Terms of flowering honey plants in the USA and Canada

According to observations of naturalists and beekeepers.

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Common name:

Goat's-thorn

Scientific name:

Astragalus.

Other common name(s):

Milkvetch, Locoweed, Goat's-thorn.

Life form:

Herb, Shrub.

Flowering time:

no data.

Flowering period

in New Mexico for this plant is: MayJune.

NECTAR PRODUCTION: 
Minor
 
SOURCE FOR HONEY BEES:
Minor

General distribution:

Astragalus is a large genus of over 3,000 species of herbs and small shrubs, belonging to the legume family Fabaceae and the subfamily Faboideae. It is the largest genus of plants in terms of described species. The genus is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Common names include milkvetch (most species), locoweed (in North America, some species), and goat's-thorn (A. gummifer, A. tragacantha).

Map of distribution and habitat in USA

This plant is present in at least 63 states/provinces in this country.

See The Map

Botanical description:

Milkvetch species include herbs and shrubs with pinnately compound leaves. There are annual and perennial species. The flowers are formed in clusters in a raceme, each flower typical of the legume family, with three types of petals: banner, wings, and keel. The calyx is tubular or bell-shaped.

Seasonal development:

Some species of Astragalus are useful honey plants, whereas other species are poisonous to bees and livestock.


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

Ungnadia speciosa (aka: Mexican buckeye, Texas buckeye, Canyon buckeye, Spanish buckeye, New Mexican buckeye, New Mexico buckeye, False buckeye, Monillo, Monilla)

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

Salix scouleriana (aka: Scouler's willow, Upland willow)

Prunus emarginata (aka: Bitter cherry)

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

Salix boothii (aka: Booth's willow)

Robinia pseudoacacia (aka: Black locust, False acacia, Yellow locust, White locust, Green locust, Post locust, Falsa acacia, Robinia)

Astragalus (aka: Milkvetch, Locoweed, Goat's-thorn)

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)

Salix monticola (aka: Park willow, Cherry willow, Mountain willow, Serviceberry willow, White willow)

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)

Gleditsia triacanthos (aka: Honey locust, Honey shucks locust, Common honeylocust, Sweet bean locust)

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)

Prunus virginiana (aka: Chokecherry, Western chokecherry, Common chokecherry, Black chokecherry)

Salix glauca (aka: Grayleaf willow, Gray willow, Gray-leaved willow)

Salix geyeriana (aka: Geyer willow, Silver willow)

Salix brachycarpa (aka: Shortfruit willow, Barren-ground willow, Small-fruit sand dune willow, Small-fruit willow)

Rubus parviflorus (aka: Thimbleberry, Western thimbleberry)

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

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

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

Rubus armeniacus (aka: Himalayan blackberry, Rubus discolor, Rubus procerus)

Salix planifolia (aka: Diamondleaf willow, Planeleaf willow)

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)

Cucumis melo (aka: Cantaloupe, Rockmelon, Sweet melon, Spanspek, Honeydew melon, Honeymelon, Crenshaw, Casaba)

Citrullus lanatus (aka: Watermelon)