Honey sugar practically cannot be crystalized and always retains a certain degree of humidity. The consistency, aroma and flavor of honey depends on the vegetation of the area where it is produced. Honey is collected in spring and fall but the spring harvest is always better. The nectar from some plants, especially absinthe, confers disagreeable odors on honey. The sweetest honeys are those made from the nectar of rosemary, orange and acacia blossoms and lavender.
Colors range from transparent yellow to extremely dark brown.
Acacia honey is straw yellow, while that from heather and linden blossoms is greenish. Chestnut honey is brown, while orange-flower honey is amber with reddish shadings. The odors of honey are also determined by the flowers from which the nectar is gathered. Some types of honey are highly odorous, like those of acacia, lavender, thyme and linden, while others have only weak aromas. Honey's fluidity is determined by the amount of fructose it contains.