Honey Plants of North Carolina
Content
Beekeeping
Department of Entomology Insect Note
Note 1.04 (Previously Note #2) HONEY PLANTS OF NORTH CAROLINA Knowledge of the plants honey bees use is important to every beekeeper. Plants provide the nectar for honey production and pollen for brood production. Coincidently, the bees pollinate the plants allowing seed and fruit to develop. The type and availability of nectar sources in an area determines, not only the potential honey production for that locality, but also the flavor, color and quality of the honey crop. Pollen is collected by bees and provides the essential protein for brood development. For these reasons, a beekeeper who knows his local flora will be better able to develop a management system which fully utilizes those potential honey and pollen plants. North Carolina is a large state and exhibits considerable variety in honey plants as one travels from the sea to the mountains. This note lists the average blooming dates of some of the important nectar sources in the state's three main geographical areas. The figure in parenthesis following each blooming date indicates the average number of days flowering may be expected. There are others which you should learn. Some good references are: Honey Plants Manual by H.B. Lovell. 1966. A. I. Root Company, Medina, OH 44256. American Honey Plants by F.C. Pellett. 1947. Orange Judd. N.Y. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas by Radford, Ahles and Bell. 1968. UNC Press, Chapel Hill, NC Calendar of Beekeeping. N.C. State Beekeepers Assn. 1403 Varsity Drive, Raleigh, NC 27606.
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Plant Alsike Clover (Trifolium hybridum) Aster (Aster spp.) Basswood, Linden (Tilia spp.) Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) Blackberry (Rubus spp.) Crimson Clover (Trifolium incarnatum) Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) Gallberry (Ilex glabra & coriacea) Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) Heartsease, Smartweed (Polygonum spp.) Holly (Ilex spp.) Huckleberry (Gaylussacia spp.) Ladino Clover, White Clover (Trifolium repens) Pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia) Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) Privet (Ligustrum spp.) Raspberry (Rubus spp.) Red Maple (Acer rubrum) Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) Sumac (Rhus spp.) Sweet Clover (Melilotus spp.) Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) Tupelo Gum (Nyssa aquatica) Vetch (Vicia spp.) Mountains -Aug 30 (40) Jun 20 (23) May 5 (10) May 15 (14) --May 1 (50) ---May 8 (15) -May 29 (51) -May 22 (15) -May 17 (17) Mar 5 (35) Jun 25 (25) -Apr 8 (146) Jun 8 (53) May 25 (23) --Average bloom date (duration) Piedmont Coastal Plain Apr 4 (102) -Sep 25 (35) -Apr 26 (14) Apr 27 (10) Apr 10 (20) Apr 10 (25) Mar 15 (60) -Aug 8 (67) Jul 4 (126) Apr 30 (15) -Apr 14 (102) -May 20 (13) May 8 (23) Apr 30 (20) Feb 1 (40) Jun 10 (20) Mar 5 (25) Apr 3 (151) May 28 (37) Apr 25 (29) -Apr 28 (46) Sep 30 (40) -Apr 27 (24) -Mar 1 (46) -Mar 5 (55) May 12 (28) Aug 1 (85) -Apr 24 (16) Apr 5 (32) -Aug 1 (20) --Apr 20 (40) Jan 20 (45) Jun 1 (20) Feb 25 (25) Apr 1 (153) -Apr 17 (30) Apr 20 (30) --
Prepared by J. Ambrose; revised by S. Bambara 6/21/95
Department of Entomology Insect Note
Note 1.04 (Previously Note #2) HONEY PLANTS OF NORTH CAROLINA Knowledge of the plants honey bees use is important to every beekeeper. Plants provide the nectar for honey production and pollen for brood production. Coincidently, the bees pollinate the plants allowing seed and fruit to develop. The type and availability of nectar sources in an area determines, not only the potential honey production for that locality, but also the flavor, color and quality of the honey crop. Pollen is collected by bees and provides the essential protein for brood development. For these reasons, a beekeeper who knows his local flora will be better able to develop a management system which fully utilizes those potential honey and pollen plants. North Carolina is a large state and exhibits considerable variety in honey plants as one travels from the sea to the mountains. This note lists the average blooming dates of some of the important nectar sources in the state's three main geographical areas. The figure in parenthesis following each blooming date indicates the average number of days flowering may be expected. There are others which you should learn. Some good references are: Honey Plants Manual by H.B. Lovell. 1966. A. I. Root Company, Medina, OH 44256. American Honey Plants by F.C. Pellett. 1947. Orange Judd. N.Y. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas by Radford, Ahles and Bell. 1968. UNC Press, Chapel Hill, NC Calendar of Beekeeping. N.C. State Beekeepers Assn. 1403 Varsity Drive, Raleigh, NC 27606.
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Plant Alsike Clover (Trifolium hybridum) Aster (Aster spp.) Basswood, Linden (Tilia spp.) Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) Blackberry (Rubus spp.) Crimson Clover (Trifolium incarnatum) Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) Gallberry (Ilex glabra & coriacea) Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) Heartsease, Smartweed (Polygonum spp.) Holly (Ilex spp.) Huckleberry (Gaylussacia spp.) Ladino Clover, White Clover (Trifolium repens) Pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia) Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) Privet (Ligustrum spp.) Raspberry (Rubus spp.) Red Maple (Acer rubrum) Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) Sumac (Rhus spp.) Sweet Clover (Melilotus spp.) Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) Tupelo Gum (Nyssa aquatica) Vetch (Vicia spp.) Mountains -Aug 30 (40) Jun 20 (23) May 5 (10) May 15 (14) --May 1 (50) ---May 8 (15) -May 29 (51) -May 22 (15) -May 17 (17) Mar 5 (35) Jun 25 (25) -Apr 8 (146) Jun 8 (53) May 25 (23) --Average bloom date (duration) Piedmont Coastal Plain Apr 4 (102) -Sep 25 (35) -Apr 26 (14) Apr 27 (10) Apr 10 (20) Apr 10 (25) Mar 15 (60) -Aug 8 (67) Jul 4 (126) Apr 30 (15) -Apr 14 (102) -May 20 (13) May 8 (23) Apr 30 (20) Feb 1 (40) Jun 10 (20) Mar 5 (25) Apr 3 (151) May 28 (37) Apr 25 (29) -Apr 28 (46) Sep 30 (40) -Apr 27 (24) -Mar 1 (46) -Mar 5 (55) May 12 (28) Aug 1 (85) -Apr 24 (16) Apr 5 (32) -Aug 1 (20) --Apr 20 (40) Jan 20 (45) Jun 1 (20) Feb 25 (25) Apr 1 (153) -Apr 17 (30) Apr 20 (30) --
Prepared by J. Ambrose; revised by S. Bambara 6/21/95
