POLLEN SOURCE

The term 'pollen source' is often used in the context of beekeeping and refers to flowering plants as a source of pollen for bees or other insects. Bees collect pollen as a protein source to raise their brood. For the plant, the pollinizer, this can be an important mechanism for sexual reproduction, as the pollinator distributes its pollen. Few flowering plants self pollinate; some can provide their own pollen (self fertile), but require a pollinator to move the pollen; others are dependent on cross pollination from a genetically different source of viable pollen, through the activity of pollinators. One of the possible pollinators to assist in cross-pollination are honeybees. The article below is mainly about the pollen source from a beekeeping perspective.
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. Dry pollen, is a food source for bees, which contains 16 - 30% protein, 1 - 10% fat, 1 - 7% starch, many vitamins, but little sugar. The protein source needed for rearing one worker bee from larval to adult stage requires approximately 120 to 145 mg of pollen. An average bee colony will collect about 20 to 57 kg (44 to 125 pounds) of pollen a year.
Source: THE R-VALUES OF HONEY: POLLEN COEFFICIENT accessed Feb 2005

Contents

Spring

Trees and shrubs - Spring

Pictures

Flowers and annual crop plants - Spring

Summer

Trees and shrubs - Summer

Flowers and annual crop plants - Summer

Fall

Trees and shrubs - Fall

Flowers and annual crop plants - Fall

See also

External links

Spring

Trees and shrubs - Spring

Common name	Latin name	Blooming months	Pollen color	Availability	Source for honeybees
Maple	''Acer'' spp.	Feb - Apr	light yellow	feral	fair
Manitoba Maple (Box elder)	''Acer negundo''	Feb - Apr	light olive	feral	good
Norway maple	''Acer platanoides''	Apr - May	yellow green, olive	feral	fair
Red Maple	''Acer rubrum''	Mar - Apr	grey brown	feral
Grey Alder	''Alnus incana''	Feb - Apr	brownish yellow	feral
American Chestnut	''Castanea dentata''	May - Jun		mostly ornamental
Sweet Chestnut	''Castanea sativa''	May		feral	good
Common Hackberry	''Celtis occidentalis''	Apr - May		feral
Flowering Quince	''Chaenomeles japonica'', ''Chaenomeles lagenaria'', ''Chaenomeles speciosa 'Nivalis', ''Chaenomeles x superba''	Apr - May		feral	good
American Hazel	''Corylus americana''	Mar - Apr	light green	feral and ornamental	fair/good
Hawthorn	''Crataegus'' spp.	Apr - May	yellow brown	feral	fair
White Ash	''Fraxinus americana''	Apr - May
Honey Locust	''Gleditsia triancanthos''	May - Jun		feral
American holly	''Ilex opaca''	Apr - Jun		feral
Walnut	''Juglans'' spp.	Apr - May		cultivated	fair
Tulip-tree	''Lirodendron tulipifera''	May - Jun		feral and ornamental	good
Crab Apple	''Malus'' spp.	Mar - Jun	light olive	ornamental
Apple	''Malus domestica, Malus sylvestris''	Apr - May	yellow white	cultivated and ornamental	very good
American Sycamore	''Platanus occidentalis''	Apr - May	light olive	feral
Plum	''Prunus'' spp.	Apr - May	light grey, grey	ornamental and cultivated
Almond	''Prunus amygdalus''	Feb	light brown to brown pollen - not considered a good pollen source but bees are the primary pollinator	cultivated mostly in California	fair
Wild Cherry	''Prunus avium''	Apr - May	yellow brown, light brown	feral	very good
Cherry Plum	''Prunus cerasifera''		light brown to brown	feral	fair
Sour Cherry	''Prunus cerasus''	Apr - May	dark yellow	ornamental and cultivated	very good
Peach	''Prunus persica''	Apr - May	redish yellow	ornamental and cultivated	good
Black Cherry	''Prunus serotina''	Apr - May		feral	minor
Blackthorn	''Prunus spinosa''			feral	good
Pear	''Pyrus communis''	Apr - May	red yellow	ornamental and cultivated	good
Oak	''Quercus'' spp.	May		feral
Oak	''Quercus robur'', ''Quercus pedunculata''	May	light olive	feral	minor
Black Locust	''Robinia pseudoacacia''	May - Jun		feral
Blackberry	''Rubus'' spp.	May - Jun	light grey	feral and cultivated
Raspberry	''Rubus idaeus''	May - Jun		feral and cultivated	good
Willow	''Salix'' spp.	Feb - Apr	lemon	feral	good
White Willow	''Salix alba''			feral	good
Goat Willow	''Salix caprea''	Mar - Apr		feral	very good
Violet Willow	''Salix daphnoides''	Mar - Apr		feral	very good
Pussy Willow	''Salix discolor''	Mar - Apr		feral and ornamental
Basket Willow	''Salix purpurea''	Mar - Apr		feral	very good
Silky leaf osier, Smith's Willow	''Salix x smithiana''	Apr - May			very good
American mountain ash	''Sorbus americana''	May-Jun		feral
American Elm	''Ulmus americana''	Feb - Apr	light grey	feral
Winged Elm	''Ulmus alata''	Feb - Mar	pale yellow	feral	good
Europea field elm	''Ulmus americana''			feral	good

Pictures

Flowers and annual crop plants - Spring

Common name	Latin name	Blooming months	Pollen color	Availability	Source for honeybees
Ajuga (Bronze Bugle, Common Bugle)	''Ajuga reptans''	mid spring
Chives	''Allium schoenoprasum''	May - Sep		cultivated?
Asparagus	''Asparagus officinalis''	May - Jun	bright orange	cultivated
Mustard	''Brassica arvenisi''	Apr - May	lemon	cultivated and feral
Canola	''Brassica napus''	May - Jun	lemon	extensively cultivated	very good
Yellow Crocus	''Crocus vernus'' (syn. ''Crocus aureus'')	April	orange yellow	feral and ornamental	fair
Leopard's Bane	''Doronicum cordatum''	Apr - May
Winter aconite	''Eranthis hyemalis''	Mar - Apr	yellow	feral and ornamental	good
Snowdrop	''Galanthus nivalis''	Mar - Apr	orange, red		fair
Henbit	''Lamium amplexicaule''	April	orange red, red, purplish red	Apr - Jul	poor
White Sweet Clover	''Melilotus alba''	May - Aug	yellow to dark yellow	feral and cultivated	good
Yellow Sweet Clover	''Melilotus officinalis''	May - Aug	yellow to dark yellow	feral and cultivated
Sainfoin	''Onobrychis viciifolia''	May - Jul	yellow brown		very good
Raspberry	''Rubus idaeus''	May - Jul	white grey	feral and cultivated	good
Siberian squill	''Scilla sibirica''	Mar - Apr	blue	feral and ornamental	good
White mustard	''Sinapis alba''	June	lemon	feral and cultivated	good
Chick weed	''Stellaria media''	Apr - Jul	yellowish	feral	minor
Dandelion	''Taraxacum officinale''	Apr - May	red yellow, orange	feral	very good

Summer

Trees and shrubs - Summer

Common name	Latin name	Blooming months	Pollen color	Availability	Source for honeybees
Horse chestnut	''Aesculus hippocastanum''	May - Jun after 80-110 growing degree days.	red	feral	good
Southern Catalpa	''Catalpa bignonioides''	Jun - Jul		ornamental	fair
Northern Catalpa	''Catalpa speciosa''	Jun - Jul		ornamental
Bluebeard	''Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Heavenly Blue' ''	Aug - Sep			very good
Virginia creeper	''Parthenocissus quinquefolia''	Jul - Aug			good
Boston Ivy 'Veitchii'	''Parthenocissus tricuspidata 'Veitchii'	Jun - Jul			good
Sumac	''Rhus glabra''	Jun - Jul
Elder	''Sambucus canadensis''	Jun - Jul
Basswood or American Linden	''Tilia americana''	Jun - Jul	yellow to light orange	feral and ornamental
Blueberry	''Vaccínium myrtíllus''	Jun	red yellow, orange	cultivated	poor

Flowers and annual crop plants - Summer

Common name	Latin name	Blooming months	Pollen color	Availability	Source for honeybees
Allium	''Allium'' spp.			feral and cultivated
Onion	''Allium cepa''		light olive	cultivated
Chives	''Allium schoenoprasum''	May - Sep		feral and cultivated
Garlic chives	''Allium tuberosa''	Aug - Sep		feral and cultivated
Leadwort syn. Indigobush	''Amorpha fruticosa''	Jun - Jul		ornamental?
Aster	''Aster'' spp.	Sep-Frost	reddish yellow	feral and ornamental
Land-in-blue	''Aster x dumosus''	Aug - Sep		feral
Borage	''Borago officinalis''	Jun - Frost		ornamental
Marigold	''Calendula officinalis''	Jun - Sep
Heather	''Calluna vulgaris''	Jul - Aug			good
Hemp	''Cannabis sativa''	Aug	yellow green		good source
Blue Thistle	''Carduus'' spp.
Star thistle	''Centaurea'' spp.	Jul - Sep
Knapweed	''Centaurea macrocephala''	Jul - Aug			good
Knapweed	''Centaurea nigra''		very light olive
Chicory	''Cichorium intybus L.''		white
Cotoneaster	''Cotoneaster'' spp.				good
Cucumber	''Cucumis'' spp.		pale yellow	cultivated
Melons	''Cucumis melo''	Jun-Frost	pale yellow	cultivated
Pumpkin	''Cucurbita pepo''	Jun-Frost	bright yellow	cultivated
Fireweed	''Epilobium angustifolium''	Jul - Aug	blue	feral
Joe-Pye weed	''Eupatorium'' spp.	Aug - Sep
Buckwheat	''Fagopyrum esculentum''	Jul - Aug	light yellow to light green	cultivated	good source
Blue vine	''Gonolobus laevis'' syn. ''Cynanchum laeve''
Sunflower	''Helianthus annuus''	Jun - Sep	golden	feral and cultivated
Jewelweed	''Impatients capensis''		yellowish white
Alyssum	''Lobularia maritima''	Jun - Sep
Mallow	''Malva alcea''	Jun - Sep
Alfalfa	''Medicago sativa''	July - Aug	greyish yellow	feral and cultivated
Clover	''Melilotus'' spp. and ''Trifolium'' spp.	May - Aug		feral and cultivated
White Sweet Clover	''Melilotus alba''			feral and cultivated
Yellow Sweet Clover	''Melilotus officinalis''			feral and cultivated
Basil	''Ocimum basilicum''			ornamental
Poppy	''Papaver somniverum''	May - Jun	grey	feral and ornamental	very good source
Smartweed	''Polygonum'' spp.	Aug - Sep
Chickweed	''Stellaria media''	Apr - Jul			minor source
Germander	''Teucrium chamaedrys''	Jul - Aug
Alsike Clover	''Trifolium hybridum''		yellow brown		good source
Crimson Clover	''Trifolium incarnatum''		dark brown
White Clover	''Trifolium repens''	Jun - Jul	yellow brown		good source
Cat-tail	''Typha latifolia''	Jun - Jul
Common vetch	''Vicia cracca''	Jul - Aug
Spring Vetch	''Vicia sativa''	Jul - Aug
Sweet Corn	''Zea mays''	Jun - Jul	yellowish white	cultivated

Fall

Trees and shrubs - Fall

Common name	Latin name	Blooming months	Pollen color	Availability	Source for honeybees
Chinese Elm, Lacebark Elm	''Ulmus parvifolia''	Aug - Sep		ornamental	good

Flowers and annual crop plants - Fall

Common name	Latin name	Blooming months	Pollen color	Availability	Source for honeybees
Aster	''Aster'' spp.	Sep-Frost	reddish yellow
Borage	''Borago officinalis''	Jun - Frost
Melons	''Cucumis melo''	Jun-Frost		cultivated
Sweet autumn clematis	''Clematis ternifolia''	late Sept	white	ornamental
Pumpkin	''Cucurbita pepo''	Jun-Frost	bright yellow	cultivated
Ivy	''Hedera'' spp.	Sep - Oct	dull yellow or black?	ornamental (not native to America)
Goldenrod	''Solidago'' spp.	Sep - Oct	golden	feral

Source: Bienenweide Arbeitsblatt 207, Bieneninstitut Kirchhain, 2001

See also

★ Nectar source

★ Forage (honeybee)

★ List of honey plants

External links

★ Some Ohio Nectar and Pollen Producing Plants Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet, 2000, Dr. James Tew

★ Honey Plants Flowering Plants/Trees Dana Stahlman, 2004

★ The pollen loads of the honeybee, Dorothy Hodges, Bee Research Association Limited, London, 1952

★ Bienennährpflanzen 1 : Gehölze Nov 1999, Thomas Lamp; accessed 05/2005