Aspen
One of Eurasia's most widespread trees, its leaves trembling in the lightest breeze; it gives early spring pollen and bud resin for propolis, but no nectar.
- Nectar
- None
- Pollen
- Medium
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Height
- 10-25 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
🐝 Add to my apiary
Log in to add it to your apiary.Value for beekeeping
Aspen is a pioneer tree ranging from Scandinavia to Japan; in Turkey it grows on forest edges and in clearings in the cool, high parts of northern and eastern Anatolia. Thanks to its flattened leaf stalks, the leaves tremble in the slightest breeze. It is wind-pollinated and gives no nectar.
Flowering
It flowers in March-April, before leaf-out; its grey-brown hairy catkins are among the first pollen sources in cold regions.
Honey and pollen
It is not a honey source. The pollen supports late-winter brood rearing in high-altitude apiaries.
Note for the beekeeper
Its buds are resinous and bees use them for propolis; it is a less prominent source than black poplar. After fire or felling it quickly comes back from root suckers, and the raspberry, rosebay willowherb and other herbs that grow in these clearings are more important bee sources for summer.