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Pollen source - Definition and Overview |
| Related Words: Antheridium, Protein, Scum, Seed, Semen, Sperm, Spermatid, Spermatocyte, Spermatophore, Spermatozoa, Spermatozoon |
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The pollen 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 pollen is a calculation of the growing degree days.
The color of pollen below indicates the color as it appears when the pollen arrives at the beehive. Bees mix dry pollen with nectar and/or honey to compact the pollen in the pollen basket.
Spring
Trees and shrubs
- Grey Alder (Alnus incana) Feb - Apr (brownish yellow)
- American Rowan (Sorbus americana), May-Jun
- Crab Apple (Malus spp.), Mar - Jun
(light olive)
- Apple (Malus domestica), Apr - May (yellow white)
- Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), May - Jun
- Blackberry (Rubus spp.), May - Jun
(light grey)
- Cherry (Prunus cerasus), Apr - May
- Wild Cherry (http://www.habitas.org.uk/gardenflora/prunus_avium.htm)] (Prunus avium) (light brown)
- Wild Cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.), Apr - May
- Chestnut (Castanea dentata), May - Jun
- Common Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), Apr - May
- Elm (Ulmus procera) (light grey)
- American Elm (Ulmus americana), Feb - Apr (light grey)
- Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.), Apr - May
- Hazel (Corylus americana) Mar - Apr (light green)
- American holly (Ilex opaca), Apr - Jun
- Honey Locust (Gleditsia triancanthos), May - Jun
- Maple (Acer spp.), Feb - Apr (light yellow?)
- Ashleaved maple (Acer negundo) (light olive)
- Red Maple, (Acer rubrum)
- Norway maple, (Acer platanoides) (olive)
- Oak (Quercus spp.), May
- Oak (Quercus robur) (light olive)
- Pear (Pyrus communis), Apr - May (red yellow)
- Plum (Prunus spp.), Apr - May
- Ornamental Prunus (Prunus cerasifera) (light brown to brown)
- Almond (Prunus amygdalus) (light brown to brown pollen - not considered a good pollen source)
- Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) Apr - May (light olive)
- Walnut (Juglans spp.) Apr-May
- White Ash (Fraxinus americana) Apr - May
- Willow (Salix spp.), Feb - Apr (lemon)
- Pussy Willow (Salix discolor), Mar - Apr
- Tulip-tree (Lirodendron tulipifera), May - Jun
Flowers and annual crop plants
- Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis), May - Jun
- Canola (Brassica napus L.), May - Jun (lemon)
- Chick weed (http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/perl/bioview.pl?genspec=stme2&action=View) (Stellaria Media), Apr - Jul
- Chives (Allium schoenoprasum), May - Sep
- Crocus (Crocus vernus), April (orange yellow)
- Yellow Crocus (http://www.meemelink.com/prints%20pages/13180.Iridaceae%20-%20Crocus%20aureus.htm) (Crocus aureus) (orange yellow)
- Dandelion (Taraxicum officinale), Apr - May (red yellow)
- Leopards bane (http://www.gardeningcd.com/PerenFrms/doron_co.htm) (Doronicum cordatum), Apr - May
- Mustard (Brassica arvenisi (L.)), Apr - May (lemon)
- White Sweet Clover (Melilotus alba), May - Aug (yellow to dark yellow)
- Yellow Sweet Clover (Melilotus officinalis), May - Aug (yellow to dark yellow)
Summer
Trees and shrubs
- Basswood Linden (Tilia americana), June - July (yellow to light orange)
- Sumac, (Rhus glabra), Jun - Jul
- Catalpa (Catalpa speciosa), Jun - Jul
- Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), Jun - Jul
Flowers and annual crop plants
- Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), July - Aug '(greyish yellow)'
- Alyssum (http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/wildseed/37/37.7.html) (Lobularia maritime), Jun - Sep
- Aster, (Aster spp.), Sep-Frost (reddish yellow)
- Land-In-Blue (http://plants.garden-source.com/Perennials/Woods-Blue-Aster.php), (Aster x dumosus), Aug - Sep
- Basil (Koellia)
- Blue thistle (Carduus spp.)
- Blue vine (http://www.monarchwatch.org/milkweed/guide/cynan.htm) (Gonolobus laevis syn. Cynanchum laeve)
- Borage (Borago officinalis), Jun - Frost
- Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), Jul - Aug (light yellow to light green)
- Cat-Tail, (Typha latifolia), Jun - Jul
- Chick weed (http://www.cloudnet.com/~djeans/FlwPlant/Chickweed.htm) (Stellaria media), Apr - Jul
- Chives (Allium schoenoprasum), May - Sep
- Onion (Allium cepa) (light olive)
- Garlic chives (Allium tuberosa), Aug - Sep
- 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) '(dark brown)'
- White Clover (Trifolium repens), Jun - Jul
- Cucumber (Cucumis spp.) (bright yellow)
- Melons (Cucumis melo), Jun-Frost (bright yellow)
- Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepto), Jun-Frost '(bright yellow)'
- Common vetch (Vicia cracca L.), Jul - Aug
- Spring Vetch (Vicia sativa L.), Jul - Aug
- Germander (http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=F910) (Teucrium chamaedrys), Jul - Aug
- Joe-Pye weed (Eupatorium spp.), Aug - Sep
- Leadwort (Amorpha fruticosa), Jun - Jul
- Mallow (Malva alcea Fastigiata¾) Jun - Sep
- Marigold (Calendula officinalis), Jun - Sep
- Smartweed (http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/polpy.htm) (Polygonum spp.), Aug - Sep
- Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), Jun - Sep (golden)
- Sweet Corn (Zea mays), Jun - Jul (yellowish white)
- Star thistle (Centaurea spp.), Jul - Sep
- Knapweed (Centaurea nigra), (very light olive)
Fall
Trees and shrubs
Flowers and annual crop plants
- Aster, (Aster spp.), Sep-Frost '(reddish yellow)'
- Borage (Borago officinalis), Jun - Frost
- Goldenrod, (Solidago spp.), Sep - Oct '(golden)'
- Melons (Cucumis melo), Jun-Frost
- Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepto), Jun-Frost
See also
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