Sage-leaved rock-rose
White-flowered rockrose of Turkish red pine understorey; abundant pollen in March–May strongly supports spring build-up on the coast.
- Nectar
- Low
- Pollen
- Good
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Height
- 0.3-0.8 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
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Sage-leaved rock-rose is a very common, low shrub under Turkish red pine and black pine forests, in maquis and on rocky slopes along the Aegean, Mediterranean, Marmara and western Black Sea coasts. Its white flowers with yellow centres produce abundant pollen; its nectar contribution is small. Because it flowers a little earlier than Cretan rockrose, it is one of the plants that start the spring pollen flow in coastal apiaries.
Flowering
It flowers in March–May. The flowers last a single day and give pollen in the morning hours; on sunny mornings bee traffic increases markedly.
Honey and pollen
It is not a honey source. The pollen loads are yellow and help the brood nest expand quickly; they help colonies enter the pine honey season strong.
Note for the beekeeper
Clearing the rockrose cover under the trees completely during afforestation and forest management removes this spring pollen source. After fire it re-establishes quickly from seed.