Echinophora tournefortii
An aromatic, spiny umbellifer of Central and Eastern Anatolian steppes with white umbels in late summer; it gives bees nectar during the dry season.
- Nectar
- Good
- Pollen
- Medium
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Height
- 0.2-0.5 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
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Echinophora tournefortii is a stiffly spiny, strongly scented perennial of the carrot family growing on the dry steppes, field edges and stony slopes of Central and Eastern Anatolia. Its small white flowers form dense umbels; as in other umbellifers, the nectar is exposed in the centre of the flower, and honey bees and many other insects use it easily.
Flowering
It flowers from July to September. This period coincides with the time when most plants on the steppe have dried out, which makes it important as a late-summer source.
Honey and pollen
No monofloral honey is known; its nectar ends up in steppe mixed honey.
Note for the beekeeper
Local people collect its dried leaves to flavour tarhana (a fermented soup base) and soups. Beekeeping measurements specific to this species are very limited; the values are based on the general traits of the genus and of umbellifers, and on observations. It is reported to thin out where it is over-collected.