Raffi at 07:17, 4 April 2007

2007-04-04T07:17:23Z

New page

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-pollination|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 day]]s. The plants listed below are plants that would grow in [[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]] [http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-ne1.html Hardiness zone] 5. A good predictor for when a plant will bloom and produce [[pollen]] is a calculation of the growing degree days.

[[Image:Bee taking off.jpg|thumb|350pix|Bee collecting pollen]]

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: [http://www.nhb.org/download/research/rvalue.pdf THE R-VALUES OF HONEY: POLLEN COEFFICIENT] accessed Feb 2005

[[Image:Plumpollen0060.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Bee on plum tree with pollen]]

==Spring==
===Trees and shrubs - Spring===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Common name
!Latin name
!Blooming months
!Pollen color
!Availability
!Source for honeybees
|-
|[[Maple]]
|''Acer'' spp.
|Feb - Apr
|style="background: #FF9;"| light yellow
|feral
|fair
|-
|[[Manitoba Maple]] (Box elder)
|''Acer negundo''
|Feb - Apr
|style="background:#D1E231"|light olive
|feral
|good
|-
|[[Norway maple]]
|''Acer platanoides''
|Apr - May
|style="background:olive"|yellow green, olive
|feral
|fair
|-
|[[Red Maple]]
|''Acer rubrum''
|Mar - Apr
|style="background:#C3B091"|grey brown
|feral
|
|-
|[[Alder|Grey Alder]]
|''Alnus incana''
|Feb - Apr
|style="background:#FFBA00"|brownish yellow
|feral
|
|-
|[[American Chestnut]]
|''Castanea dentata''
|May - Jun
|
|mostly ornamental
|
|-
|[[Sweet Chestnut]]
|''Castanea sativa''
|May
|
|feral
|good
|-
|[[Hackberry|Common Hackberry]]
|''Celtis occidentalis''
|Apr - May
|
|feral
|
|-
|[[Quince|Flowering Quince]]
|''Chaenomeles japonica'', ''Chaenomeles lagenaria'', ''Chaenomeles speciosa 'Nivalis''', ''Chaenomeles x superba''
|Apr - May
|
|feral
|good
|-
|[[Hazel|American Hazel]]
|''Corylus americana''
|Mar - Apr
|style="background:#ADFF2F"|light green
|feral and ornamental
|fair/good
|-
|[[Crataegus|Hawthorn]]
|''Crataegus'' spp.
|Apr - May
|style="background:#FFD700"|yellow brown
|feral
|fair
|-
|[[White Ash]]
|''Fraxinus americana''
|Apr - May
|
|
|-
|[[Honey locust|Honey Locust]]
|''Gleditsia triancanthos''
|May - Jun
|
|feral
|
|-
|[[American holly]]
|''Ilex opaca''
|Apr - Jun
|
|feral
|
|-
|[[Walnut]]
|''Juglans'' spp.
|Apr - May
|
|cultivated
|fair
|-
|[[Liriodendron|Tulip-tree]]
|''Lirodendron tulipifera''
|May - Jun
|
|feral and ornamental
|good
|-
|[[Crab Apple]]
|''Malus'' spp.
|Mar - Jun
|style="background:#D1E231"|light olive
|ornamental
|
|-
|[[Apple]]
|''Malus domestica, Malus sylvestris''
|Apr - May
|style="background: #FF6;"|yellow white
|cultivated and ornamental
|very good
|-
|[[Platanus|American Sycamore]]
|''Platanus occidentalis''
|Apr - May
|style="background:#D1E231"|light olive
|feral
|
|-
|[[Prunus|Plum]]
|''Prunus'' spp.
|Apr - May
|style="background:#C0C0C0"|light grey, grey
|ornamental and cultivated
|
|-
|[[Almond]]
|''Prunus amygdalus''
|Feb
|style="background:#F0DC82"|light brown to brown pollen - not considered a good pollen source but bees are the primary pollinator
|cultivated mostly in California
|fair
|-
|[[Prunus|Wild Cherry]]
|''Prunus avium''
|Apr - May
|style="background:#F0DC82"|yellow brown, light brown
|feral
|very good
|-
|[[Cherry Plum]]
|''Prunus cerasifera''
|
|style="background:#DAA520"|light brown to brown
|feral
|fair
|-
|[[Cherry|Sour Cherry]]
|''Prunus cerasus''
|Apr - May
|style="background:#FCC200"|dark yellow
|ornamental and cultivated
|very good
|-
|[[Peach]]
|''Prunus persica''
|Apr - May
|style="background:#FFBF00"|redish yellow
|ornamental and cultivated
|good
|-
|[[Prunus|Black Cherry]]
|''Prunus serotina''
|Apr - May
|
|feral
|minor
|-
|[[Blackthorn]]
|''Prunus spinosa''
|
|
|feral
|good
|-
|[[Pear]]
|''Pyrus communis''
|Apr - May
|style="background:#FF8C00"|red yellow
|ornamental and cultivated
|good
|-
|[[Oak]]
|''Quercus'' spp.
|May
|
|feral
|
|-
|[[Oak]]
|''Quercus robur'', ''Quercus pedunculata''
|May
|style="background:#D1E231"|light olive
|feral
|minor
|-
|[[Black locust|Black Locust]]
|''Robinia pseudoacacia''
|May - Jun
|
|feral
|
|-
|[[Blackberry]]
|''Rubus'' spp.
|May - Jun
|style="background:#D3D3D3"|light grey
|feral and cultivated
|
|-
|[[Raspberry]]
|''Rubus idaeus''
|May - Jun
|
|feral and cultivated
|good
|-
|[[Willow]]
|''Salix'' spp.
|Feb - Apr
|style="background:#FDE910"|lemon
|feral
|good
|-
|[[White Willow]]
|''Salix alba''
|
|
|feral
|good
|-
|[[Goat Willow]]
|''Salix caprea''
|Mar - Apr
|
|feral
|very good
|-
|[[Willow|Violet Willow]]
|''Salix daphnoides''
|Mar - Apr
|
|feral
|very good
|-
|[[Willow|Pussy Willow]]
|''Salix discolor''
|Mar - Apr
|
|feral and ornamental
|
|-
|[[Willow|Basket Willow]]
|''Salix purpurea''
|Mar - Apr
|
|feral
|very good
|-
|[[Willow|Silky leaf osier, Smith's Willow]]
|''Salix x smithiana''
|Apr - May
|
|
|very good
|-
|[[Rowan|American Rowan]] Mountain Ash
|''Sorbus americana''
|May-Jun
|
|feral
|
|-
|[[Elm|American Elm]]
|''Ulmus americana''
|Feb - Apr
|style="background:#D3D3D3"|light grey
|feral
|
|-
|Winged Elm
|''Ulmus alata''
|Feb - Mar
|style="background:#FBEC5D"|pale yellow
|feral
|good
|-
|[[Elm|Europea field elm]]
|''Ulmus americana''
|
|
|feral
|good
|}

====Pictures====
[[Image:Ucan-ari1.jpg|left|thumb|floating|300px|Flying [[honeybee]] with red pollen in [[pollen basket]] likely on henbit]][[Image:blue2.JPG|right|thumb|floating|400px|Bees in April with blue [[Siberian squill]] pollen in [[pollen basket]]]][[Image:may_red_chestnut2.JPG|left|thumb|floating|300px|Honeybees in May with red (likely [[Chestnut]]) pollen in [[pollen basket]]]][[Image:Bee_on_dandelion.JPG|right|thumb|floating|400px|Dandelion pollen]]
<br>
<br>
<br>

===Flowers and annual crop plants - Spring===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!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
|style="background: #FFA500"|bright orange
|cultivated
|
|-
|[[Mustard plant|Mustard]]
|''Brassica arvenisi''
|Apr - May
|style="background: #FF3;"|lemon
|cultivated and feral
|
|-
|[[Canola]]
|''Brassica napus''
|May - Jun
|style="background: #FF3;"|lemon
|extensively cultivated
|very good
|-
|[http://www.meemelink.com/prints%20pages/13180.Iridaceae%20-%20Crocus%20aureus.htm Yellow Crocus]
|''[[Crocus vernus]]'' (syn. ''Crocus aureus'')
|April
|style="background: #FC6;"|orange yellow
|feral and ornamental
|fair
|-
|[http://www.gardeningcd.com/PerenFrms/doron_co.htm Leopard's Bane]
|''Doronicum cordatum''
|Apr - May
|
|
|
|-
|[[Winter aconite]]
|''Eranthis hyemalis''
|Mar - Apr
|style="background: #FF0;"|yellow
|feral and ornamental
|good
|-
|[[Snowdrop]]
|''Galanthus nivalis''
|Mar - Apr
|style="background: #FF4100"|orange, red
|
|fair
|-
|[[Lamium|Henbit]]
|''Lamium amplexicaule''
|April
|style="background: #FF0000"|orange red, red, purplish red
|Apr - Jul
|poor
|-
|[[White Sweet Clover]]
|''Melilotus alba''
|May - Aug
|style="background: #FC0;"|yellow to dark yellow
|feral and cultivated
|good
|-
|[[Yellow Sweet Clover]]
|''Melilotus officinalis''
|May - Aug
|style="background: #FC0;"|yellow to dark yellow
|feral and cultivated
|
|-
|[[Sainfoin]]
|''Onobrychis viciifolia''
|May - Jul
|style="background: #FC3;"|yellow brown
|
|very good
|-
|[[Raspberry]]
|''Rubus idaeus''
|May - Jul
|style="background: #DCDCDC"|white grey
|feral and cultivated
|good
|-
|[[Siberian squill]]
|''Scilla sibirica''
|Mar - Apr
|style="background: #039;"|blue
|feral and ornamental
|good
|-
|[[Mustard plant|White mustard]]
|''Sinapis alba''
|June
|style="background: #FF3;"|lemon
|feral and cultivated
|good
|-
|[http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/perl/bioview.pl?genspec=stme2&action=View Chick weed]
|''Stellaria media''
|Apr - Jul
|style="background: #FF3;"|yellowish
|feral
|minor
|-
|[[Dandelion]]
|''Taraxacum officinale''
|Apr - May
|style="background: #F93;"|red yellow, orange
|feral
|very good
|}

==Summer==
===Trees and shrubs - Summer===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Common name
!Latin name
!Blooming months
!Pollen color
!Availability
!Source for honeybees
|-
|[[Horse chestnut]]
|''Aesculus hippocastanum''
|May - Jun after 80-110 growing degree days.
|style="background: #F00000"|red
|feral
|good
|-
|[[Catalpa|Southern Catalpa]]
|''Catalpa bignonioides''
|Jun - Jul
|
|ornamental
|fair
|-
|[[Catalpa|Northern Catalpa]]
|''Catalpa speciosa''
|Jun - Jul
|
|ornamental
|
|-
|[[Bluebeard]]
|''Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Heavenly Blue' ''
|Aug - Sep
|
|
|very good
|-
|[[Virginia creeper]]
|''Parthenocissus quinquefolia''
|Jul - Aug
|
|
|good
|-
|[[Ivy|Boston Ivy 'Veitchii']]
|''Parthenocissus tricuspidata 'Veitchii'''
|Jun - Jul
|
|
|good
|-
|[[Sumac]]
|''Rhus glabra''
|Jun - Jul
|
|
|
|-
|[[Elderberry|Elder]]
|''Sambucus canadensis''
|Jun - Jul
|
|
|
|-
|[[Basswood]] or American Linden
|''Tilia americana''
|Jun - Jul
|style="background: #FC0;"|yellow to light orange
|feral and ornamental
|
|-
|[[Blueberry]]
|''Vaccínium myrtíllus''
|Jun
|style="background: #F93;"|red yellow, orange
|cultivated
|poor
|}

===Flowers and annual crop plants - Summer===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Common name
!Latin name
!Blooming months
!Pollen color
!Availability
!Source for honeybees
|-
|[[Allium]]
|''Allium'' spp.
|
|
|feral and cultivated
|
|-
|[[Onion]]
|''Allium cepa''
|
|style="background: #CC6;"|light olive
|cultivated
|
|-
|[[Chives]]
|''Allium schoenoprasum''
|May - Sep
|
|feral and cultivated
|
|-
|[[Chives|Garlic chives]]
|''Allium tuberosa''
|Aug - Sep
|
|feral and cultivated
|
|-
|[http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/amorphafrut.html Leadwort syn. Indigobush]
|''Amorpha fruticosa''
|Jun - Jul
|
|ornamental?
|
|-
|[[Aster (flower)|Aster]]
|''Aster'' spp.
|Sep-Frost
|style="background: #FC6;"|reddish yellow
|feral and ornamental
|
|-
|[http://plants.garden-source.com/Perennials/Woods-Blue-Aster.php 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
|style="background: #CF3;"|yellow green
|
|good source
|-
|[[Thistle|Blue Thistle]]
|''Carduus'' spp.
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[Star thistle]]
|''Centaurea'' spp.
|Jul - Sep
|
|
|
|-
|[[Knapweed]]
|''Centaurea macrocephala''
|Jul - Aug
|
|
|good
|-
|[[Knapweed]]
|''Centaurea nigra''
|
|style="background: #CF9;"|very light olive
|
|
|-
|[[Chicory]]
|''Cichorium intybus L.''
|
|style="background: white"|white
|
|
|-
|[[Cotoneaster]]
|''Cotoneaster'' spp.
|
|
|
|good
|-
|[[Cucumber]]
|''Cucumis'' spp.
|
|style="background: #FF3;"|pale yellow
|cultivated
|
|-
|[[Melon]]s
|''Cucumis melo''
|Jun-Frost
|style="background: #FF3;"|pale yellow
|cultivated
|
|-
|[[Pumpkin]]
|''Cucurbita pepo''
|Jun-Frost
|style="background: #FFFF00"|bright yellow
|cultivated
|
|-
|[[Fireweed]]
|''Epilobium angustifolium''
|Jul - Aug
|style="background: #0000FF"|blue
|feral
|
|-
|[[Joe-Pye weed]]
|''Eupatorium'' spp.
|Aug - Sep
|
|
|
|-
|[[Buckwheat]]
|''Fagopyrum esculentum''
|Jul - Aug
|style="background: #CF9;"|light yellow to light green
|cultivated
|good source
|-
|[http://www.monarchwatch.org/milkweed/guide/cynan.htm Blue vine]
|''Gonolobus laevis'' syn. ''Cynanchum laeve''
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[Sunflower]]
|''Helianthus annuus''
|Jun - Sep
|style="background: #FC0;"|golden
|feral and cultivated
|
|-
|[[Jewelweed]]
|''Impatients capensis''
|
|style="background: #FFFFE0"|yellowish white
|
|
|-
|[http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/wildseed/37/37.7.html Alyssum]
|''Lobularia maritima''
|Jun - Sep
|
|
|
|-
|[[Mallow]]
|''Malva alcea''
|Jun - Sep
|
|
|
|-
|[[Alfalfa]]
|''Medicago sativa''
|July - Aug
|style="background: #EEE8AA"|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
|style="background: #808080"|grey
|feral and ornamental
|very good source
|-
|[http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/polpy.htm Smartweed]
|''Polygonum'' spp.
|Aug - Sep
|
|
|
|-
|[http://www.cloudnet.com/~djeans/FlwPlant/Chickweed.htm Chickweed]
|''Stellaria media''
|Apr - Jul
|
|
|minor source
|-
|[http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=F910 Germander]
|''Teucrium chamaedrys''
|Jul - Aug
|
|
|
|-
|[[Clover|Alsike Clover]]
|''Trifolium hybridum''
|
|style="background: #FC3;"|yellow brown
|
|good source
|-
|[[Clover|Crimson Clover]]
|''Trifolium incarnatum''
|
|style="background: #8B4513"|dark brown
|
|
|-
|[[White Clover]]
|''Trifolium repens''
|Jun - Jul
|style="background: #FC3;"|yellow brown
|
|good source
|-
|[[Typha|Cat-tail]]
|''Typha latifolia''
|Jun - Jul
|
|
|
|-
|[[Vetch|Common vetch]]
|''Vicia cracca''
|Jul - Aug
|
|
|
|-
|[[Vetch|Spring Vetch]]
|''Vicia sativa''
|Jul - Aug
|
|
|
|-
|[[Maize|Sweet Corn]]
|''Zea mays''
|Jun - Jul
|style="background: #FFFFE0"|yellowish white
|cultivated
|
|}

==Fall==
===Trees and shrubs - Fall===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!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===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Common name
!Latin name
!Blooming months
!Pollen color
!Availability
!Source for honeybees
|-
|[[Aster (flower)|Aster]]
|''Aster'' spp.
|Sep-Frost
|style="background: #FC0;"|reddish yellow
|
|
|-
|[[Borage]]
|''Borago officinalis''
|Jun - Frost
|
|
|
|-
|[[Melon]]s
|''Cucumis melo''
|Jun-Frost
|
|cultivated
|
|-
|[http://www.anniesannuals.com/signs/b%20-%20c/clematis_ternifolia_sac.htm Sweet autumn clematis]
|''Clematis ternifolia''
|late Sept
|style="background: #FFF;"|white
|ornamental
|
|-
|[[Pumpkin]]
|''Cucurbita pepo''
|Jun-Frost
|style="background: #FFFF00"|bright yellow
|cultivated
|
|-
|[[Ivy]]
|''Hedera'' spp.
|Sep - Oct
|dull yellow or black?
|ornamental (not native to America)
|
|-
|[[Solidago|Goldenrod]]
|''Solidago'' spp.
|Sep - Oct
|style="background: #FFD700"|golden
|feral
|
|}

Source: Bienenweide Arbeitsblatt 207, Bieneninstitut Kirchhain, 2001

==See also==
*[[Nectar source]]
*[[Forage (honeybee)]]
*[[List of honey plants]]

==External links==
*[http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2168.html Some Ohio Nectar and Pollen Producing Plants] [[Ohio State University]] Ex
tension Fact Sheet, 2000, Dr. James Tew
*[http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/master.htm Honey Plants Flowering Plants/Trees] Dana Stahlman, 2004
*The pollen loads of the honeybee, Dorothy Hodges, Bee Research Association Limited, London, 1952
*[http://me.in-berlin.de/~tlamp/beefood.html Bienennährpflanzen 1 : Gehölze] Nov 1999, Thomas Lamp; accessed 05/2005

[[Category:Flowers]]
[[Category:Trees]]
[[Category:Crops]]
[[Category:Beekeeping]]
[[Category:Pollination]]

Pollen source - Revision history

Raffi at 07:17, 4 April 2007