Terms of flowering honey plants in the USA and Canada

According to observations of naturalists and beekeepers.

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Common name:

Western sandcherry

Scientific name:

Prunus pumila.

Life form:

Shrub.

Flowering time:

6 - 8 days.

Flowering period

in Minnesota for this plant is: AprilJune.

NECTAR PRODUCTION: 
No data
 
SOURCE FOR HONEY BEES:
Minor

General distribution:

Sandcherry is widely distributed across the northern half of the United States and eastern Canada. It occurs from Quebec and Newfoundland south to Tennessee and Arkansas and west to Utah, Montana, and Saskatchewan.

Map of distribution and habitat in USA

This plant is present in at least 36 states/provinces in this country.

See The Map

Botanical description:

Sandcherry is a native, diffusely-branched shrub that grows from 1.5 to 9.1 feet (0.5-3.0 m) in height. The shrub may be decumbent or prostrate when growing on dunes or other wind-blown sites. The leaves are generally oblanceolate and 0.4 to 0.8 inch (10-20 mm) wide. The perfect flowers occur in umbel-like clusters of 2 to 4. The fruit is a one-seeded drupe 0.4 to 0.6 inch (10-15 mm) in diameter. The seed is a flattened stone 0.3 inches (7-8 mm) in diameter. Sandcherry has a spreading root system that grows primarily in the mineral soil layer >9.8 inches (25 cm) deep with some roots penetrating to a depth of 8 to 12 feet (2.6-4.0 m). Sandcherry is rhizomatous; rhizomes are uniformly abundant in the shallow and deeper soil layers.

There is some evidence that sandcherry may be allelopathic.

Seasonal development:

Sandcherry is a deciduous shrub with typical winter dormancy. Flowering occurs from April to June, and fruits ripen from late July to September. Flowers open with the leaves or when leaves are about half extended. Sandcherry starts producing fruit in the 2nd or 3rd year of growth.


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

Acer saccharinum (aka: Silver maple, Soft maple)

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

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

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

Salix lucida (aka: Shining willow, Greenleaf willow, Tail-leaf willow, Whiplash willow, Pacific willow, Lance-leaf willow, Longleaf willow, Red willow, Western shining willow)

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

Malus domestica (aka: Pyrus pumila, Malus pumila, Apple)

Crataegus douglasii (aka: Black hawthorn, Douglas hawthorn, River hawthorn, Western thornapple)

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

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

Populus tremuloides (aka: Quaking aspen, Trembling aspen, Aspen, American aspen, Mountain aspen, Golden aspen, Trembling poplar, White poplar, Popple, Alamo Blanco)

Prunus pumila (aka: Sandcherry, Western sandcherry, Eastern sandcherry, Great Lakes sandcherry)

Salix bebbiana (aka: Bebb willow, Beak willow, Beaked willow, Long-beaked willow, Diamond willow, Chaton, Petit Minou, Smooth Bebb willow)

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

Acer rubrum (aka: Red maple, Scarlet maple)

Acer platanoides (aka: Norway maple)

Salix lutea (aka: Yellow willow)