Silver wattle
An Australian tree flowering in midwinter with yellow pompoms; no floral nectar, but on mild days its abundant pollen supports early brood.
- Nectar
- None
- Pollen
- Good
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Pollen colour
- Height
- 6-15 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
🐝 Add to my apiary
Log in to add it to your apiary.Value for beekeeping
Silver wattle (mimosa) is a fast-growing tree from south-eastern Australia, planted on Mediterranean coasts as an ornamental and for cut flowers. Its small yellow pompom flowers contain no nectar; glands on the leaf stalks give a little extrafloral nectar, but this is insignificant for bees. Its real value is the abundant pollen it offers in the leanest period of the year.
Flowering
It flowers for 4-6 weeks from January to March, depending on climate. Pollen can be collected only on sunny days above 12-14 °C; on those days a heavy intake of yellow pollen is seen at the hives.
Honey and pollen
It gives no honey. The pollen loads are bright yellow and help brood rearing start at the end of winter; as its nutritional value on its own is limited, it is useful together with other early pollens.
Note for the beekeeper
It is an invasive species that suppresses native vegetation in Portugal, Spain, France and Italy; it suckers from the roots and spreads rapidly after fire. New planting is not recommended. In Turkey it is found in parks along the Mediterranean and Black Sea coasts.