Trees and Forest Sources

Trees and forest resources are beekeeping's most productive sources of nectar, pollen and honeydew: a single mature tree carries as many flowers as a large field and blooms again every year. In Türkiye chestnut, lime (linden), black locust, eucalyptus and willow are important floral sources, while the honeydew of Marchalina hellenica on Turkish red pine gives the world-famous pine honey. This page covers the seasons of tree resources, the character of their honeys and the points to watch with honeydew honey.

Why are trees so valuable for beekeeping?

• Density: There are many flowers in a small area; bees collect more while flying less.
• Continuity: They need no sowing and flower in the same place every year.
• Early flowering: Many trees and shrubs such as willow, maple and cornelian cherry flower before herbaceous plants.
• Drought resistance: Thanks to their deep roots they can keep secreting nectar even in dry summer periods.
• Propolis: The bud and wound resins of poplar, birch and conifers are the main raw material of propolis.

The main honey trees and their seasons

The dates in the table are general ranges; flowering shifts by weeks with region, altitude and the weather of the year. The same species can flower in April on the coast and in June on the high plateaus.

Early spring trees: willow and others

This group is the most critical pollen source of the year. As the colony speeds up brood rearing it meets its protein needs here; in areas without early-flowering trees, build-up is delayed.

Willow species, especially goat willow (Salix caprea), give plenty of pollen from the yellow catkins on male trees and nectar on female trees. Maples (Acer), cornelian cherry (Cornus mas) and wild plums are also sources in this period. Wind-pollinated trees such as hazel and poplar give no nectar, but bees collect their pollen when nothing else is available.

How is chestnut honey made?

Sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) is widespread in the humid forests of the Black Sea and Marmara regions, and also in the mountainous parts of the Aegean (Aydın, İzmir). It flowers in June–July with long, cream-yellow catkins; its heavy, pungent smell can be noticed from far away. Bees collect both abundant nectar and a great deal of pollen.

Chestnut honey is dark brown, distinctly bitterish and sharp-tasting; being rich in fructose, it crystallises slowly. Because chestnut pollen is heavily over-represented in honey, a much higher pollen percentage is required to define chestnut honey than for other honeys (see "Pollen Analysis and Honey Character"). In recent years, pests such as the chestnut gall wasp and chestnut blight have weakened trees and reduced flowering in some areas.

Why does lime (linden) fail to yield honey in some years?

Lime (Tilia; several native species occur in Türkiye, the commonest being silver lime, Tilia tomentosa) flowers in June–July. In a good year it gives very abundant nectar, but its secretion is very sensitive to temperature and humidity. In dry or cool weeks the flow stays weak even when the trees are covered in flowers. Lime honey ranges from pale yellow to amber, with a fresh aroma that gives a slight menthol sensation.

Why is acacia (black locust) honey so slow to set?

The tree commonly called "acacia" is in fact the North American black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia); true acacias (Acacia) belong to a different genus. It flowers in May–June with white, drooping, very fragrant clusters. Its flow is usually short, about 10–15 days, and very weather-dependent: rain or cold during bloom can wipe out the whole year's acacia honey.

Acacia honey is very light-coloured and mild; because its fructose content is high it stays liquid for a long time. Black locust is regarded as an invasive species that spreads into natural forests in many countries; bear this in mind if you plan to plant it.

Eucalyptus and other trees

Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus) was brought to Türkiye from Australia and planted on the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts (Adana, Tarsus, Antalya, Muğla) to drain marshes and as windbreaks. It flowers in summer and gives good nectar and pollen. Its honey is amber with a characteristic aroma. Eucalyptus pollen is also over-represented in honey.

Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) flowers in autumn in the Mediterranean and Aegean maquis; its honey is bitterish and produced in small quantities. Oaks (Quercus) give pollen in spring; their main importance, however, is honeydew in the summer months.

Pine honey and Marchalina hellenica

Pine honey is not a blossom honey but a honeydew honey. Its source is a scale insect living on the trunks and branches of some pine species, above all Turkish red pine (Pinus brutia): Marchalina hellenica. Known as the giant pine scale or pine honeydew scale, this insect settles in bark crevices and sucks the tree's sap, excreting the excess sugar as sweet droplets. Bees collect this honeydew and turn it into honey. The white, cottony wax covering over the insect is easy to see.

• Where: In Türkiye, the Turkish red pine forests of the Aegean and western Mediterranean, especially Muğla, as well as Aydın, İzmir and Antalya. Most of the world's pine honey comes from Türkiye and Greece.
• When: Honeydew is produced all year round, but the main flow for beekeeping is late summer and autumn (generally August–November).
• Yield: Depends on insect density, rainfall, temperature and humidity; it varies greatly from year to year. Honeydew decreases in hot, dry weather and increases on humid autumn days.
• Honey: Dark, not very sweet, with a resinous aroma; crystallises very slowly. High in minerals and electrical conductivity, low in pollen.

Oak honey and other honeydew honeys

The honeydew of aphids and scale insects on oak, fir, spruce and some broadleaved trees also yields honey. In Türkiye the oak forests of Thrace (the Istranca/Strandzha region) in particular are known for oak honey. Honeydew honeys are very dark, dense, rich in minerals and usually not very sweet.

Leaving honeydew honey as winter stores requires care. Its high mineral (ash) content and the hard-to-digest sugars found in some honeydews (e.g. melezitose), combined with bees being unable to make cleansing flights for long periods in long, cold winters, can lead to dysentery and winter losses. In mild regions such as Muğla colonies overwinter without problems in most years; in cold regions it is safer to harvest the honeydew honey and leave blossom honey or syrup in its place. Some honeydew honeys set as hard as cement in the comb and cannot be extracted.

Planting trees for bees: what to choose?

Tree planting is the beekeeper's longest-term investment: it takes years to have an effect but lasts for decades. The criterion for choosing is species that fill the gap period in your area.

• Early season: Goat willow, cornelian cherry, maple.
• Early summer: Lime, sweet chestnut (in a suitable climate).
• Late summer and autumn: Strawberry tree and carob in coastal regions; ivy in hedges.
• Prefer native species: Native species are adapted to local conditions and also feed wild pollinators. Consider the risk of invasiveness before planting non-native species such as black locust and eucalyptus in natural areas.