What's flowering: Victoria

[Milo]

Around 260 to 300 metres. They had two inches of rain at New Years (possibly more in some areas) and a further inch of rain this week.

[Lancej]

What I think is Mountain Gray Gum is slowly starting to flower, appears to be in no hurry to fully bloom up at North Blackwood.

[Andersonhoney]

How long does your blackberry last?
Im southern NSW and 7-800m so not much difference, ours started around a week ago in the open country but stuff sheltered in the bottom of gullys etc will still be a month away. Early December is about normal for here and usually well into Feb before the later patches are finished.

All done. As per a normal year really mid January.

[Lancej]

Did anyone get a return off the blackberries this season?

[220]

Still a few later patches flowering, bees were working it Sunday when I looked.

[Andersonhoney]

Lance, NO.
As this season seems to continue.
Ah well prepare now for next year.

[Lancej]

I'll check up on the Messmate this weekend, hopefully that's doing a bit better.

[Lancej]

Messmate seems to be flowering poorly in central Victoria at the moment.
What I think is Mountain Grey Gum, some are in full flower.

[220]

Doing nothing in southern NSW either had a good look around the farm this morning and only saw one small limb on one messmate flowering.
Put a post up in the NSW thread with a photo of what is called "dogwood" locally. It has been going great the past 2-3 weeks and the Aus blackthorn has started the past week. Lots of flowers but I have no idea if they are any good to bees for pollen or nectar.

[Andersonhoney]

The Bursaria spinosa  ( australian black thorn) is good for nectar, flows better when there is warm dry spells. The pollen is a good source of protein.  Some years when there is nothing around its a good supply as it loves a drought.the nectar has a greenish tinge looks a bit like petrol in the cells (but tastes better).

[Milo]

Bracelet honey myrtle is alive with bees and wasps at my place in the GV

[Andersonhoney]

Kinglake ranges has the odd messmate flowering and some mountain grey gum. On the harder country around the stringy bark is flowering, not breaking any records but keeping the bees amused. Hoping for better days soon, maybe even the grey box? Anyone else got much out there way.

[Lancej]

Plenty of messmate flowering between Gisbourne and Woodend. Bees are bringing in plenty of nectar at North Blackwood, a week ago the frames were only foundation, now they're nearly full and about 1/3 capped.

[Andersonhoney]

Well done Lance.  Yes it's nice to be finally getting some.I hope it's enough for the hives and for us.

[Lancej]

Thanks Vin, I am lucky that this is not my livelihood otherwise I would be going pretty hungry, will be moving on to the lucurne soon then the manna gum.

[Andersonhoney]

Yes the messmate is still flowering up kinglake way.it's nothing great but bees should winter well on it. The dry February/March has very little new growth coming through on the messmate.  This may put new growth off until next season if it turns cold fairly soon which will put flowers off for another 2 years. We have been talking about a big flowering in 2019 or 2020, that may start to line that up. Watch this space.
Grey box seems to have got flowering around the state generally, bees are on it not sure yet how it is yielding.  Watch this space.

[Lancej]

Red stringy bark is flowering well  in central vic,  manna gum also flowering, problem with manna gum is you stop what you're doing and start looking for manna to eat.

[Milo]

Grey box around Violet Town flowering sporadically

[Milo]

Ironbark on my land in the Goulburn Valley starting to bud

[Milo]

Black box at Barmah just beginning to bud