Firethorn
A common thorny hedge and ornamental shrub; its dense white flower clusters in late spring are very attractive to bees, giving good nectar and pollen.
- Nectar
- Good
- Pollen
- Medium
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Height
- 2-4 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
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Firethorn is an evergreen shrub native from southern Europe to Anatolia and the Caucasus and widely used as a hedge in gardens. Its small white flowers open in dense clusters, and at flowering time the shrub is filled with the hum of bees. The nectar is exposed in the flower cup, and plenty of pollen is collected as well.
Flowering
It flowers for about 2 weeks between May and June. In many places this period falls in the gap between the end of fruit-tree blossom and the lime flow.
Honey and pollen
No monofloral honey is produced; its nectar ends up in urban and late-spring mixed honey. In autumn its orange-red berries are winter food for birds.
Note for the beekeeper
It tolerates drought, pruning and calcareous soil, so it can be planted around the apiary both as a windbreak and as forage. It is a susceptible host of fire blight; planting it right next to pear and apple orchards is not recommended.