Terms of flowering honey plants in the USA and Canada

According to observations of naturalists and beekeepers.

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Common name:

Heather

Scientific name:

Calluna vulgaris.

Other common name(s):

Heather, Scotch heather, Common heather, Ling, Simply heather.

Life form:

Shrub.

Flowering time:

no data.

Flowering period

in Rhode Island for this plant is: JulyNovember.

NECTAR PRODUCTION: 
Minor
 
SOURCE FOR HONEY BEES:
Minor

General distribution:

Calluna vulgaris (common heather, ling, or simply heather) is the sole species in the genus Calluna in the flowering plant family Ericaceae. It is naturalized in North America from Newfoundland west to Michigan and south through Nova Scotia and the New England states to the mountains of West Virginia.  It is widespread throughout Europe.

Map of distribution and habitat in USA

This plant is present in at least 17 states/provinces in this country.

See The Map

Botanical description:

Heather is an evergreen ascending shrub, usually reaching 3.3 feet (1 m) in height. Growth form varies from low and sparse to dense and bushy. The opposite leaves are 0.08 to 0.16 inches (0.2-0.4 cm) long, and flowers are in axillary or terminal racemes. The root system is lateral and mostly buried within the top 4 inches (10 cm) of soil. On poorly drained sites, roots may extend to 8inches (20 cm) below ground. Young plants have a taproot that is later obscured by increased growth and branching of lateral roots. A surface mat is formed by adventitious roots and fine branches of the main root system.

Seasonal development:

In North America heather flowers from July to November.


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

Acer saccharinum (aka: Silver maple, Soft maple)

Aronia arbutifolia (aka: Red chokeberry)

Pyrus communis (aka: European pear, Common pear)

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)

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

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)

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

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

Acer platanoides (aka: Norway maple)

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

Celtis occidentalis (aka: Common hackberry, Bastard elm, Nettle-tree, Northern hackberry)

Catalpa speciosa (aka: Northern catalpa, Hardy catalpa, Western catalpa, Cigar tree, Catawba-tree, Bois chavanon)

Rubus canadensis (aka: Smooth blackberry, Thornless blackberry, Canadian blackberry, Smooth highbush blackberry)

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)

Acer spicatum (aka: Mountain maple, Low maple, Moose maple, Water maple, Plaine batarde, Fouereux)

Acer pensylvanicum (aka: Striped maple, Moosewood, Goosefoot maple, Whistlewood)

Ajuga reptans (aka: Bugle, Blue bugle, Bugleherb, Bugleweed, Carpetweed, Carpet bugleweed, Common bugle, St. Lawrence plant)

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

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)

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

Allium schoenoprasum (aka: Chives)

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)

Rubus phoenicolasius (aka: Wine raspberry, Japanese wineberry, Wineberry)

Aronia melanocarpa (aka: Black chokeberry, Rowan, Mountain Ash, Sorbus)

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

Prunus pensylvanica (aka: Pin cherry, Fire cherry, Bird cherry)

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

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)

Rhamnus cathartica (aka: Common buckthorn, European buckthorn, Dahurian buckthorn)

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