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.
Spring
Trees and shrubs
Major Nectar Source
- Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), May - Jun
- Honey Locust (Gleditsia triancanthos), May - Jun
- Maple (Acer spp.), Feb - Apr
- Red Maple, (Acer rubrum)
- Willow (Salix spp.), Feb - Apr
- Pussy Willow (Salix discolor), Mar - Apr
Minor Nectar Source
- Apple (Malus domestica), Apr - May
- Crab Apple (Malus spp.) Mar - Jun
- Black Chokeberry (Aronia Melanocarpa), May - Jun
- Blackberry (Rubus spp.), May - Jun
- Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), May - Jun
- Cherry (Prunus cerasus), Apr - May
- Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica), May - Jun
- Common Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), Apr - May
- American Elm (Ulmus americana), Feb - Apr
- Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.), Apr - May
- American Holly (Ilex opaca), Apr - Jun
- Oak (Quercus), May - Sep (Honeydew)
- Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glabra), Apr - May
- Pear (Pyrus communis), Apr - May
- Plum (Prunus spp.), Apr - May
- Raspberry (Rubus spp.), May - Jun
- Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia), May - Jun
- Shadbush (Amelanchier arborea), Apr - May
- Black Cherry (Prunus serotina), Apr - May
- Tulip-tree (Lirodendron tulipifera), May - Jun
Flowers and annual crop plants
Major Nectar Source
- Oilseed Rape (Brassica napus L.), May - Jun
- Dandelion (Taraxicum officinale), Apr - May
- White Sweet Clover (Melilotus alba), May - Aug
- Yellow Sweet Clover (Melilotus officinalis), May - Aug
Minor Nectar Source
- Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis), May - Jun
- Blackhaw (Viburnum prunifolium), May - Jun
- Chickweed (Stellaria Media), Apr - Jul
- Chives (Allium schoenoprasum), May - Sep
- Woundwort (Stachys byzantina), May
- Leopardsbane (Doronicum cordatum), Apr - May
- Lungwort (Pulmonaria spp.), May
- Milk Vetch (Astragalus spp.), May - Jun
- Mountain Bluet (Centaurea montana), May
- Mustard (Brassica arvenisi (L.)), Apr - May
- Speedwell (Veronica spicata), June
Summer
Trees and shrubs
Major Nectar Source
- Basswood (Tilia americana), June - July
- Sumac (Rhus glabra), Jun - Jul
Minor Nectar Source
- Catalpa (Catalpa speciosa), Jun - Jul
- Oak (Quercus), May - Sep (Honeydew)
- Pine (Pinus spp.), Jun - Sep (Honeydew)
- Eastern Juniper (Juniperus virginiana), Jun - Sep (Honeydew)
Flowers and annual crop plants
Major Nectar Source
- Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), July - Aug
- Aster, (Aster spp.), Sep-Frost
- Clover (Melilotus spp. and Trifolium spp.), May - Aug
- White Sweet Clover (Melilotus alba)
- Yellow Sweet Clover (Melilotus officinalis)
- Alsike Clover (Trifolium hybridum)
- Crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum)
- Red Clover (Trifolium pratense), Jun - Jul
- 'White Clover' (Trifolium repens), Jun - Jul
- Milkweed (Asclepias spp.), Jul - Aug
- Smartweed (Polygonum spp.), Aug - Sep
- Soybean (Glycine soja) Jul - Oct
Minor Nectar Source
- Anise hyssop (Agstache foeniculum), Jul-Frost
- Azalea, (Rhododendron spp.) Jun - Aug
- Aster, (Aster spp.), Aug - Sep
- Basil (Koellia)
- Birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), Jun - Aug
- Blue thistle (Echium vulgare)
- Blue vine (Gonolobus laevis)
- Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata L.), Jul - Aug
- Blue Weed (Echium vulgare), Jun - Aug
- Borage (Borago officinalis), Jun - Frost
- Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), Jul - Aug
- Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa), Jul - Aug
- Catnip (Nepeta mussinii), Jun - Sep
- Chick weed (Stellaria media), Apr - Jul
- Chives (Allium schoenoprasum), May - Sep
- Cucumber (Cucumis spp.)
- Melon (Cucumis melo), Jun-Frost
- Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepto), Jun-Frost
- Clethra Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia), Jul - Aug
- Common vetch (Vicia cracca), Jul - Aug
- Devils-walkingstick (Aralia spinosa), Jul - Aug
- Garlic chives (Allium tuberosa), Aug - Sep
- Germander (Teucrium chamaedrys), Jul - Aug
- Globe Thistle (Echniops ritro), August
- Joe-Pye weed (Eupatorium spp.), Aug - Sep
- Korean euodia (Tetradium daniellii), Aug - Sep
- Lavender (Lavendula augustifolia), Jun - Sep
- Leadwort (Amorpha fruticosa), Jun - Jul
- Marigold (Calendula officinalis), Jun - Sep
- Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum flexuosum), Aug-Frost
- Oregano (Origanum vulgare), Jun - Sep
- Red-Flowering Thyme (Thymus praecox), Jun - Jul
- Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia), Jul - Sep
- Scrophularia (Scrophularia spp.), July
- Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris), Jul - Aug
- Silver Thyme (Teucrium chamaedrys), Jun - Jul
- Spring Vetch (Vicia sativa), Jul - Aug
- Sunflower (Helianthus annuus), Jun - Sep
- Tall Ironweed (Vernonia altissima), Aug - Sep
- Thistle (Centaurea spp.), Jul - Sep
- Thyme (Thymus pulegioides), Jun - Jul
- Wild Carrot (Daucus carota), Aug - Sep
Fall
Trees and shrubs
Flowers and annual crop plants
Major Nectar Source
- Aster, (Aster spp.), Sep-Frost
- Goldenrod, (Solidago spp.), Sep - Oct
Minor Nectar Source
- Anise hyssop (Agstache foeniculum), Jul-Frost
- Borage (Borago officinalis), Jun - Frost
- Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum flexuosum), Aug-Frost
- Melons (Cucumis melo), Jun-Frost
- Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepto), Jun-Frost
- Soybean (Glycine soja) Jul - Oct
- Tall Ironweed (Vernonia altissima), Aug - Sep
See also
Some Ohio Nectar and Pollen Producing Plants (http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2168.html) Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet, 2000, Dr. James Tew
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