Medicago sativa | July - Aug | as clover honey | major |
| Clover | Melilotus spp. and Trifolium spp. | May - Aug | as clover honey | major |
| White Sweet Clover | Melilotus alba | as clover honey | major | |
| Yellow Sweet Clover | Melilotus officinalis | as clover honey | major | |
| Smartweed | Polygonum spp. | Aug - Sep | major | |
| Red-Flowering Thyme | Thymus praecox | Jun - Jul | major | |
| Alsike Clover | Trifolium hybridum | as clover honey | major | |
| Crimson clover | Trifolium incarnatum | as clover honey | major | |
| Red Clover | Trifolium pratense | Jun - Jul | as clover honey | major |
| White Clover | Trifolium repens | Jun - Jul | as clover honey | major |
Minor Nectar Source
| Common name | Latin name | Blooming months | Monofloral honey | Source for honeybees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anise hyssop | Agstache foeniculum | Jul-Frost | no | minor |
| Chives | Allium schoenoprasum | May - Sep | no | minor |
| Garlic chives | Allium tuberosa | Aug - Sep | no | minor |
| Leadwort | Amorpha fruticosa | Jun - Jul | no | minor |
| Devils-walkingstick | Aralia spinosa | Jul - Aug | no | minor |
| Butterfly Weed | Asclepias tuberosa | Jul - Aug | no | minor |
| Aster | Aster spp. | Aug - Sep | no | minor |
| Borage | Borago officinalis | Jun - Frost | no | minor |
| Marigold | Calendula officinalis | Jun - Sep | no | minor |
| Thistle | Centaurea spp. | Jul - Sep | no | minor |
| Clethra Summersweet | Clethra alnifolia | Jul - Aug | no | minor |
| Cucumber | Cucumis spp. | no | minor | |
| Melon | Cucumis melo | Jun-Frost | no | minor |
| Pumpkin | Cucurbita pepto | Jun-Frost | no | minor |
| Wild Carrot | Daucus carota | Aug - Sep | no | minor |
| Blue thistle, Blue weed | Echium vulgare | Jun - Aug | no | minor |
| Joe-Pye weed | Eupatorium spp. | Aug - Sep | no | minor |
| Buckwheat | Fagopyrum esculentum | Jul - Aug | no | minor |
| Blue vine | Gonolobus laevis | no | minor | |
| Sunflower | Helianthus annuus | Jun - Sep | no | minor |
| Basil | Koellia | no | minor | |
| Lavender | Lavendula augustifolia | Jun - Sep | no | minor |
| Birdsfoot trefoil | Lotus corniculatus | Jun - Aug | no | minor |
| Catnip | Nepeta mussinii | Jun - Sep | no | minor |
| Oregano | Origanum vulgare | Jun - Sep | no | minor |
| Russian Sage | Perovskia atriplicifolia | Jul - Sep | no | minor |
| Self-heal | Prunella vulgaris | Jul - Aug | no | minor |
| Mountain Mint | Pycnanthemum flexuosum | Aug-Frost | no | minor |
| Azalea | Rhododendron spp. | Jun - Aug | no | minor |
| Scrophularia | Scrophularia spp. | July | no | minor |
| Chick weed | Stellaria media | Apr - Jul | no | minor |
| Korean euodia | Tetradium daniellii | Aug - Sep | no | minor |
| Germander, Thyme | Teucrium canadense | Jul - Aug | no | minor |
| Thyme | Thymus pulegioides | Jun - Jul | no | minor |
| Blue Vervain | Verbena hastata L. | Jul - Aug | no | minor |
| Tall Ironweed | Vernonia altissima | Aug - Sep | no | minor |
| Tufted Vetch | Vicia cracca | Jul - Aug | no | minor |
| Common Vetch | Vicia sativa | Jul - Aug | no | minor |
Fall
Trees and shrubs
Flowers and annual crop plants
| Common name | Latin name | Blooming months | Monofloral honey | Source for honeybees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anise hyssop | Agstache foeniculum | Jul-Frost | minor | |
| Aster | Aster spp. | Sep-Frost | major | |
| Borage | Borago officinalis | Jun - Frost | minor | |
| Melons | Cucumis melo | Jun-Frost | minor | |
| Pumpkin | Cucurbita pepto | Jun-Frost | minor | |
| Soybean | Glycine soja | Jul - Oct | minor | |
| Mountain Mint | Pycnanthemum flexuosum | Aug-Frost | minor | |
| Goldenrod | Solidago spp. | Sep - Oct | major | |
| Tall Ironweed | Vernonia altissima | Aug - Sep | minor |
See also
Sources:
Some Ohio Nectar and Pollen Producing Plants Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet, 2000, Dr. James Tew
Categories: Flowers | Trees | Crops | Beekeeping
