Christ's thorn
Thorny shrub of dry slopes and field edges; its small flowers with an open nectar disc bridge the early-summer gap between acacia and thyme.
- Nectar
- Good
- Pollen
- Medium
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Height
- 2-4 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
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Christ's thorn is a thorny shrub growing on dry, stony slopes, along field edges and as hedging. Its small, yellowish-green flowers carry an exposed nectar disc, so honey bees reach the nectar easily. Because the flowers are so numerous, large stands of Christ's thorn provide a valuable interim flow in early summer.
Flowering
Depending on the region, it flowers from late May to July and fills the gap between the acacia and thyme flows. Bees work it very intensively in warm, slightly humid weather; on dry, windy days visits drop.
Honey and pollen
A separate Christ's thorn honey is not commonly produced; its nectar mostly goes into multifloral meadow and mountain honeys. Pollen is collected too, but in small amounts compared with nectar.
Note for the beekeeper
Clearing of Christ's thorn scrub has weakened the early-summer flow in some areas. Protecting it on eroded slopes and field boundaries benefits both the soil and the bees.