Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: joker1656 on April 08, 2010, 09:43:56 AM

Title: Can anyone ID this plant, and is it worth anything to the bees?
Post by: joker1656 on April 08, 2010, 09:43:56 AM
http://img547.imageshack.us/img547/3172/dscf5779.jpg (http://img547.imageshack.us/img547/3172/dscf5779.jpg)

http://img547.imageshack.us/img547/8208/dscf5780.jpg (http://img547.imageshack.us/img547/8208/dscf5780.jpg)

We have this plant throughout our woods and fencerows.  What is it, and should I leave it for the bees.  It is a woody type stem/trunk (some of them get 3 inches accross), and grows everywhere.  Thanks!
Title: Re: Can anyone ID this plant, and is it worth anything to the bees?
Post by: Kathyp on April 08, 2010, 11:02:36 AM
looks like a honeysuckle to me.
Title: Re: Can anyone ID this plant, and is it worth anything to the bees?
Post by: Two Bees on April 08, 2010, 11:22:44 AM
I don't believe it's honeysuckle.  Honeysuckle around here is a vining plant that will climb anything.  The blossom of the plant pictured looks a lot like a HS but the variety that I've seen usually has larger, more yellow blossoms.
Title: Re: Can anyone ID this plant, and is it worth anything to the bees?
Post by: Finski on April 08, 2010, 11:41:46 AM

Some Locicera/honeysuckle 
This is realitive species.
http://biology.missouristate.edu/Herbarium/Plants%20of%20the%20Interior%20Highlands/Flowers/Lonicera%20morrowi.jpg (http://biology.missouristate.edu/Herbarium/Plants%20of%20the%20Interior%20Highlands/Flowers/Lonicera%20morrowi.jpg)
Title: Re: Can anyone ID this plant, and is it worth anything to the bees?
Post by: Finski on April 08, 2010, 11:56:22 AM
.
Honey suckle is very atractive to bees. Species are many in gardens even here.

But do you know Rhamnus species. We have here only one species Rhamnus frangula. It blooms several months and it is a good honey plant.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckthorn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckthorn)
Title: Re: Can anyone ID this plant, and is it worth anything to the bees?
Post by: joker1656 on April 08, 2010, 01:17:33 PM
Wow!  It does resemble the leaves and blossoms that Finski put up.  I will say that it is a shrubby tree not a vine.  A large one has grown right in the middle of a huge lilac that we have.  Maybe I can get a picture of the whole plant/tree soon.  The pic I posted was of a small limb.  Thanks! 
Title: Re: Can anyone ID this plant, and is it worth anything to the bees?
Post by: Scadsobees on April 08, 2010, 02:08:51 PM
http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/loja.html (http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/loja.html)


I'd guess honeysuckle as well. I have a shrub that I think is some variety of honeysuckle as well but I don't think the bees can even get the nectar out of the long flower stems, and I never see bees on it.

Rick
Title: Re: Can anyone ID this plant, and is it worth anything to the bees?
Post by: fermentedhiker on April 08, 2010, 02:39:22 PM
I'm with Scadsobees.  Looks like the honeysuckle bushes we have here.  The Bumbles love it but I don't think honeybees have a long enough tongue to make use of it.
Title: Re: Can anyone ID this plant, and is it worth anything to the bees?
Post by: doak on April 08, 2010, 04:04:38 PM
I have one similar that blooms early, before most anything else. It is more bushy type than the running kind.
The bees cover it up. There are several species of "Honey Suckle". Yes , I would say it is one of the species. :)doak
Title: Re: Can anyone ID this plant, and is it worth anything to the bees?
Post by: gardeningfireman on April 08, 2010, 04:26:08 PM
It is a honeysuckle. I have one in my yard. It is a large shrub. I have never seen a bee on it. Dept. of Ag. condemns it as invasive.
Title: Re: Can anyone ID this plant, and is it worth anything to the bees?
Post by: wildbeekeeper on April 08, 2010, 05:24:52 PM
tatarian honeysuckle...its an invasive plant not sure i have seen honeybees on it but it smells pretty :)
Title: Re: Can anyone ID this plant, and is it worth anything to the bees?
Post by: doak on April 08, 2010, 08:06:47 PM
gardeningfireman, if it is a large shrub and not the running kind, I think you may have a wild Azalea. Yes, the honey bees don't work these. :)doak