List of Northern American nectar sources for honey bees
The nectar resource in a given area depends on the kinds of flowering plants present and their blooming periods. Which kinds 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 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. Hopkins' Bioclimatic Law states that in North America east of the Rockies, a 130 m increase in elevation, a 4° change in latitude north, or a 10° change in longitude east will cause a 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. An agricultural crop such as canola or alfalfa may be a major or minor source depending on local plantings. Generally, the more diverse a forage area is, the better for a stationary apiary. Urban, suburban and areas not under cultivation provide more consistent warm-season nectar forage than areas that are heavily cultivated with only a few agricultural crops. The nectar sources from large cultivated fields of blooming apples, cherries, canola, melons, sunflowers, clover etc. benefit a bee keeper who is willing to travel with his hives throughout the season.
Honeydew sources are not included in this listing.
Trees and shrubs
Flowers, Crops, Herbs and Grasses
| Plant type | Common name | Latin name | Perennial/Annual | Begin Bloom Month | End Bloom Month | Monofloral honey | Availability | Nectar Production |
| F | Anise hyssop | Agastache foeniculum | Perennial | 7 | 10 | no | feral | minor |
| 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 | ' 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 | ' | 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 | ' | 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 arvenisis | Annual | 4 | 5 | no? | cultivated | minor |
| C | Oilseed Rape | Brassica napus L., Brassica rapa | Annual | 5 | 6 | yes, see Monofloral honey | cultivated | major |
| F | Marigold | ' | Annual | 6 | 9 | no | ornamental | minor |
| F | Canada thistle | Carduus arvensis | Perennial | light honey of good quality | ||||
| F | Thistle | ' spp. | Annual | 7 | 9 | no | feral | minor |
| F | Mountain Bluet | Centaurea Montana | Short-lived Perennial | 5 | 5 | no?? | feral | major |
| F | Creeping thistle | Cirsium arvense | Perennial | 7 | 9 | feral | ||
| F | Sweet Autumn Clematis | Clematis terniflora | Perennial | 9 | 9 | ornamental | minor | |
| F | Clethra Summersweet | ' | Perennial | 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 | ' | Annual | 6 | 10 | no | cultivated | minor |
| C, F | Wild Carrot | ' | 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, | ' 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. The most unusual feature of Echium vulgare is the protection of the nectar inside the flower from vaporization or flushing away. It is why almost for 2 months this plant is a stable source of nectar for bees. Additionally this plant produces nectar throughout the day unlike most plants which produce nectar for a short period of time. If the bees have a good access to Echium they can collect between 12–20 lbs of nectar a day. The concentration of sugars in the nectar vary 22.6–48.3% depending on the quality of the soil, and not on the amount of rain. The honey is light amber in color and very fragrant with a pleasant taste, and does not crystallize for 9–15 months. | major – 300–1,000 pounds honey/acre depending on soil. 500–2000 lbs of dark blue pollen. |
| F | Globe Thistle | ' | Annual | 8 | 8 | feral | major | |
| F | Fireweed | Perennial | 6 | 9 | yes | feral | major | |
| F | Heather | Erica vulgaris, though many varieties | Perennial | 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 | 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 | 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. Can be seeded several times per year. Prefers three feet of topsoil. | 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, | 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 | 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 | 5 | 6 | no | feral | minor |
Garden plants to feed honey bees in Canada
- Aster
- Bluebells
- Clematis
- Cornflowers
- Cosmos
- Crocus
- Hellebore
- Lavandula
- Marigold
- Mint
- Primula
- Rosemary
- Rudbeckia
- Sunflower
Gallery