White horehound
A grey-woolly plant common on dry pastures, around villages and on roadsides; it flowers all summer and its small white flowers give bees modest nectar.
- Nectar
- Medium
- Pollen
- Low
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Height
- 0,3-0,6 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
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It grows on dry, overgrazed pastures and around villages and sheepfolds in Europe, the Mediterranean basin, Anatolia, the Middle East and North Africa. Being bitter and aromatic, it is not eaten by livestock, so it can be one of the few flowering plants left on grazed land. Honey bees collect nectar and a small amount of pollen from its small white flowers.
Flowering
It flowers in tiers along the stem from June to September. It is very drought-tolerant and keeps secreting, if only a little, in midsummer.
Honey and pollen
There is no monofloral honey. It is reported to add a slightly bitter note to honeys from pastures where it is abundant.
Note for the beekeeper
It is native to Europe and Turkey, but in Australia and New Zealand it is regarded as an invasive weed that takes over pastures. Its value is limited, but on overgrazed dry land it makes a small contribution during the summer dearth. Sowing is not recommended.