White mustard
A fast-growing mustard; sown as a green manure in late summer, it gives bees welcome late nectar and pollen in autumn.
- Nectar
- Good
- Pollen
- Good
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Pollen colour
- Height
- 0.3-1 m
- Life cycle
- Annual
🐝 Add to my apiary
Log in to add it to your apiary.Value for beekeeping
White mustard is an annual crucifer sown for its seed and, especially in western Europe, as green manure after the cereal harvest. Its pale yellow flowers are shallow; nectar and pollen are easily accessible to every bee. Secretion is good in mild, humid weather and drops noticeably on cold nights.
Flowering
Spring-sown crops flower from May to July; catch crops sown in July-August flower 5-6 weeks after sowing, in September-October. This late flowering coincides with the period when winter bees are being raised.
Honey and pollen
A separate mustard honey is rarely obtained; its honey resembles the light-coloured, very fast-crystallising honeys of crucifers. The pollen loads are yellow.
Note for the beekeeper
Fast-crystallising honey left in the combs in autumn can cause problems in wintering; if the late flow is heavy, take this into account when preparing winter feed. In the Netherlands and Germany beekeepers advise farmers to include mustard and phacelia in catch-crop mixtures.