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Rephrased the introduction a bit so that it provides some definition for pollen source, which was missing - see talk page
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The term '''pollen source''' is often used in the context of [[beekeeping]] and refers to the function of 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 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 [[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.
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 [[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.

Revision as of 18:37, 29 October 2006

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 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 days. The plants listed below are plants that would grow in USDA Hardiness zone 5. A good predictor for when a plant will bloom and produce pollen is a calculation of the growing degree days.

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: THE R-VALUES OF HONEY: POLLEN COEFFICIENT accessed Feb 2005

Spring

Trees and shrubs

Common name Latin name Blooming months Pollen color Source for honeybees
Maple Acer spp. Feb - Apr light yellow fair
Manitoba Maple (Box elder) Acer negundo Feb - Apr light olive good
Norway maple Acer platanoides Apr - May olive fair
Red Maple Acer rubrum Mar - Apr grey brown
Grey Alder Alnus incana Feb - Apr brownish yellow
American Chestnut Castanea dentata May - Jun
Sweet Chestnut Castanea sativa May good
Common Hackberry Celtis occidentalis Apr - May
Flowering Quince Chaenomeles japonica, Chaenomeles lagenaria, Chaenomeles speciosa 'Nivalis', Chaenomeles x superba Apr - May good
American Hazel Corylus americana Mar - Apr light green fair/good
Hawthorn Crataegus spp. Apr - May yellow brown fair
White Ash Fraxinus americana Apr - May
Honey Locust Gleditsia triancanthos May - Jun
American holly Ilex opaca Apr - Jun
Walnut Juglans spp. Apr - May fair
Tulip-tree Lirodendron tulipifera May - Jun good
Crab Apple Malus spp. Mar - Jun light olive
Apple Malus domestica, Malus sylvestris Apr - May yellow white very good
American Sycamore Platanus occidentalis Apr - May light olive
Peach, Plum and Cherry Prunus spp. Apr - May
Almond Prunus amygdalus light brown to brown pollen - not considered a good pollen source but bees are the primary pollinator
Wild Cherry Prunus avium Apr - May light brown very good
Cherry Plum Prunus cerasifera light brown to brown fair
Sour Cherry Prunus cerasus Apr - May dark yellow very good
Peach Prunus persica Apr - May redish yellow good
Black Cherry Prunus serotina Apr - May minor
Blackthorn Prunus spinosa good
Pear Pyrus communis Apr - May red yellow good
Oak Quercus spp. May
Oak Quercus robur, Quercus pedunculata May light olive minor
Black Locust Robinia pseudoacacia May - Jun
Blackberry Rubus spp. May - Jun light grey
Raspberry Rubus idaeus May - Jun good
Willow Salix spp. Feb - Apr lemon good
White Willow Salix alba good
Goat Willow Salix caprea Mar - Apr very good
Violet Willow Salix daphnoides Mar - Apr very good
Pussy Willow Salix discolor Mar - Apr
Basket Willow Salix purpurea Mar - Apr very good
Silky leaf osier, Smith's Willow Salix x smithiana Apr - May very good
American Rowan Mountain Ash Sorbus americana May-Jun
Elm Ulmus spp. light grey
American Elm Ulmus americana Feb - Apr light grey
Europea field elm Ulmus americana good
Flying honeybee with red pollen in pollen basket
Bees in April with blue Siberian squill pollen in pollen basket
Honeybees in May with red (likely Chestnut) pollen in pollen basket

Flowers and annual crop plants

Common name Latin name Blooming months Pollen color Source for honeybees
Chives Allium schoenoprasum May - Sep
Asparagus Asparagus officinalis May - Jun
Mustard Brassica arvenisi Apr - May lemon
Canola Brassica napus May - Jun lemon very good
Yellow Crocus Crocus vernus (syn. Crocus aureus) April orange yellow fair
Leopard's Bane Doronicum cordatum Apr - May
Winter aconite Eranthis hyemalis Mar - Apr yellow good
Snowdrop Galanthus nivalis Mar - Apr red
Henbit Lamium amplexicaule April orange red
White Sweet Clover Melilotus alba May - Aug yellow to dark yellow good
Yellow Sweet Clover Melilotus officinalis May - Aug yellow to dark yellow
Sainfoin Onobrychis viciifolia May - Jul yellow brown very good
Raspberry Rubus idaeus May - Jul white grey good
Siberian squill Scilla sibirica Mar - Apr blue good
White mustard Sinapis alba June lemon good
Chick weed Stellaria media Apr - Jul yellowish minor
Dandelion Taraxacum officinale Apr - May red yellow very good

Summer

Trees and shrubs

Common name Latin name Blooming months Pollen color Source for honeybees
Horse chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum May - Jun after 80-110 growing degree days. red good
Southern Catalpa Catalpa bignonioides Jun - Jul fair
Northern Catalpa Catalpa speciosa Jun - Jul
Bluebeard Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Heavenly Blue' Aug - Sep very good
Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia Jul - Aug good
Boston Ivy 'Veitchii' Parthenocissus tricuspidata 'Veitchii' Jun - Jul good
Sumac Rhus glabra Jun - Jul
Elder Sambucus canadensis Jun - Jul
Linden Tilia spp. Jun - Jul
Basswood or American Linden Tilia americana Jun - Jul yellow to light orange
Blueberry Vaccínium myrtíllus Jun good

Flowers and annual crop plants

Common name Latin name Blooming months Pollen color Source for honeybees
Allium Allium spp.
Onion Allium cepa light olive
Chives Allium schoenoprasum May - Sep
Garlic chives Allium tuberosa Aug - Sep
Leadwort syn. Indigobush Amorpha fruticosa Jun - Jul
Aster Aster spp. Sep-Frost reddish yellow
Land-in-blue Aster x dumosus Aug - Sep
Borage Borago officinalis Jun - Frost
Marigold Calendula officinalis Jun - Sep
Calluna vulgaris Jul - Aug good
Hemp Cannabis sativa Aug yellow green good source
Blue Thistle Carduus spp.
Star thistle Centaurea spp. Jul - Sep
Knapweed Centaurea macrocephala Jul - Aug good
Knapweed Centaurea nigra very light olive
Cotoneaster Cotoneaster spp. good
Cucumber Cucumis spp. pale yellow
Melons Cucumis melo Jun-Frost pale yellow
Pumpkin Cucurbita pepo Jun-Frost bright yellow
Fireweed Epilobium angustifolium Jul - Aug blue
Joe-Pye weed Eupatorium spp. Aug - Sep
Buckwheat Fagopyrum esculentum Jul - Aug light yellow to light green good source
Blue vine Gonolobus laevis syn. Cynanchum laeve
Sunflower Helianthus annuus Jun - Sep golden
Alyssum Lobularia maritima Jun - Sep
Mallow Malva alcea Jun - Sep
Alfalfa Medicago sativa July - Aug greyish yellow
Clover Melilotus spp. and Trifolium spp. May - Aug
White Sweet Clover Melilotus alba
Yellow Sweet Clover Melilotus officinalis
Basil Ocimum basilicum
Poppy Papaver somniverum May - Jun grey very good source
Smartweed Polygonum spp. Aug - Sep
Chickweed Stellaria media Apr - Jul minor source
Germander Teucrium chamaedrys Jul - Aug
Alsike Clover Trifolium hybridum yellow brown good source
Crimson Clover Trifolium incarnatum dark brown
White Clover Trifolium repens Jun - Jul yellow brown good source
Cat-tail Typha latifolia Jun - Jul
Common vetch Vicia cracca Jul - Aug
Spring Vetch Vicia sativa Jul - Aug
Sweet Corn Zea mays Jun - Jul yellowish white

Fall

Trees and shrubs

Flowers and annual crop plants

Common name Latin name Blooming months Pollen color Source for honeybees
Aster Aster spp. Sep-Frost reddish yellow
Borage Borago officinalis Jun - Frost
Melons Cucumis melo Jun-Frost
Sweet autumn clematis Clematis ternifolia late Sept white limited (garden plant)
Pumpkin Cucurbita pepo Jun-Frost bright yellow
Ivy Hedera spp. Sep - Oct dull yellow limited (not native to America)
Goldenrod Solidago spp. Sep - Oct golden

Source: Bienenweide Arbeitsblatt 207, Bieneninstitut Kirchhain, 2001

See also

Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special%3ADiff/84460041
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