Flowers for Honey: What to Grow

Like wine-tasting notes derived from viticulture, honeys are also influenced by plants that bees forage and subsequently have tastes distinctive to these species. Common garden plants and wildflowers with their honey-tasting notes can be found in The Beekeeper’s Bible (Jones, R. & Sweeney-Lynch, S., 2011) with a summary of general blooming times and species photos. (Some species included are international in location, but worth noting for foreign honeys consumed.)

Start planning your next perennial planting with consideration for the honeybees. Here are lists provided by The Beekeeper’s Bible for edible honeys, unappetizing honeys and a list for common garden plants to attract honeybees.
 

Late Spring/Summer Flowering 

Acacia (wattle, mimosa) – (May-July) Honey very clear and liquid pale

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) – (June-Aug) Honey pale, white or light amber and sometimes described as minty

Blueberry (bilberry, whortleberry) Vaccinium species and cranberry – (two weeks in May through Aug) Fruity and faint buttery finish

Borage (Borago officinalis) – (June-Sept) Pale honey

Bramble blackberry (Rubus fruiticosus) – (June-Sept) Honey medium colored, coarse flavored

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) – (June-Sept) Dark honey, strong flavored by hints of molasses and malt

Canola (Brassica napus) – (May-Aug) Fine clear honey that granulates quickly

False Acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia) – (Jun-July) Light honey, good density and flavor

Hawthorn (Cataegus monogyna) – (May-June) Dark amber honey with nutty flavor

Knapweed (Centaurea nigra) Ireland import – (June-Sept) Golden honey thin and sharp flavored

Lavendar (Lavendula) species France and Spain – Pale golden honey, pleasant tasting with fine granulation to a texture resembling butter

Lime Tree (Tilia platyphylos. T. cordata, T. americana) – (2-3 weeks in June thru Aug depending on latitude) Light greenish honey with slightly minty taste

Melilots sweet clover (Melilotus alba, M. officinalis and M. indica) – (June-Sept) Pale greenish-yellow honey with slight cinnamon flavor

Rata Tree Metrosideros species New Zealand – (Nov-Mar) White, clear honey

Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) – (June-Aug) Lemon yellow honey

Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa) – (May-Jun) Honey is dark amber and sharp and bitter

Thistle (Cirsium arvense) – (Jun-Aug) Pale, flavorful honey

Tuilip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) – (May-June) Dark amber honey with strong flavor

Late Flowering

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) – (July-Sept) Lightly flavored honey and pale amber

Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium and Epilobium species) rosebay, willow herbs – (July-Sept) Pale, white subtle flavor with tea-like notes

Fuschia species – (July-Sept) Honey is light colored, but very mild and insipid

Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) – (July-Oct) Pale colored, slightly strong almost spicy flavor

Heather (Erica) found in the UK – (July-Sept) Honey is a deep brown, port wine color

Ivy (Hedera helix) – (Oct-Dec) Honey is grayish white with delicate odor and bitter flavor, granulates quickly

Sunflower (Helianthus anuus) – (July-Oct) Light amber honey with subtle citrus undertones

Early Spring/Long Flowering

Almond (Prunus dulcis) – (Feb.) Honey generally regarded as being of poor quality, mostly used in the bakery trade

Apples Malus species – (April-June) Huge varieties of cultivars, Honey light amber with good flavor, granulates quickly

Avacado (Persea americana) – (March-April) Dark amber honey with strong flavor of caramelized molasses

Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera) – (All year blooming) Strong amber honey

Clovers (Trifolium hybridum, T. repens) – (May-Oct) Honey is pale and gently flavored with the scent of the flowers

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) – (March-Sept) Golden coarse-grained honey

Gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa) – (March-May) Good honey from early source

Gum Tree Eucalyptus species – (April-July) Distinctive honey flavor and odor; E. polyanthemos is dark amber and very dense; E. meliodora produces pale and thin honey

Holly (Ilex aquifolium, I. opaca, I. glabra) – (April-July) Pale colored and finely flavored

Leatherwood (Eucryphia lucida) – (Nov-April) Honey strongly spicy, an acquired taste

Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) found in New Zealand – (Sept-May) Full-bodied, herbaceous, sweet tasting honey

Maple Tree Acer species – (April-June) Honey pale yellow or greenish, mild flavor, sometimes regarded as indifferent

Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) – (March-Sept) Honey varies from white to amber with smoky scent of molasses or brown sugar

Needle Bush Hakea and Grevillea species Australia – (Blooming all year depending on species) Sweet clear honey

Oranges Citrus species – (March-April)  Delicious honey, pale and dense with distinct fruit taste and echoes of blossom

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) – (March-Nov) Medium-bodied honey with thick texture

Thyme Thymus species – (May-Sept) Honey has intense aroma and aromatic flavor

Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica) – (April-June) Honey is light amber in color, smooth and very sweet

Unappetizing Honey

Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) – (May-June) All parts of plant are toxic, honey believed poisonous

Privet (Ligustrum vulgare) – (May-June) Honey very strong flavored unless blended with lighter honeys

Ragwort Senecio species – (June-Nov) Rank, bitter tasting honey

Rhododendron (Rhododendrum ponticum) – (Spring and summer flowers depending on species and location) Honey poisonous

Spurge Euphorbia species – (Flowering dependent on location and species) South African species produces bitter honey, burning sensation in mouth

Common Garden Plants to Attract Honeybees

Apiaceae, carrot family:  Angelica archangelica and lovage (Levisticum officinale)

Asteraceae, daisy family:  Cosmos, chicory, fleabane, globe thistle, ox-eye, shasta daisy, sunflower, yarrow

Boraginaceae, borage family:  alkanet, borage, viper’s bugloss

Brassicaceae, cabbage family:  candytuft, charlock, golden alyssum, honesty, mignonette, rockcress, sweet rocket, wallflower

Campanulaceae, bellflower family:  bellflowers

Cannabaceae, hemp family:  hop (Humulus lupulus)

Dipsacaceae, teasel family:  scabious, teasel

Elaeagnaceae family:  oleaster

Fabaceae, pea family:  broom Cytisus species

Grossulariaceae, gooseberry family:  currant

Lamiaceae, mint family:  marjorum, mint Mentha species

Liliaceae, lily family:  grape hyacinth

Limnanthaceae, meadowfoam family:  poached egg plant (Limnanthes douglasii)

Lythraceae, loosestrife family:  loosestrife

Malvaceae, mallow family:  hollyhock, mallow

Onagraceae, willowherb family:  evening primrose

Polemoniaceae, phlox family:  phlox

Primulaceae, primrose family:  polyanthus

Rosaceae, rose family:  cotoneaster

Rutaceae, citrus family:  bergamot

Valeruabaceae, valerian family:  valerian

Reference:
Jones, R. &  Sweeney-Lynch, S. (2011). The Beekeeper's Bible: Bees, Honey, Recipes & Other Home Uses. New York, NY: Stewart, Tabori and Chang; First edition
http://www.amazon.com/Beekeepers-Bible-Honey-Recipes-Other/dp/1584799188/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1435970308&sr=8-1&keywords=beekeepers+bible