Great globe-thistle
One of the most productive nectar plants; its grey-white globes swarm with bees all day in midsummer, and it is sown for honey in Russia.
- Nectar
- Very good
- Pollen
- Medium
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Honey yield
- 350–1000 kg/ha
- Height
- 0.5-2 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
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Great globe-thistle is considered one of Europe's strongest nectar plants. The hundreds of small flowers in its grey-white ball heads, 4-6 cm across, offer nectar in short tubes; secretion lasts from morning to evening, and dozens of bees can be seen on a single plant at the same time. Russian beekeeping sources report very high honey yields under suitable conditions; the range given is based on these sources and varies with local conditions.
Flowering
It flowers for 4-6 weeks in July-August, when the linden flow has ended. In the first year it forms a rosette; from the second year on it flowers.
Honey and pollen
Honeys dominated by globe thistle are described as light-coloured and mildly aromatic, but a commercial monofloral honey is not common. The pollen loads may be greyish-white; the amount is moderate.
Note for the beekeeper
It is one of the best options for sowing in strips around the apiary on poor, dry and stony land; 0.5-1 kg of seed per decare (1,000 m²) is enough. Where it spreads it self-seeds, so its spread should be kept under control.