Terms of flowering honey plants in the USA and Canada

According to observations of naturalists and beekeepers.

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Scientific name:

Acer spicatum

Life form:

Tree, Shrub.

Flowering time:

20 days.

Flowering period

in Iowa for this plant is: MayJune.

NECTAR PRODUCTION:
200 kilograms per ha

SOURCE FOR HONEY BEES:
Major


General distribution:

Mountain maple is found throughout southeastern Canada and the northeastern United States, from Newfoundland to Saskatchewan south to Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, northeastern Iowa, and in the mountains to western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.

Map of distribution and habitat in USA

This plant is present in at least 32 states/provinces in this country.

See The Map

Botanical description:

Mountain maple is a native, deciduous tall shrub or small tree. In the Appalachian Mountains, the maximum height of mountain maple is 33 feet (10 m), but it is usually smaller. In the northern parts of its range, maximum height is 20 feet (6 m). Maximum d.b.h. is 6 to 8 inches (15-20 cm) in the Appalachian Mountains and rarely over 3 to 4 inches (8-10 cm) in the north. This tree has a short, often crooked trunk, with a shrubby or clumped growth form. The bark of mountain maple is drab and flaky or furrowed. The root system is shallow; the majority of the roots are close to the soil surface. The fruit is a two-winged samara.
Height growth averages approximately 1 foot (0.3 m) per year, with maximum growth occurring when plants are 5 to 10 years of age. Plants become decadent at around 40 to 50 years of age. Older mountain maples often produce more new vegetative growth than younger individuals.

Seasonal development:

Mountain maple flowers from May to June, after the leaves are fully developed. Fruit ripens from mid-September to mid-October.


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List of honey plants that may be blooming now in Iowa
See the entire list

Rubus idaeus (aka: Raspberry, Black-haired red raspberry, Brilliant red raspberry, American red raspberry, Red raspberry, Smoothleaf red raspberry, Wild raspberry, Wild red raspberry, Grayleaf raspberry)

Rubus parviflorus (aka: Thimbleberry, Western thimbleberry)

Rhus glabra (aka: Smooth sumac, Common sumac, Rocky Mountain sumac, Red sumac, Western sumac, White sumac)

Brassica napus (aka: Rapeseed)

Sinapis arvensis (aka: Charlock mustard, California rape, Charlock, Corn mustard, Canola, Kaber mustard, Rapeseed mustard)

Asclepias tuberosa (aka: Butterflyweed, Butterfly Milkweed, Orange Milkweed, Pleurisy Root, Chigger Flower, Canada root, Fluxroot, Indian paintbrush, Indian posy, Orange root, Orange Swallow-wort, Tuber root, Yellow milkweed, White-root, Windroot, Butterfly love)

Tilia americana (aka: American basswood, Basswood, Linden)

Amorpha fruticosa (aka: Desert false indigo, False indigo-bush, Bastard indigobush, Indigo Bush)

Asclepias syriaca (aka: Сommon milkweed, Butterfly flower, Silkweed, Silky swallow-wort, Virginia silkweed)

Brassica rapa (aka: Field mustard, Common mustard, Wild mustard, Wild turnip, Forage turnip, Wild rutabaga, Birdsrape mustard, Rape mustard)

Cirsium arvense (aka: Creeping Thistle, Canada thistle, Field thistle, California thistle, Lettuce from hell thistle, Corn thistle, Cursed thistle, Green thistle, Hard thistle, Perennial thistle, Prickly thistle, Small-flowered thistle, Way thistle, Stinger-needles)

Echium vulgare (aka: Viper's bugloss, Blueweed, Blue thistle)

Agastache foeniculum (aka: Giant hyssop, Blue giant hyssop, Anise hyssop, Fragrant giant hyssop, Lavender giant hyssop)

Diervilla lonicera (aka: Northern bush honeysuckle, Bush-honeysuckle, Dwarf bush-honeysuckle, Herbe bleue)

Cephalanthus occidentalis (aka: Common buttonbush, Buttonball, Buttonbush, Button willow, Riverbush, Honey-bells)