The best melliferous plants

A honey plant is a plant with which a bee is in close symbiosis. Honey plants must be present in sufficient quantity nearby or at a short distance from the beekeeping farm. During the flowering period, they are a natural source of nutrition for insects, provide health and normal life, are the key to the reproduction of offspring. For high-quality honey collection, the factor of close location of large tracts of melliferous plants, which emit nectar in abundance, is important. This function can be performed by trees, shrubs and grasses. Below is an overview of honey plants with photos and names.

What is honey plant

All honey plants important for beekeeping are subdivided into nectar plants, pollen plants and nectar pollen plants. From nectar, insects produce carbohydrate food for themselves - honey, pollen is a source of protein. The most valuable are the plants from which it is possible to collect both components of the family's diet. Honey plants secrete these substances. Special nectar glands are located in them in the flowers themselves, on the stems, petioles, stipules and bracts. The composition and amount of nectar depend on the type, variety, age of plants, and climatic conditions.

Among grasses-melliferous plants, legumes, rosaceous, labiate, asteraceae, buckwheat are of the greatest industrial importance for beekeeping.

It is subdivided into the main flow - the most productive collection of honey of the best quality, and the supporting one - necessary for the bees to gain strength after wintering or before it. Usually, 30-40 species of melliferous plants are concentrated on a separate territory, providing good honey collection.

The best honey plants for bees

Grasses are considered first-class melliferous plants for bees, which can provide an abundant main flow. The main factors are the duration of flowering and the amount of nectar secreted. The most productive are honey-bearing herbs:

• Fireweed (Ivan-tea);
• Buckwheat;
• Lungwort medicinal;
• Clover;
• Goldenrod;
• Borage medicinal (Borago);
• Sainfoin;
• Alfalfa;
• Sweet clover (more than 12 species);
• Catnip;
• Ammi dental;
• Field mint;
• Sage (clary, meadow, whorled);
• Sowing coriander;
• Motherwort;
• Althea medicinal;
• Mouse peas;
• Angelica;
• Syrian cotton wool;
• Thistle (garden, field);
• Snakehead;
• Oregano ordinary;
• Cornflower meadow;
• Loosestrife.

If the concentration of honey plants near the apiary is insufficient or the honey collection is disrupted due to weather conditions, beekeepers with hives move in search of fertile places. The time of migration is consistent with the timing of flowering of certain melliferous plants. In an effort to get monofloral honey, the apiary wanders around the growing areas of one plant species. This method of collecting honey allows you to get 30-40% more product than from a stationary apiary.

Honey plants sown specifically for bees

To ensure a continuous process of honey collection and improve indicators of the quantity and quality of the product around the apiary, honey-bearing herbs with different flowering periods are sown. They are not very demanding on the composition of the soil and weather conditions, and at the same time they produce large volumes of nectar. Improves bribes mowing of grasses, so that they bloom 2-3 times per season. The choice of honey plants sown next to the apiary is determined by their nectar productivity and benefits for the economy. Many of them are fodder, medicinal, oilseeds.

Siderata honey plants

Among the honey grasses specially sown around the apiary for bees, many have green manure properties - they structure and enrich the soil. In spring, cold-resistant and early ripening annuals are sown - oats, fodder peas, mustard. In the fall, the seeds of green manure-siderates are buried in the ground a month before frost.

Sainfoin

A perennial bean plant-melliferous plant, grown for livestock feed. Saturates the earth with nitrogen. Frost and drought resistant, grows even on poor, stony and heavy soils, prefers neutral acidity and moderate humidity. The sainfoin-honey plant blooms in May-June, allows you to get 280-400 kg / ha.

Donnik

In the post-Soviet space, 12 species of Melilotaceous honey plant grow, which are represented by annual and biennial plants. The first ones are sown for autumn honey collection (August-September), two-year-olds bloom in the summer after a year. To continuously receive a monofloral bribe, the field is divided into sections and cut down at different times. The productivity of melilot honey plant can reach 500 kg / ha. Melilot honey is white with an amber hue, herbal bouquet and mild taste with a subtle bitterness, crystallizes in large grains.

Clover

Forage plant. Enriches the earth with nitrogen. Demanding on soil moisture - in drought it ceases to produce nectar. Due to the peculiarities of the structure of the flower, honey clover is unattractive to bees, beekeepers have to resort to training. The grass blooms all summer, honey productivity depends on the species: white clover gives 100 kg / ha, red clover - from 30 to 240 kg / ha (depending on the bee breed), pink - 130 kg / ha, Persian shabdar - up to 300 kg / ha ... Clover honey is light, almost transparent, very sweet, with a light herbal flavor, forms small crystals when candied.

Alfalfa

Annual and perennial grasses of the legume family, blooms from early summer to mid-autumn, mowing is practiced to repeat flowering.Alfalfa functions as a honey plant from June to August, yields up to 200 kg of nectar per hectare. Alfalfa honey is light amber, delicate in taste, prone to rapid crystallization.

Mustard

An annual plant, undemanding to the composition of the soil, it is used to improve the soil. With sequential sowing, the melliferous herb can bloom from June to September. The productivity of honey mustard depends on the sowing time, it ranges from 35 to 150 kg / ha. Mustard honey has a light yellow color, a slight herbal odor and a creamy texture. The taste is harmonious, not very sweet and not cloying.

Oil radish

Oilseed radish is grown as a forage grass and an excellent honey plant. Winter sowing of radish allows harvesting honey in April-May, spring sowing - in the second half of summer. The plant carries nectar even at low temperatures and lack of sunlight. Bees receive up to 180 kg of honey from 1 hectare of continuous crops. It has a very strong aroma and sugar quickly.

Sowing buckwheat

An annual pseudo-grain crop is a herb of the buckwheat family, grown for human and animal consumption. Valuable green manure, saturates the soil with nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Buckwheat nectar is harvested from the end of June for a month and a half. The plant's honey productivity ranges from 70-200 kg / ha. Buckwheat as a honey plant is one of the best. Honey from it is dark brown, with a tart taste and a pungent aroma, quickly crystallizes.

Rape

An unpretentious annual herb of the cruciferous family, two types of plants are cultivated - winter and spring. The first blooms in May-June, the second - in August-September. From a hectare Rape-honey plant gives 30-90 kg of nectar. Rape honey is white, thick. Candied within a week.

Oriental goat's rue

A perennial plant that saturates the soil with nitrogen and has antibacterial properties. The goat's rue is attractive to bees as a honey plant due to the convenient arrangement of nectaries in open flowers. The grass blooms in the last decade of May, ceases to carry nectar at the end of June, honey productivity is 150-200 kg / ha.

Perennial honey herbs for bees

Among all the herbs sown next to the apiary, beekeepers give preference to perennial honey plants - they live for 10-15 years, have a predicted flowering period, there is no need to sow annually.

Fireweed (Ivan-tea)

A valuable melliferous plant, in the wild it is found on the edges, glades, forest outskirts. The honey grass Ivan-tea blooms in July-August, yields up to 400 kg of honey per hectare.

Mint

Medicinal herb-melliferous plant is represented by several species of perennials of the Lamb family. Among them, only three are of industrial importance. Field mint gives about 100 kg / ha per season. Peppermint - in many specialized farms provides the main honey harvest, gives up to 350 kg / ha. Honey productivity of Long-leaved mint is 200 kg / ha. Mint as a honey plant allows to obtain a product of a beautiful amber color with a cooling aftertaste.

Lungwort

Perennial herb-melliferous plant of the Burachnikov family. Blooms from late April to late May. Average honey productivity - 60-70 kg per hectare. Provides a very important early summer honey harvest.

Narrow-leaved lavender

An evergreen melliferous dwarf shrub of the Yasnotkovye family. The flowering period varies by region - from mid to late summer. Lavender-melliferous plant gives about 200 kg of honey per hectare. Lavender honey is classified as a valuable premium. It looks transparent, golden in color, with a pleasant herbal bouquet, retains a liquid consistency for a long time.

Heather

Evergreen undersized shrub, melliferous, grows in the European part of the Russian Federation, in Western and Eastern Siberia. It grows on poor permeable soils - mountain slopes, wastelands, swamps, burnt-out areas, peat bogs. It blooms from July to September, a valuable late honey plant, capable of producing nectar up to 100 kg / ha. Heather honey is viscous, dark red, fragrant, slightly bitter, does not become sugar for a long time.

Common goldenrod (Golden rod)

Perennial plant of the Astrov family. Unpretentious to growing conditions, Goldenrod is valuable as a late honey plant. Provides enough nectar and pollen for bees before hibernation. The plant's honey productivity is more than 150 kg per hectare. Goldenrod honey is golden yellow or reddish, has a pungent odor, harmonious taste with a subtle bitterness.

Lemon Catnip (catnip)

As a honey plant, the cattleman gives a good harvest - up to 400 kg of honey per ha. The flowering period is from late June to late summer. Honey from Kotovnik turns out to be of an amber hue, with a delicate aroma and taste, when candied it becomes light creamy with a fine-grained structure.

Kermek

Representative of the Pig family. Kermek is valuable as a late summer honey plant. It blooms after the main bribe has been collected - from the end of June until the very frost. Allows bees to raise young growth before wintering. Honey from Kermek is dark brown, with characteristic bitterness, of low quality, candied with large crystals. The honey plant produces about 50 kg of nectar per hectare.

Veronica (oak, long-leaved)

Herbaceous perennial of the plantain family. The honey plant grows on forest edges, in gardens in the fields. Blooms all summer, honey productivity - more than 100 kg / ha.

Willow loosestrife (Plakun-grass)

Representative of the Derbennikov family. Occurs on the banks of water bodies, flood meadows, swamps. The honey plant blooms from June to September. Up to 350 kg of honey can be harvested from one hectare of continuous growth. The product has a tart taste, rich bouquet, amber color.

Cyanus common (Cyanosis azure)

The plant is widespread in central Russia and Siberia, it is considered one of the best taiga melliferous plants. Flowering time is June-July. Allows to collect up to 200 kg per hectare.

Oregano

Perennial with a long flowering period - from June to the end of September. From a hectare, the honey plant produces up to 85 kg of nectar. Oregano honey has a pleasant taste, light amber color, sugar slowly.

Sylphia pierced-leaved

Among perennial honey plants sown specifically for bees, Sylphia is a record holder, can live up to 50 years. Forage and silage culture. Blooms from July to September, depending on climatic conditions and the number of mows. The plant's honey productivity can reach 350 kg / ha. Honey has a delicate taste with a slight bitterness, does not crystallize for a long time.

Hyssop (Blue St. John's Wort, Bee Grass)

Belongs to the Lamiaceae family. The honey plant grows in the steppes, on arid, rocky soils. The flowering period is from June to September. Increases honey productivity every year. In the second year, 250 kg of nectar are received per hectare, in the third year - more than 400 kg, in the fourth - about 800 kg. Honey from the Hyssop herb belongs to valuable varieties, has a pleasant taste and delicate smell.

Bodyak

Perennial or biennial plants of the Astrov family have more than 10 species. Weed grasses grow everywhere. Honey plants bloom from July to September, they can collect nectar up to 150 kg / ha. Thistle honey is fragrant, with a green tint, harmonious taste, during crystallization it acquires a fine-grained structure, suitable for wintering bees.

Eastern swerbiga

Forage crop, honey plant, lives 8-10 years. Blooms from May to July. Possesses high honey productivity, increasing over the years. Bees collect about 600 kg of nectar from a hectare of concentrated growth of Sverbigi.

Runny ordinary

Loves partial shade - rare forests, forest edges, parks, gardeners consider him weed... The flowering of the honey plant continues all summer, the honey productivity is 160-190 kg / ha.

Jerusalem artichoke

A forage plant suitable for human consumption. Late honey plant. Flowering time is from mid-August to late September. Jerusalem artichoke as a melliferous plant is unproductive, gives nectar up to 30 kg / ha, among perennial melliferous plants it is important for preparing bees for wintering.

Annual honey plants

The main advantage of annuals is that they do not hibernate or freeze. They bloom in summer or autumn, providing late summer bribes. The selection of grasses depends on the region; sowing is carried out early - at the same time as spring grasses.

Snakehead

Late honey plant, blooms from mid-summer to September. It is sown near apiaries, in gardens. The first flowers bloom 60-70 days after sowing. The honey productivity of the grass is low - 15 kg / ha.

Zhabrey (Pikulnik)

A representative of the Lipocystae family, it grows in stubble, on the edges and clearings, it is considered a garden weed. The honey plant is widespread in the European part of Russia, blooms in July-September. The gill is a good honey plant, it allows you to collect 35-80 kg of nectar per hectare.

Coriander

The annual is grown as a spice almost throughout Russia; wild species are found in the south of the country. The flowering period of melliferous plants falls on June-July, honey productivity - up to 500 kg / ha. Coriander honey of amber or light brown tone, has a medicinal caramel taste and a pungent spicy smell.

Field radish (wild)

A weedy plant, widespread everywhere, propagates by self-sowing. The herb is suitable for feeding animals and people. The honey harvest from the Wild Radish honey plant lasts from May to September, the volumes reach 150 kg per hectare.

Anise ordinary

A species of the Bedrenets genus, a spice, cultivated in the middle zone and in the south of Russia. The flowering time of the honey plant is June, July, the productivity is 50 kg of honey per hectare.

Sowing mushroom

A representative of the cabbage family, common in the European part of the Russian Federation, Siberia, the Caucasus, and the Crimea. The Ryzhik grass blooms from April to June, as a honey plant is not very productive, it allows you to get 30 kg of honey per hectare.

Sunflower

Valuable oilseed crop, honey plant. Honey productivity per hectare is relatively low - up to 50 kg, but taking into account the sown areas, it is an effective honey plant. Flowering time falls in July-August, in a number of regions it provides the main harvest. Sunflower honey is golden yellow with a faint aroma and delicate taste; upon crystallization it acquires a fine-grained texture.

Cucumber herb

It is eaten and used for medicinal purposes. The honey plant blooms from July to frost. Cucumber grass is very productive as a honey plant - it gives up to 300 kg of honey per hectare.

Melliferous medicinal herbs

Many medicinal herbs naturally form quite extensive colonies. In the absence of such, this deficiency can be compensated for by sowing, growing simultaneously medicinal raw materials and honey plants. They are characterized by long flowering times and a large amount of nectar secreted. Beekeeping products obtained from these plants have high medicinal properties.

Althea officinalis

A perennial herb of the mallow family, in Russia it grows in the European part, Eastern and Western Siberia, the North Caucasus, the Volga region, Altai. The flowering period of the melliferous plant covers July-August, and allows harvesting 400 kg of nectar per hectare.

Noricum pineal

Perennial growing in damp, well-shaded areas. Flowering covers the period from June to September. The grass is characterized by high nectar productivity - often more than a ton per hectare.

Ammi dental (Visnaga)

A biennial herb, found in the steppes, on dry slopes, weeds crops. The honey plant blooms all summer. From a hectare it is possible to obtain 800-1860 kg of honey.

Valerian officinalis

Perennial, ubiquitous. The honey plant blooms from the 2nd year, throughout the summer. Honey productivity - up to 325 kg / ha. The product is endowed with the properties of Valerian, has a calming effect.

Motherwort

Represented by more than 15 species. Blooms from early summer to September. An excellent honey plant, it gives 200-300 kg of nectar per hectare.

Fragrant mignonette

It belongs to the number of first-class honey plants. Possesses high pollen and nectar productivity. Blooms from May to September.Bees produce an average of 400 kg of honey from one hectare of crops.

Angelica

Angelica is found in the wild and is cultivated by humans, used in cooking and medicine. Angelica as a honey plant is one of the best, blooms for 3 weeks from the end of June, releases up to 150 g of nectar from a plant. The arrangement of flowers provides bees with easy access to nectaries; insects visit it willingly. Up to 400 kg of honey per hectare are obtained per hectare, the daily income for one hive reaches 8 kg per day. Angelica honey belongs to the elite varieties.

Echinacea purpurea

Late honey plant, blooms from July to late September. The plant extract is widely used in conservative and folk medicine. Nectar gives up to 130 kg / ha.

Sage

It is represented by more than 30 species, the most common are medicinal and nutmeg. The honey plant blooms in May-June, the honey productivity, depending on the growing conditions, ranges from 130 to 400 kg.

Comfrey officinalis

Perennial herb, used in alternative medicine. It grows like a weed in damp places - on the banks of reservoirs, ditches, flood meadows. The flowering period is May-September. The nectar productivity of continuous thickets is 30-180 kg / ha.

Common caraway

Biennial winter plant of the Celery family. Distribution area - meadows, forest glades, next to housing and roads. Flowering time is from May to August. It allows you to collect 60 kg of nectar per hectare.

Melissa officinalis (Lemon mint)

Perennial essential oil-bearing honey plant. It carries nectar from June to September. Melissa honey is transparent, belongs to the best varieties, has a delicate and exquisite bouquet. It produces 150-200 kg of nectar per hectare per season.

Mother and stepmother

Valuable early spring honey plant, supports the vital activity of bees after wintering. Nectar productivity - 20 kg / ha.

Cinquefoil goose (Goose foot, Zhabnik)

Perennial of the Pink family, grows on wastelands, river banks, streams, ponds. Blooms from June to September. Honey productivity - 40 kg per hectare.

Anise Lofant (Multi-grate fennel)

The herbaceous plant is cultivated as a medicinal raw material and a spice. It blooms in the second year after sowing, from the second half of July to the end of September. Lofant is a highly productive honey plant, 1 hectare of plantations gives 400 kg of honey.

Meadow honey plants

Grasses growing on flooded meadows, floodplains, steppes and semi-deserts are ranked among meadow melliferous plants. They are able to provide continuous honey collection throughout the season.

Cornflower meadow

A field weed, common in meadows, forest edges, roadsides, blooms from June to August. Yields up to 130 kg / ha of thick honey of good quality.

Meadow geranium

A melliferous perennial, grows on the banks of reservoirs, glades, roadsides, in settlements. Geranium blooms in June-August, nectar productivity - 50-60 kg / ha.

Spring adonis (adonis)

Pollen and honey plant of the Buttercup family, found in forb steppes and forest-steppes, in non-chernozem zones of the European part of Russia, in Western Siberia and in the Crimea. The grass blooms in May, it allows you to get 30 kg of honey per hectare.

Volovik medicinal

A perennial herb that grows like a weed everywhere, the flowering period lasts from May to August, the honey productivity is 300-400 kg / ha.

Thistle

A weed plant of the Astrov family, grows everywhere. All representatives of this species are excellent honey plants. Flowering lasts from June to autumn. Thistle honey - colorless or light amber, high quality, harmonious taste, crystallizes slowly. One of the best honey plants, from a hectare of dense thickets of thistle, you can get up to 400 kg of nectar.

Common rape

A biennial weed plant of the Cabbage family. Grows in fields, meadows, pastures, along roads and ditches.The grass blooms all summer, bees collect up to 180 kg of nectar per hectare. Rape honey has a pleasant taste with a weak aroma, greenish-yellow color.

Cottonwood (Milky Grass, Swallow Grass)

A perennial plant of the Kutrovye family, grows rapidly, blooms for 2-3 years. Grows in gardens, forest-steppes, bears abundant nectar during July-August. It is characterized by high honey productivity, which ranges from 750 to 1000 kg per hectare. Honey from Vatochnik is thick and heavy, of high quality.

Periwinkle

Low-growing creeping evergreen herbaceous shrub of the Kutrovy family. Grows in forests, parks, in the territories of old estates. It blooms in April-June, it can bloom again in late July, August, September, depending on weather conditions. Periwinkle provides supporting honey flow during the hungry period of the year.

Common toothed

A weedy plant that grows in fields, pastures, meadows, along roads. Flowering period - from July to September, provides a supporting honey harvest (up to 10 kg / ha), which is necessary for the autumn growth of bees and replenishment of forage reserves.

Plants of honey plants of the Pumpkin family

Pumpkin crops have about 900 species, among which there are edible, decorative, medicinal. In summer, bees visit orchards, vegetable gardens, household plots, fields on which representatives of the Pumpkin family grow.

Common pumpkin

An annual plant, flowers from late July to late September. Bees collect nectar mainly from female flowers in an amount of 30 kg / ha.

Sowing cucumber

The cucumber blooms from the end of June for two months, 10-30 kg of honey are obtained from 1 hectare.

Common watermelon

Flowering time July-August, low honey productivity - 15-20 kg / ha.

Melon

It blooms in June-July, yields 20-30 kg of nectar per hectare.

Horsetails, which are good honey plants

Horsetails are a genus of perennials of the fern-like division, there are up to 30 species. For agriculture, it is a weed, some of its species are even poisonous. Despite its widespread distribution and high vitality, Horsetails are of no value to beekeeping. The plant does not bloom, but reproduces by spores, which means it does not emit either nectar or pollen.

Spring and early summer honey plants

Productive beekeeping is impossible without ensuring continuous honey collection throughout the active season. By the time of flowering, melliferous plants are divided into early spring, early summer, summer, late summer and autumn. The very first, in April, the following honey plants bloom: Mother and Stepmother, Ryzhik, Periwinkle and Medunitsa. These herbs help bees to recover and gain strength after hibernation. In May, the period of flowering of honey plants of Volovik, Caraway, Adonis, Comfrey, Wild radish, Sverbiga, Goat's, Rapeseed, Esparcet begins. They are characterized by high honey productivity.

Honey plants blooming in July

Many of the June melliferous grasses continue to bloom in July. They are joined by Lavender, Mint, Zubchatka, Vatochnik, Lofant, Echinacea, Sunflower, Zhabrey, Cornflower meadow, Ivan-tea, Donnik. For beekeeping, the variety of melliferous herbs growing around is important. Weather conditions affect honey productivity - temperature, humidity, lack of rain and wind. Most of the nectar of the plant is released in the first half of the flowering period.

A number of honey plants bloom all summer even without mowing - Volovik, Rurepka, Cumin, Comfrey, Reseda, Valerian, Ammi dental, Snyt, Donnik, Lucerne, Clover.

What honey plants bloom in August and September

Some melliferous herbs bloom from mid-summer to late September, and sometimes even before the first frost.Among them are Kotovnik, Kermek, Zolotarnik, Bodyak, Hyssop, Sylphia, Oregano, Derbennik. They are important not only for the main honey collection, but also for the proper functioning and life of the bee colony.

Autumn honey plants

If there are no late honey plants around the apiary, bees do not leave the hive at the end of September and at the beginning of October and consume food supplies. Such a decrease in activity before cold weather can negatively affect the results of wintering. Especially for bees, it is recommended to sow herbs-honey plants Goldenrod, Jerusalem artichoke, Sedum purple, Borage.

How to organize a honey plant for bees in an apiary

The main condition for productive beekeeping is to provide a sufficient food supply for insects. A good bribe can be obtained if the following conditions are met:

1. Arrays of highly productive honey plants are located within the effective summer radius of bees, no further than 3 km.
2. Large areas are sown with the main melliferous plants.
3. There is a species diversity of honey plants useful for beekeeping.
4. The flowering time of honey plants allows for continuous high-quality honey collection.

For the health of bees, it is important to provide them with an early-spring supporting bribe from honey grasses, which is necessary to build up families for the main honey harvest. Summer - the main bribe should be abundant and the beekeeper should take care of this in advance. Autumn honey collection from grasses is declining in intensity and is mainly aimed at preparing families for wintering.

Conclusion

The honey plant is the most important component of the life of bees. The beekeeper should always know what kind of melliferous plants are in the area, their flowering periods and expected honey production. It is good if within the radius of summer bees there are forest lands, fields, meadows sown with various grasses. Sowing honey plants allows you to regulate the volume and quality of honey collection in a stationary apiary.

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