Terms of flowering honey plants in the USA and Canada

According to observations of naturalists and beekeepers.

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Scientific name:

Acer glabrum

Life form:

Tree-shrub.

Flowering time:

15 - 20 days.

Flowering period

in Washington for this plant is: Late MarchEarly May.

NECTAR PRODUCTION:
200 kilograms per ha

SOURCE FOR HONEY BEES:
Major


General distribution:

The distribution of Rocky Mountain maple extends from Alaska south to California, Arizona, and New Mexico and east to Alberta, the Black Hills of South Dakota, and Nebraska. Rocky Mountain maple has also been reported in Mexico.

Map of distribution and habitat in USA

This plant is present in at least 16 states/provinces in this country.

See The Map

Botanical description:

Rocky Mountain maple is a native, deciduous tall shrub or small tree. It often grows 20 to 30 feet (6.1-9.1 m) tall, with crown widths from 10 to 20 feet (3-6 m) wide and a stem diameter up to 12 inches (30.5 cm), though it can reach 40 feet (12.2 m) tall and 2 feet (0.6 m) in diameter. Rocky Mountain maple is usually tall and spindly in closed stands, with a more dense and brushy growth form in open stands. Though it may have a single dominant stem, Rocky Mountain maple most often occurs as a multi-stemmed shrub 5 to 6.5 feet (1.5-2 m) tall.

Rocky Mountain maple has opposite, ascending to erect branches, rounded twigs, and a narrow crown. The bark of Rocky mountain maple is smooth until maturity when fissures develop. Rocky mountain maple has a wide, spreading root system with a combination of deep and lateral woody roots.

Rocky Mountain maple may be monoecious or dioecious. Flowers are borne in loose terminal cymes arising from lateral buds and grow in drooping clusters. The paired seeds are winged samaras. Seeds are 0.16 to 0.2 inch (4-5 mm) long and samaras are 0.08 to 0.12 inch (20-30 mm) long.

Seasonal development:

Bud swell of Rocky Mountain maple occurs from late March through April, with budburst occurring in early April to mid-May. Leafing out occurs between mid-April and late May, with leaf growth occurring into late June. Stem elongation begins in late April and continues to late August. Rocky Mountain maple flowers from late April to late June. Buds form in early to mid-July. Fruit develops from June through August and ripens from July into October. Seed dispersal begins in September, but seeds may remain on stems as late as February. Foliage coloration extends from early August to early September, and leaf fall lasts from early August to mid-November. The timing of foliage coloration and leaf fall of Rocky Mountain maple may be related to moisture availability.


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

Malus fusca (aka: Oregon crab, Oregon crab apple, Pacific crab apple, Western crab apple)

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

Rubus ursinus (aka: California blackberry, California dewberry, California grapeleaf dewberry, Douglasberry, Pacific blackberry)

Rubus laciniatus (aka: Cutleaf blackberry, Evergreen blackberry, Slashed blackberry)

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

Salix geyeriana (aka: Geyer willow, Silver willow)

Brassica napus (aka: Rapeseed)

Allium schoenoprasum (aka: Chives)

Sinapis arvensis (aka: Charlock mustard, California rape, Charlock, Corn mustard, Canola, Kaber mustard, Rapeseed mustard)

Calendula officinalis (aka: Marigold, Calendula, Pot marigold, English marigold)

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)

Rubus parviflorus (aka: Thimbleberry, Western thimbleberry)

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

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)

Salsola kali (aka: Russian thistle, Tumbleweed, Prickly saltwort)

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

Agastache foeniculum (aka: Giant hyssop, Blue giant hyssop, Anise hyssop, Fragrant giant hyssop, Lavender giant hyssop)

Chamaenerion angustifolium (aka: Fireweed, Great willowherb, Rosebay willowherb, Saint Anthony's Laurel, French-willow)

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

Borago officinalis (aka: Borage, Starflower, Common borage, Cool-tankard, Tailwort)

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)

Calluna vulgaris (aka: Heather, Scotch heather, Common heather, Ling, Simply heather)