Terms of flowering honey plants in the USA and Canada

According to observations of naturalists and beekeepers.

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Common name:

Water maple

Scientific name:

Acer spicatum.

Life form:

Tree, Shrub.

Flowering time:

20 days.

Flowering period

in Kentucky 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 Kentucky
See the entire list

Acer rubrum (aka: Red maple, Scarlet maple)

Salix nigra (aka: Black willow, Swamp willow, Southwestern black willow, Gulf black willow, Scythe-leaved willow)

Acer saccharinum (aka: Silver maple, Soft maple)

Cercis canadensis (aka: Eastern redbud, Redbud, Cersis Reniformis)

Malus angustifolia (aka: American crab apple, Buncombe crab apple, Crabtree, Narrowleaf crab, Narrowleaf crab apple, Southern crab, Southern crab apple)

Aronia arbutifolia (aka: Red chokeberry)

Amelanchier arborea (aka: Common serviceberry, Downy serviceberry, Juneberry, Shadbush, Shadblow, Sugarplum)

Ulmus americana (aka: American elm, White elm, Water elm, Soft elm, Florida elm)

Prunus serotina (aka: Black cherry, Wild black cherry, Rum cherry, Mountain black cherry, Wild cherry)

Prunus americana (aka: American plum, Goose plum, River plum, Wild plum)

Salix discolor (aka: Pussy willow, American pussy willow, Glaucous willow, Large pussy willow)

Pyrus communis (aka: European pear, Common pear)

Acer saccharum (aka: Sugar maple, Rock maple, Hard maple)

Celtis laevigata (aka: Hackberry, Sugarberry, Lowland hackberry, Sugar hackberry, Arizona sugarberry, Netleaf hackberry, Small's hackberry, Southern hackberry, Texas sugarberry)

Acer negundo (aka: Boxelder, Western boxelder, Arizona boxelder, California boxelder, Texas boxelder, Interior boxelder, Violet boxelder)

Vaccinium corymbosum (aka: Highbush blueberry, High-bush blueberry, Northern highbush blueberry, Tall blueberry, Rabbiteye blueberry, Blue huckleberry, Tall huckleberry, Swamp huckleberry, High blueberry, Swamp blueberry)