Beekeeping Insect Note 2

Honey Plants of North Carolina

Prepared by:
J. Ambrose; revised by S. Bambara
N.C. Cooperative Extension Service Note no. 2
Dated 2/93
Placed on the Web 3/95 by the Center for Integrated Pest Management

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.

                                          Average Bloom Period
                                Mountains       Piedmont        Coastal Plain


Alsike Clover 
(Trifolium hybridum)        --          Apr 4 (102)         --  
Aster (Aster spp.)      Aug 30 (40)     Sep 25 (35)     Sep 30 (40)
Basswood, Linden
(Tilia spp.)            Jun 20 (23)         --              --
Black Gum
(Nyssa sylvatica)       May 5 (10)      Apr 26 (14)     Apr 27 (24)
Black Locust
(Robinia pseudoacacia)  May 15 (14)     Apr 27 (10)         --
Blackberry (Rubus spp.)     --          Apr 10 (20)     Mar 1 (46) 
Crimson Clover
(Trifolium incarnatum)      --          Apr 10 (25)         --
Dandelion (Taraxacum    
officinale)             May 1 (50)      Mar 15 (60)     Mar 5 (55)
Gallberry (Ilex
glabra & coriacea)          --              --          May 12 (28)
Goldenrod (Solidago spp)            --          Aug 8 (67)      Aug 1 (85)
Heartsease, Smartweed
(Polygonum spp.)                    --          Jul 4 (126)         --
Holly (Ilex spp.)       May 8 (15)      Apr 30 (15)     Apr 24 (16)
Huckleberry
(Gaylussacia spp.)          --              --          Apr 5 (32)
Ladino Clover, White Clover
(Trifolium repens)      May 29 (51)     Apr 14 (102)        --
Pepperbush
(Clethra alnifolia)         --              --          Aug 1 (20)
Persimmon
(Diospyros virginiana)  May 22 (15)     May 20 (13)         --
Privet (Ligustrum spp)      --          May 8 (23)          --
Raspberry (Rubus spp)   May 17 (17)     Apr 30 (20)     Apr 20 (40)
Red Maple
(Acer rubrum)           Mar 5 (35)      Feb 1 (40)      Jan 20 (45)
Sourwood
(Oxydendrum arboreum)   Jun 25 (25)     Jun 10 (20)     Jun 1 (20)
Sugar Maple
(Acer saccharum)                    --          Mar 5 (25)      Feb 25 (25)
Sumac (Rhus spp)                Apr 8 (146)     Apr 3 (151)     Apr 1 (153)
Sweet Clover
(Melilotus spp)         Jun 8 (53)      May 28 (37)         --
Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron
( tulipifera            May 25 (23)     Apr 25 (29)     Apr 17 (30)
Tupelo Gum
(Nyssa aquatica)                    --              --          Apr 20 (30)
Vetch (Vicia spp)           --          Apr 28 (46)         --

Some Good References Are:

Honey Plants Manual. H.B. Lovell. 1966. A.I. Root Co., Medina, OH 44256

American Honey Plants. F.C. Pellett. 1947. Orange Judd, NY.

Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. Radford, Ahles & Bell. 1968. UNC Press, Chapel Hill, NC.

Calendar of Bookeeping. N.C. State Beekeepers Association. 1403 Varsity Dr., Raleigh, NC 27606.