Terms of flowering honey plants in the USA and Canada

According to observations of naturalists and beekeepers.

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Common name:

Oriental garlic

Scientific name:

Allium tuberosum.

Life form:

Crop, Forb.

Flowering time:

no data.

Flowering period

in Ohio for this plant is: Late AugustEarly September.

NECTAR PRODUCTION: 
Minor
 
SOURCE FOR HONEY BEES:
Minor

General distribution:

Allium tuberosum (Garlic chives, Oriental garlic, Asian chives, Chinese chives, Chinese leek) is a species of onion native to southwestern parts of the Chinese province of Shanxi and cultivated and naturalized elsewhere in Asia and around the world. A popular vegetable in eastern Asia, where the plant is often cultivated for its edible leaves, bulb, and flowering stems.

It has been reported as growing wild in scattered locations in the United States (Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Nebraska, Alabama, Iowa, Arkansas, and Wisconsin). However, it is believed to be more widespread in North America because of the availability of seeds and seedlings of this species as an exotic herb and because of its high aggressiveness. This species is also widespread across much of mainland Europe and invasive in other areas of the world.

Garlic Chives is often grown in gardens because of its attractive flowers and the culinary properties of the leaves. 

Map of distribution and habitat in USA

This plant is present in at least 8 states/provinces in this country.

See The Map

Botanical description:

Allium tuberosum is a rhizomatous, clump-forming perennial plant growing from a small, elongated bulb (about 10 mm across) that is tough and fibrous. Unlike either onion or garlic, it has strap-shaped leaves with triangular bases, about 1.5 to 8 mm wide. It produces many white flowers in a round cluster (umbel) on stalks 25 to 60 cm tall.

It grows in slowly expanding perennial clumps, but also readily sprouts from seed. In warmer areas, garlic chives may remain green all year round. In cold areas, leaves and stalks completely die back to the ground and resprout from roots or rhizomes in the spring.

Seasonal development:

The blooming period occurs from late summer to early fall and lasts about 1 month. The flowers are fragrant. Each flower is replaced by a green seed capsule that is 3-celled and has 3 rounded lobes. Each capsule contains several seeds that are small, black, and shiny. Unlike some Allium spp., no aerial bulbets are produced. The root system consists of an elongated bulb with fibrous roots at the bottom. This plant reproduces by its seeds and vegetative offsets. It often forms clumps of plants.

The nectar of the flowers attracts bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, and skippers. Some of the bees probably collect pollen as well.


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

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

Acer saccharinum (aka: Silver maple, Soft maple)

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

Prunus armeniaca (aka: Armenian plum, Ansu apricot, Siberian apricot, Tibetan apricot, Apricot tree)

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

Pyrus communis (aka: European pear, Common pear)

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)

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

Salix amygdaloides (aka: Peachleaf willow, Peach leaf willow)

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

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

Malus coronaria (aka: Sweet crab apple, Garland crab, Alabama crab, Allegheny crab, American crab, Baltimore crab apple, Buncombe crab, Dawson crab, Dunbar crab, Fragrant crab, Garland tree, Lanceleaf crab apple, Missouri crab, Sweet-scented crab, Sweet wild crab, Wild crab, Wild sweet crab, Wild Crab Apple)

Prunus cerasus (aka: Sour cherry, Tart cherry, Dwarf cherry, Montmorency cherry)

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

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

Liriodendron tulipifera (aka: Tuliptree, Blue-poplar, Tulip-poplar, Yellow-poplar, Yellow wood)

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

Acer rubrum (aka: Red maple, Scarlet maple)

Ilex opaca (aka: American holly, Dune holly, Hummock holly, Scrub holly)

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

Acer platanoides (aka: Norway maple)