Turkey oak
No nectar; spring pollen and, above all, summer honeydew make it one of the main sources of dark oak honeydew honey in Thrace and Marmara forests.
- Nectar
- None
- Pollen
- Medium
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Crystallisation
- Slow
- Height
- 20-35 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
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Turkey oak is wind-pollinated and gives no nectar. In spring bees collect pollen from the long, drooping male catkins. Its real importance is the honeydew left in summer by aphids and scale insects feeding on shoots and leaves; this honeydew is one of the main sources of oak honey in the forests of Thrace (Strandzha) and the Marmara region.
Flowering and honeydew
It flowers in April–May, together with leaf-out. The honeydew flow mostly appears between June and August; it increases after warm, humid nights and stops during long droughts or when downpours wash the honeydew off. Yields vary greatly from year to year.
Honey and pollen
Oak honeydew honey ranges from dark brown to almost black; it is only mildly sweet, slightly astringent and malty. Its mineral content and electrical conductivity are high, and it crystallises slowly.
Note for the beekeeper
Honeydew honey is risky as winter food; because of its high share of indigestible substances it can cause dysentery during long periods of winter confinement. After the honeydew season it is safer to leave blossom honey or syrup as winter stores.