Sesame
A field crop that secretes nectar on hot summer mornings; bee visits improve seed set, and sesame fields ease the midsummer dearth.
- Nectar
- Good
- Pollen
- Medium
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Height
- 0.6-1.5 m
- Life cycle
- Annual
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Sesame is one of the few field crops that yields nectar in hot, dry summer conditions. Honey bees easily collect the nectar at the base of the tubular white-pink flowers, and they also gather pollen. Bee visits increase the number of seeds per capsule.
Flowering
Sown in May-June, sesame flowers in July-August; flowering lasts about 4-6 weeks. Each flower opens in the morning and drops in the afternoon, so bees work the field mostly in the morning. Warm nights and sufficient soil moisture increase nectar secretion.
Honey and pollen
Because fields are small and scattered, monofloral sesame honey is uncommon; its nectar ends up in mixed summer honey.
Note for the beekeeper
In Turkey it is grown around Antalya, Muğla, Çukurova and in the Southeast. Before placing hives at the field edge, discuss the spraying schedule with the grower; spraying in the evening rather than the morning reduces forager losses.