Foxtail lily
A perennial raising tall spikes on the steppes of eastern and central Anatolia; in early summer it gives bees ample nectar and orange pollen.
- Nectar
- Good
- Pollen
- Good
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Pollen colour
- Height
- 0,6-1,5 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
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Foxtail lily grows on the stony steppes of eastern and central Anatolia, in a range extending to Iran and Central Asia. Hundreds of pale yellow flowers on stems over a metre tall open from the bottom upwards, offering nectar and plenty of pollen for a long time; the long orange anthers are conspicuous to bees. In highland beekeeping it is a valuable part of the steppe bloom.
Flowering
It flowers for 3-4 weeks in May and June, depending on altitude.
Honey and pollen
No single-flower honey is produced; it contributes to highland wildflower honeys. The pollen loads are orange in tone.
Note for the beekeeper
The young leaves are gathered as a vegetable, and in the past the root was used to make çiriş, a glue used in bookbinding. Over-collection has reduced stands in some regions; leaving the roots in the ground protects both the plant and the bee pasture.