Hazel
A wind-pollinated shrub flowering in midwinter; no nectar but plenty of pollen. On the Black Sea coast it is the first pollen of the year and starts brood rearing early.
- Nectar
- None
- Pollen
- Good
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Pollen colour
- Height
- 3-6 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
🐝 Add to my apiary
Log in to add it to your apiary.Value for beekeeping
Hazel is a native shrub of Europe and northern Anatolia; in Turkey it is cultivated in extensive orchards along the Black Sea coast. It is wind-pollinated and gives no nectar. Its hanging male catkins produce large amounts of pollen, which bees eagerly collect on sunny days above 10 °C.
Flowering
It flowers in January on the coast and in February-March inland and at higher elevations. It is one of the first pollen sources of the year; a mild week in winter can quickly start brood rearing in the colonies.
Honey and pollen
No honey is obtained from hazel. The pollen loads range from pale yellow to yellow-green. Because early pollen enlarges the brood nest, it also increases the colonies' consumption of honey and fondant.
Note for the beekeeper
In hazelnut-growing areas, keep a close eye on food stores at the end of winter; the risk of starvation rises once pollen starts coming in. Sprays against hazelnut pests in spring and early summer can poison bees around the apiary; follow the application dates in local announcements.