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 sources 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 uncultivated areas 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
| Plant type | Nonscientific name | Scientific name | Begin Bloom Month | End Bloom Month | Monofloral honey | Availability | Source for honey bees / pounds of honey per acre |
| T | Maple | Acer | 1 | 5 | no | feral | major but temperature usually too cold |
| T | Red maple | Acer rubrum | 1 | 5 | no | feral | major but temperature usually too cold for bees to fly |
| T | Ohio buckeye | 4 | 5 | no | feral | minor | |
| S | Shadbush | ' | 4 | 5 | no | feral | minor, or major depending on location and weather. |
| S, T | Devil's walkingstick | ' | 7 | 8 | no | feral | minor |
| S | ', Photinia pyrifolia | 5 | 6 | no | feral | minor | |
| S | Black chokeberry | 5 | 6 | no | feral | minor | |
| T | Catalpa, Indian bean | ' | 6 | 7 | no | feral, ornamental | minor |
| S | Common hackberry | 4 | 5 | no | feral | minor | |
| S | Buttonbush | Cephalanthus occidentalis | 7 | 8 | Honey is light in color and mild in flavor. | feral | |
| S | Hawthorn | ' | 4 | 5 | no | feral | minor – 50–100 lb/acre |
| S | Honeysuckle | ' | 6 | 8 | minor | ||
| T | Honey locust | ' | 5 | 6 | no | feral | minor |
| S | American holly | ' | 4 | 6 | no | feral | minor, important in Southeastern US |
| T | Tulip-tree, poplar | ' | 5 | 6 | yes, see Monofloral honey | feral | major in southern Appalachians, select northern locations, and Piedmont |
| T | Apple | ' | 4 | 5 | No, the nectar is mostly used for spring brood-raising and not stored for surplus. | cultivated | minor |
| T | Crabapple | '; Malus coronaria | 3 | 6 | no | ornamental | minor |
| T | Cherry | ' | 4 | 5 | no | feral, cultivated | minor – 30 kg/ha |
| T | Pear | Pyrus communis | 4 | 5 | no | cultivated | minor |
| T | Black cherry | Prunus serotina | 4 | 5 | no | feral, cultivated | minor, can be major under the correct conditions/location |
| T | Plum | Prunus | 4 | 5 | no | feral, cultivated | minor |
| S | Common buckthorn | Rhamnus cathartica | 5 | 6 | no | feral | minor |
| T | Sumac | ' | 6 | 7 | mixed with other honeys | feral | major |
| T | Black locust | Robinia pseudoacacia | 5 | 6 | yes | feral | major – 800–1200 lb/acre; short bloom period of about 10 days |
| S | Raspberry | Rubus | 5 | 6 | yes | feral, cultivated | major in some areas |
| S | Blackberry | Rubus spp. | 5 | 6 | yes | feral, cultivated | major in some areas |
| T | Willow | Salix | 2 | 4 | no | feral, ornamental | major, but outside temperatures are usually too cold for bees to fly, 100–150 lb/acre; 1,500 lb pollen |
| T | Pussy willow | Salix discolor | 3 | 4 | no | feral, ornamental | major but temperature usually too cold for bees to fly |
| T | Bee bee tree | Tetradium | 7 | 9 | ornamental | major | |
| T | Basswood | ', Tilia cordata | 6 | 7 | yes, short flow up to 14 days; white, aromatic honey see Monofloral honey | feral, ornamental, produces a high volume of honey on a cycle of every five to eight years, with lower volume of nectar other years | major – 800–1,100 lb/acre |
| T | American elm | Ulmus americana | 2 | 4 | no | feral | minor |
| S | Blueberry | Vaccinium corymbosum, Vaccinium angustifolium, Vaccinium pennsylvanicum | 5 | 6 | no, honey amber and of good flavor | cultivated | minor in most areas, very low quality pollen, strong colonies may store 50–90 lb of surplus from it |
| S | Black haw | Viburnum prunifolium | 5 | 6 | |||
| T | Redbud | Cercis | 4 | 4 | no | cultivated, ornamental | minor |
| T | Sourwood | Oxydendrum arboreum | 6 | 7 | yes | feral | major |
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 shaking the blossoms allows visible nectar fall | major – 120–250 lb/acre, 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 lb/acre honey, 60–160 lb pollen |
| C, F | Mustard | Brassica arvenisis | Annual | 4 | 5 | no? | cultivated | minor |
| C | Oil rapeseed | Brassica napus L., Brassica rapa | Annual | 5 | 6 | yes | 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 | Cucurbita pepo L. | 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 about 60 additional species exist | 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 E. vulgare is the protection of the nectar inside the flower from vaporization or flushing away. | major – 300–1,000 lb/acre honey depending on soil, 500–2000 lb 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 lb 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 | Annual | 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 lb | ||
| 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 | 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 lb per hive |
| C, F | Yellow sweet clover | Melilotus officinalis | Biennial | 5 | 8 | yes | feral, cultivated | major up to 200 lb 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 lb/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 lb/acre honey, 50–120 lb 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 lb/acre | ||||
| 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 3 ft 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 | Russian sage | Salvia × floriferior | Perennial | 7 | 9 | can be | 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, granulates 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 lb/acre honey |
| 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 best honey plants in America. | feral, cultivated | major, up to 500 lb/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; honey is white or nearly white; very mild flavored and does not granulate readily | 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 |