Sweet marjoram
A spice plant native to southern Anatolia and Cyprus; it flowers from midsummer into autumn and feeds bees with nectar and pollen during the summer dearth.
- Nectar
- Good
- Pollen
- Medium
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Height
- 0,3-0,6 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
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A plant native to Cyprus and southern Anatolia, now grown as a spice in many parts of the world. In warm climates it is perennial; in regions with cold winters it is sown as an annual. Honey bees readily visit its small white-pink flowers; its nectar is good and its pollen of moderate value.
Flowering
It stays in flower for a long time from June to September, at the end of summer when many plants have dried up. Secretion is good in hot, sunny weather; in irrigated gardens and fields flowering lasts longer.
Honey and pollen
Plantings are usually small, so no monofloral honey is produced; it gives mixed summer honeys a pleasant, sweetish aroma.
Note for the beekeeper
It can be sown in gardens around the apiary together with thyme and lavender to bridge the summer dearth. The crop for drying is cut at the start of flowering, so leaving part of it in flower helps the bees. In regions with harsh winters it has to be resown every year.