Sourwood
An Appalachian tree of the heath family; its bell-flowered sprays in midsummer give ample nectar and a light amber, caramel-like honey.
- Nectar
- Very good
- Pollen
- Low
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Crystallisation
- Slow
- Height
- 10-20 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
🐝 Add to my apiary
Log in to add it to your apiary.Value for beekeeping
Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) is a tree of the heath family that grows in the Appalachian Mountains of the eastern USA. In midsummer, drooping clusters of white bell flowers resembling lily of the valley hang from the branch tips and give plenty of nectar. It is the main midsummer honey source in the Appalachians, and its honey is one of the most sought-after in the region.
Flowering
It flowers from late June to August, most heavily in July. Nectar secretion is very sensitive to rainfall and temperature; in dry or very wet years the yield drops markedly.
Honey and pollen
The honey is light amber, sometimes slightly greyish, with caramel and spicy notes; it crystallises slowly. Its pollen contribution is small.
Note for the beekeeper
Although it belongs to the heath family, no harmful effect of its honey is known. It is also planted as an ornamental tree for its leaves, which turn bright red in autumn; it needs acidic, well-drained soil. It has no importance for beekeeping in Europe or Turkey.