Northern American nectar sources for honey bees

A honey bee collecting nectar from an rosaceous flower.

The nectar resource in a given area depends on the kinds of flowering plants present and their blooming periods. Which kinds 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 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 thirds of a time zone) will cause a 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. An agricultural crop such as canola or 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 warm-season nectar forage than areas that are heavily cultivated with only a few agricultural crops. The nectar sources from large cultivated fields of blooming apples, cherries, canola, melons, sunflowers, clover etc. benefit a bee keeper who is willing to travel with his hives throughout the season.

Honeydew sources are not included in this listing.

Trees and shrubs

Plant type	Nonscientific name	Scientific name	Begin Bloom Month	End Bloom Month	Monofloral honey	Availability	Source for honey bees / pounds of honey per acre
T	Maple	Acer	2	4	no	feral	major but temperature usually too cold
T	Red Maple[1]	Acer rubrum	2	4	no	feral	major but temperature usually too cold for bees to fly
T	Ohio Buckeye [2]	Aesculus glabra	4	5	no	feral	minor
S	Shadbush	Amelanchier arborea	4	5	no	feral	minor
S, T	Devils-walkingstick	Aralia spinosa	7	8	no	feral	minor
S	Red Chokeberry	Aronia arbutifolia, Photinia pyrifolia	5	6	no	feral	minor
S	Black Chokeberry[3]	Aronia melanocarpa	5	6	no	feral	minor
T	Catalpa, Indian Bean [2][3][4]	Catalpa speciosa	6	7	no	feral, ornamental	minor
S	Common Hackberry	Celtis occidentalis	4	5	no	feral	minor
S	Buttonbush [2]	Cephalanthus occidentalis	7	8	Honey is light in color and mild in flavor.	feral
S	Hawthorn	Crataegus	4	5	no	feral	minor - 50 - 100 pounds/acre
S	Honeysuckle [2]	Diervilla lonicera	6	8			minor
T	Honey Locust	Gleditsia triancanthos	5	6	no	feral	minor
S	American Holly	Ilex opaca	4	6	no	feral	minor, important in southeastern US
T	Tulip-tree[5]	Liriodendron tulipifera	5	6	yes, see Monofloral honey	feral	major in southern Appalachians and Piedmont
T	Apple[3]	Malus domestica	4	5	No, the nectar is mostly used for spring brood raising and not stored for surplus. see Monofloral honey[4]	cultivated	minor
T	Crab Apple	Malus sylvestris; Malus coronaria [2]	3	6	no	ornamental	minor
T	Cherry [2][3]	Prunus cerasus	4	5	no	feral, cultivated	minor
T	Pear	Pyrus communis	4	5	no	cultivated	minor
T	Black Cherry	Prunus serotina	4	5	no	feral, cultivated	minor
T	Plum	Prunus	4	5	no	feral, cultivated	minor
S	Common Buckthorn	Rhamnus cathartica	5	6	no	feral	minor
T	Sumac[2]	Rhus glabra	6	7	mixed with other honeys	feral	major
T	Black locust[3][4]	Robinia pseudoacacia	5	6	yes, see Monofloral honey	feral	major - 800 - 1200 pounds/; short bloom period of about 10 days
S	Raspberry	Rubus	5	6	yes, see Monofloral honey	feral, cultivated	major in some areas
S	Blackberry	Rubus spp.	5	6	yes, see Monofloral honey [2]	feral, cultivated	major in some areas[3]
T	Willow	Salix	2	4	no	feral, ornamental	major but outside temperatures are usually too cold for bees to fly. 100 - 150 pounds honey per acre; 1,500 pounds pollen
T	Pussy Willow	Salix discolor	3	4	no	feral, ornamental	major but temperature usually too cold for bees to fly
T	Bee bee tree	Tetradium	7	9		ornamental	major
T	Basswood[3][4]	Tilia americana, Tilia cordata	6	7	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
T	American Elm	Ulmus americana	2	4	no	feral	minor
S	Blueberry	Vaccinium corymbosum, Vaccinium angustifolium, Vaccinium pennsylvanicum	5	6	no. Honey amber and of good flavor.	cultivated	minor in most areas. Strong colonies may store 50-90 pounds of surplus from it.[2]
S	Black haw[3]	Viburnum prunifolium	5	6
T	Redbud		4	4	no	cultivated, ornamental	minor

Flowers, crops, herbs and grasses

Plant type	Common name	Latin name	Begin Bloom Month	End Bloom Month	Monofloral honey	Availability	Source for honey bees
F	Anise hyssop[3]	Agstache foeniculum	7	10	no	feral	minor
F	Blue bugle, Bugleherb, Bugleweed, Carpetweed, Common bugle[3]	Ajuga reptans	5	5
F	Chives [3]	Allium schoenoprasum	5	9	no	cultivated	minor
C, F	Garlic chives	Allium tuberosa	8	9	no	cultivated	minor
F	Leadwort	Amorpha fruticosa	6	7	no	feral	minor
F	Milkweed [4][5]	Asclepias spp. 55 species	7	8		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.
F	Butterfly Weed[3]	Asclepias tuberosa	7	8	no	feral	minor
C	Asparagus	Asparagus officinalis	5	6	no	cultivated	minor
F	Milk Vetch	Astragalus spp.	5	6	no	feral	minor
F	Aster	Aster spp.	8	10	usually mixed with goldenrod [2]	feral, ornamental	major[3]
F	Borage[3]	Borago officinalis	6	10	no	feral, ornamental	minor, but can be major on cultivated area 200 pounds honey per acre; 60-160 pounds pollen
C, F	Mustard[5]	Brassica arvenisi (L.); Brassica campestris	4	5	no?	cultivated	minor?
C	Oilseed Rape (Canola) [3]	Brassica napus L., Brassica rapa	5	6	yes, see Monofloral honey	cultivated	major
F	Marigold	Calendula officinalis	6	9	no	ornamental	minor
F	Canada thistle	Carduus arvensis			light honey of good quality [2]
F	Thistle	Centaurea spp.	7	9	no	feral	minor
F	Mountain Bluet	Centaurea Montana (Knapweed)	5	5	no??	feral	major
F	Creeping thistle	Cirsium arvense	7	9		feral (invasive in North America)
F	Sweet Autumn Clematis	Clematis terniflora	9	9		ornamental	minor
F	Clethra Summersweet [3]	Clethra alnifolia	7	8	no	feral	minor
C, F	Cucumber		6	9	no; Honey is pale yellow or amber with strong flavor.[2]	cultivated	minor
C	Melon		6	10	no	cultivated	minor
C	Pumpkin	Cucurbita pepo	6	10	no	cultivated	minor
C, F	Wild Carrot	Daucus carota	8	9	no	feral	minor
F	Leopardsbane	Doronicum cordatum	4	5	no	feral	minor
F	Candytuft[3]	Iberis sempervirens	5	5
F	Viper's Bugloss, Blue thistle, Blue weed[3]	Echium vulgare Echium vulgare is most widely known, though there are about 60 additional species.	6	8	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 very 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.
F	Globe Thistle	Echinops ritro	8	8		feral	major
F	Fireweed	Epilobium angustifolium	6	9	yes	feral	major
F	Heather	Erica vulgaris, though many varieties			see Monofloral honey		100 - 200 pounds honey
F	Joe-Pye weed, Boneset, White Snakeroot [3]	Eutrochium spp. "Eupatorium spp. Eupatorium purpureum; Eupatorium perfoliatum; Eupatorium ageratoides	8	9	no	feral	minor
C, F	Buckwheat [3]	Fagopyrum esculentum	7	8	can be; dark honey with distinct flavor; granulates quickly [5]	rarely cultivated now	minor
F	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]
C, F	Soybean	Glycine soja	7	10		cultivated	major
C, F	Sunflower	Helianthus annuus	6	9	can be	feral, cultivated	minor 30 - 100 pounds/acre
C, F	Basil	Koellia			no	cultivated	minor
F	Henbit Deadnettle	Lamium sp	3	5	no	feral	minor but valuable due to earliness/frost hardiness
C, F	Lavender	Lavandula angustifolia	6	9	can be, see Monofloral honey	cultivated	minor
F	Birdsfoot trefoil[3]	Lotus corniculatus	6	8	no	feral	minor
C, F	White Sweet Clover[2][4]	Melilotus alba	5	8	yes	feral, cultivated	major up to 200 pounds per hive
C, F	Yellow Sweet Clover[2][4]	Melilotus officinalis	5	8	yes	feral, cultivated	major up to 200 pounds per hive
C, F	Alfalfa[2][3]	Medicago sativa	7	8	as clover honey. Alfalfa honey granulates readily.[2]	feral, cultivated	major
C, F	Clover[3]	Melilotus spp. and Trifolium spp.	5	8	as clover honey	feral, cultivated	major - up to 500 pounds per acre in a good year [2]
F	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
C, F	Peppermint[4]	Mentha piperita			no	feral
F	Catnip, Cat mint [2][3]	Nepeta mussinii; Nepeta grandiflora; Nepeta cataria	6	9	no	feral, ornamental	minor
F	Oregano	Origanum vulgare	6	9	no	cultivated?	minor
C, F	Poppy	Papaver somniferum					minor - 20 - 30 pounds /acre
F	Russian Sage	Perovskia atriplicifolia	7	9	can be	ornamental	minor
C, F	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]
G,H	Plantain	Plantago Major	7				[7]
F	Smartweed	Polygonum spp.	8	9		feral	major
F	Selfheal	Prunella vulgaris	7	8	no	feral	minor
F	Lungwort	Pulmonaria spp.	5	5	no	feral	minor
F	Appalachian Mountain Mint	Pycnanthemum flexuosum	8	10			minor
F	Azalea	Rhododendron spp.	6	8	no	ornamental	minor
F	Scrophularia	Scrophularia spp.	7	7	no	feral	minor
F	Sedum, Autumn Joy [3]	Sedum spectabile
F	Goldenrod[2]	Solidago spp.	9	10	can be; Honey golden color of deep amber; marked flavor; granulates quickly	feral	major
F	Woundwort	Stachys byzantina	5	5	no	feral	minor
F	Chickweed [3]	Stellaria Media	4	7	no	feral	minor
F	Dandelion	Taraxacum officinale	4	5	no Honey deep yellow will granulate quickly; mostly consumed by bees during brood rearing [4]	feral	major
F	Germander, Thyme	Teucrium canadense	7	8	no	feral	minor
F	Thyme	Thymus pulegioides; Thymus serpyllum	6	7	no	feral, cultivated	minor - 50 - 150 pounds honey/acre
F	Red-Flowering Thyme	Thymus praecox	6	7		feral?	major
C, F	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]
C, F	Crimson clover	Trifolium incarnatum			as clover honey	feral, cultivated	major [2]
C, F	Red Clover	Trifolium pratense	6	7	as clover honey	feral, cultivated	major
C, F	White Clover[4][5]	Trifolium repens	6	7	as clover honey; The honey is white or nearly white; very mild flavored and does not granulate readily. see Monofloral honey	feral, cultivated	major
F	Blue Vervain	Verbena hastata L.	7	8	no	ornamental?	minor
F	Tall Ironweed	Vernonia altissima	8	9	no	feral	minor
F	Speedwell	Veronica spicata	6	6	no	feral	minor
F	Tufted Vetch, Common Vetch[3]	Vicia cracca	7	8	no	feral	minor
F	Common Vetch	Vicia sativa	7	8	no	feral	minor
F	Blackhaw	Viburnum prunifolium	5	6	no	feral	minor

Gallery

• 

  A honey bee on Sweet autumn clematis in September.

• 

  Honey bee on Sedum 'Autumn Joy' (Hylotelephium telephium).

• 

  Two Bees on a Creeping Thistle Cirsium arvense.

See also

• Forage (honeybee)
• List of honey plants
• Honeydew source
• Nectar source
• Pollen source
• Melliferous flower
• Regional honeys

References

1. Delaplane, Keith Pollination: Plants for Year-round Bee Forage The University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences Cooperative Extension; Service Bulletin 1164; February 1998 (web accessed Nov 2006)
2. Pellett, Frank; American Honey Plants, American Bee Journal, Hamilton, Illinois, 297 pages, 1920
3. Tew, James Some Ohio Nectar and Pollen Producing Plants Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet, 2000
4. Lovell, John H. Honey plants of North America; THE ROOT COMPANY, 1926
5. Stahlman, Dana T. Honey Plants Flowering Plants Trees Ohio, 2004 (web accessed Jun 2010)
6. Top Five" Plants for Honeybees (accessed Sep 2009)
7. "A Selection of Bee Forage Plants" (PDF). Spikenard Farm Honeybee Sanctuary.