trees and plants

[pembroke]

Just finished reading the article about trees and plants in the Bee Culture magazine.  I live in the Louisville KY area Zone 6. Wondering what are your favorite trees and plants for BEES (nectar and pollen) that would do good in the zone 5-6 area. Remember Spring AND Summer. Your suggestions and comments are appreciated. Thanks. Pembroke

[mikecva]

I have apple trees, pulot trees, blackberries, squash, ash trees, cherry trees, mint and other herbs,  and lots & lots of wild flowers (you can buy the wild flowers for honey bees by the pound.) -Mike

[RHBee]

Just finished reading the article about trees and plants in the Bee Culture magazine.  I live in the Louisville KY area Zone 6. Wondering what are your favorite trees and plants for BEES (nectar and pollen) that would do good in the zone 5-6 area. Remember Spring AND Summer. Your suggestions and comments are appreciated. Thanks. Pembroke

As far as trees go, Holly, Sour Wood, Poplar and I believe the Korean Evodia (Bee Bee Tree). Plants, I'm not sure.

[johng]

Here in the Southeast Gallberry and Palmetto are our biggest honey producing plants by far. There are thousands of hives brought to North Florida and SE GA each year for those two plants. 

[10framer]

johng those are limited to coastal areas aren't they?
tulip poplar, privet, sumac and clover should all grow in your zone.  sourwood if it does well in your area, the bee bee tree and the invasive chinese tallow.
vitex and butterfly bushes produce a little. 

[Joe D]

The Chinese Tallow(popcorn) tree would be one of the biggest flows in this area.  Naturally I didn't have any, planted some last year.  I have the tulip poplar, privet, sumac, several acres of clover, blackberry, huckleberry, laurel cherry, black cherry and others.  There are a few sourwood trees also.  A commercial beek here said he could make his crop off of popcorn trees.  One of our club members off of just the popcorn flow go 165 gals with 11 hives.




Joe

[Keith13]

The Chinese Tallow(popcorn) tree would be one of the biggest flows in this area.  Naturally I didn't have any, planted some last year.  I have the tulip poplar, privet, sumac, several acres of clover, blackberry, huckleberry, laurel cherry, black cherry and others.  There are a few sourwood trees also.  A commercial beek here said he could make his crop off of popcorn trees.  One of our club members off of just the popcorn flow go 165 gals with 11 hives.




Joe

You planted tallow tree?  Better not put that in print the state will be after you soon. But yes it is a huge bee tree

[HomeSteadDreamer]

Tallow is highly invasive to wetland areas and illegal to plant in most states.

[Jim134]

Bee Bee tree  this is one of the few trees or flowers that will grow in many parts of USA
and the flowers come out about its second week in July when there is very  little nectar flow.



                     BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

[T Beek]

Basswood is hands down our favorite honey tree.  It's not always successful at producing nectar, despite ample flowering some years (too dry or too wet), it only blooms for a few weeks in July, when it does bloom.......but during those years when 'all conditions are in place' for a good flow....?.....well let me just say that its 'always' worth the wait   8-).

Our second is likely a blend of wild and cultivated clovers, alfalfa, and flowers along with a variety of deciduous plants and trees.....AKA; "Wildflower Honey"   ;)  We are blessed with a great variety of forest plants and trees.

Not everyone likes it but the first flow of nectar from the 'Dandelion' bloom remains a seasonal favorite for us too.  It could be another 6 or 7 weeks to go before we see some.   :(

[capt44]

I bought 8 evodia (Bee Bee) Trees in 3 inch pots.
It'll take them about 3 yrs before they'll start blooming.
It took me 4 yrs to find any.
They are already putting on leaves.
I'm going to put them in 3 gallon trade pots and grow them 1 year then set them in the ground this next winter.
I have a few Tulip Poplars, then I plant Buckwheat and such around this bee yard.
My other bee yards have black berry, and 400 acres of scarlet and white clover.

[Jim134]

  One thing about buckwheat it will not put nectar in the middle of summer time it needs outside moisture to do that springtime is the best for wheatbuck if you plants in the fall you will get some nectar


                     BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

[Jim134]

   If you plant your own BB trees you need to stratify the seeds when I try to germinate them I got about 3% to 5% to sprout



                BEE  HAPPY Jim 134 :)

[Joe D]

I got the popcorn trees from another beek, he had lots.  I traded him some Laurel Cherry trees for them. 





Joe

[swflcpl]

Bought some evodia from ebay and finally got 1 to germinate.  They are tough ones.  Did a number of combinations of soaking and stratifying.  Also, just bought 3 Nyssa Ogeche from McKenzie Farms   Post office took them 4 days to get here via priority mail but they were in fine shape and attached is a picture from 0 day through day 7.



They are planted right around the pond and will be submerged probably 5 or 6 months out of the year as the rainy season comes around.  Will have to update in a couple of years to let you know if they flower, but growth seems to be going well in week 1 :)