List of Northern American nectar sources for honey bees
Flowers, Crops, Herbs and Grasses

List of Northern American nectar sources for honey bees

Section Title: Flowers, Crops, Herbs and Grasses
Table Section Text: None

Plant type	Common name	Latin name	Perennial/Annual	Begin Bloom Month	End Bloom Month	Monofloral honey	Availability	Nectar Production

F	Anise hyssop	Agstache foeniculum	Perennial	7	10	no	feral	minor (1858-2787kg/ha)

F	Blue bugle, Bugleherb, Bugleweed, Carpetweed, Common bugle	Ajuga reptans	Perennial	5	6	feral	minor

F	Chives	Allium schoenoprasum	Perennial	5	9	no	cultivated	minor

C, F	Garlic chives	Allium tuberosa	Perennial	8	9	no	cultivated	minor

F	Leadwort	Amorpha fruticosa	Perennial	6	7	no	feral	minor

F	Milkweed	Asclepias spp. 55 species	Perennial	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	Asclepias tuberosa	Perennial	7	8	no	feral	minor

C	Asparagus	Asparagus officinalis	Perennial	5	6	no	cultivated	minor

F	Milk Vetch	Astragalus spp.	Perennial	5	6	no	feral	minor

F	Aster	Aster spp.	Perennial	8	10	usually mixed with goldenrod	feral, ornamental	major

F	Borage	Borago officinalis	Annual	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	Brassica arvenisi (L.); Brassica campestris	Annual	4	5	no?	cultivated	minor

C	Oilseed Rape (Canola)	Brassica napus L., Brassica rapa	Annual	5	6	yes, see Monofloral honey	cultivated	major

F	Marigold	Calendula officinalis	Annual	6	9	no	ornamental	minor

F	Canada thistle	Carduus arvensis	Perennial	light honey of good quality

F	Thistle	Centaurea spp.	Annual	7	9	no	feral	minor

F	Mountain Bluet	Centaurea Montana (Knapweed)	Short-lived Perennial	5	5	no??	feral	major

F	Creeping thistle	Cirsium arvense	Perennial	7	9	feral (invasive in North America)

F	Sweet Autumn Clematis	Clematis terniflora	Perennial	9	9	ornamental	minor

F	Clethra Summersweet	Clethra alnifolia	Perennial (Shrub)	7	8	no	feral	minor

C, F	Cucumber	Annual	6	9	no; Honey is pale yellow or amber with strong flavor.	cultivated	minor

C	Melon	Annual	6	10	no	cultivated	minor

C	Pumpkin	Cucurbita pepo	Annual	6	10	no	cultivated	minor

C, F	Wild Carrot	Daucus carota	Biennial	8	9	no	feral	minor

F	Leopard's bane	Doronicum cordatum	Perennial	4	5	no	feral	minor

F	Candytuft	Iberis sempervirens	Perennial	5	5

F	Viper's Bugloss, Blue thistle, Blue weed	Echium vulgare Echium vulgare is most widely known, though there are about 60 additional species.	Perennial	6	8	no	feral In California, spring blooming plant with repeat bloom. Fall bloom provides nectar for bees for overwintering.	major – 300–1,000 pounds honey/acre depending on soil. 500–2000 lbs of dark blue pollen.

F	Globe Thistle	Echinops ritro	Annual	8	8	feral	major

F	Fireweed	Epilobium angustifolium	Perennial	6	9	yes	feral	major

F	Heather	Erica vulgaris, though many varieties	Perennial (shrub)	see Monofloral honey	100–200 pounds honey

F	Joe-Pye weed, Boneset, White Snakeroot	Eutrochium spp. "Eupatorium spp. Eupatorium purpureum; Eupatorium perfoliatum; Eupatorium ageratoides	Perennial	8	9	no	feral	minor

C, F	Buckwheat	Fagopyrum esculentum	Perennial	7	8	can be; dark honey with distinct flavor; granulates quickly	rarely cultivated now	minor

F	Blue vine	Gonolobus laevis	Perennial	no. Honey is clear, heavy bodied of excellent flavor.	feral	minor; Strong hives can collect up to 100 pounds.

C, F	Soybean	Glycine soja	Annual	7	10	cultivated	major

C, F	Sunflower	Helianthus annuus	Annual	6	9	can be	feral, cultivated	minor – 30–100 pounds/acre

C, F	Basil	Koellia	Annual	no	cultivated	minor

F	Henbit Deadnettle	Lamium sp	Perennial	3	5	no	feral	minor but valuable due to earliness/frost hardiness

C, F	Lavender	Lavandula angustifolia	Perennial (shrub)	6	9	can be, see Monofloral honey	cultivated	minor

F	Birdsfoot trefoil	Lotus corniculatus	Perennial	6	8	no	feral	minor

C, F	White Sweet Clover	Melilotus alba	Biennial	5	8	yes	feral, cultivated	major up to 200 pounds per hive

C, F	Yellow Sweet Clover	Melilotus officinalis	Biennial	5	8	yes	feral, cultivated	major up to 200 pounds per hive

C, F	Alfalfa	Medicago sativa	Perennial	7	8	as clover honey. Alfalfa honey granulates readily.	feral, cultivated	major

C, F	Clover	Melilotus spp. and Trifolium spp.	Biennial	5	8	as clover honey	feral, cultivated	major – up to 500 pounds per acre in a good year

F	Melissa, Lemon Balm	Melissa officinalis	Perennial	Western US – 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	Mentha piperita	Perennial	no	feral

F	Catnip, Cat mint	Nepeta mussinii; Nepeta grandiflora; Nepeta cataria	Perennial	6	9	no	feral, ornamental	minor

F	Oregano	Origanum vulgare	Perennial	6	9	no	cultivated?	minor

C, F	Poppy	Papaver somniferum	Perennial	minor – 20–30 pounds/acre

F	Russian Sage	Perovskia atriplicifolia	Perennial	7	9	can be	ornamental	minor

C, F	Phacelia, Tansy	Phacelia tanacetifolia	Perennial	Western US – One of the best spring forage sources for honeybees. Blooms 45–60 days and continuously produces nectar throughout the day.	180–1,500 pounds honey per acre, depending on soil quality and depth; 300–1000 pounds of pollen.

G, H	Plantain	Plantago Major	Perennial	7

F	Smartweed	Polygonum spp.	Perennial	8	9	feral	major

F	Selfheal	Prunella vulgaris	Perennial	7	8	no	feral	minor

F	Lungwort	Pulmonaria spp.	Perennial	5	5	no	feral	minor

F	Appalachian Mountain Mint	Pycnanthemum flexuosum	Perennial	8	10	minor

F	Azalea	Rhododendron spp.	Perennial	6	8	no	ornamental	minor

F	Scrophularia	Scrophularia spp.	Perennial	7	7	no	feral	minor

F	Sedum, Autumn Joy	Sedum spectabile	Perennial

F	Goldenrod	Solidago spp.	Perennial	9	10	can be; Honey golden color of deep amber; marked flavor; granulates quickly	feral	major

F	Woundwort	Stachys byzantina	Perennial	5	5	no	feral	minor

F	Chickweed	Stellaria Media	Annual	4	7	no	feral	minor

F	Dandelion	Taraxacum officinale	Annual	4	5	no Honey deep yellow will granulate quickly; mostly consumed by bees during brood rearing	feral	major

F	Germander, Thyme	Teucrium canadense	Perennial	7	8	no	feral	minor

F	Thyme	Thymus pulegioides; Thymus serpyllum	Perennial	6	7	no	feral, cultivated	minor – 50–150 pounds honey/acre

F	Red-Flowering Thyme	Thymus praecox	Perennial	6	7	feral?	major

C, F	Alsike Clover	Trifolium hybridum	Perennial	as clover honey. Alsike clover honey is one of the very best honey plants in America.	feral, cultivated	major, up to 500 pounds/acre

C, F	Crimson clover	Trifolium incarnatum	Perennial	as clover honey	feral, cultivated	major

C, F	Red Clover	Trifolium pratense	Perennial	6	7	as clover honey	feral, cultivated	major

C, F	White Clover	Trifolium repens	Perennial	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.	Perennial	7	8	no	ornamental?	minor

F	Tall Ironweed	Vernonia altissima	Perennial	8	9	no	feral	minor

F	Speedwell	Veronica spicata	Perennial	6	6	no	feral	minor

F	Tufted Vetch, Common Vetch	Vicia cracca	Perennial	7	8	no	feral	minor

F	Common Vetch	Vicia sativa	Perennial	7	8	no	feral	minor

F	Blackhaw	Viburnum prunifolium	Perennial (shrub)	5	6	no	feral	minor

Sentence(s)

Clover is one of the nectar sources for honeybees.

final_sentence: Clover is one of the nectar sources for honeybees.