Pa flowers

[buddy93]

I need to find a book on honey flowers or plants native to Pa This is the start of my second year with three hives, I do not have a clue on what kind of honey my bees have I thought it was mostly golden rod clear as water and very sweet ( removed one frame this past Oct) I do not like honey but I even liked the taste but do not have any idea what kind it is. any suggestions would help

[fermentedhiker]

I have and enjoyed "Honey plants of north America" by John Lovell 1926.  Since it covers the entire country the amount of space dedicated to each state is relatively small.  So it may not be what your looking for.

[BjornBee]

Finding out what kind of honey you have is somewhat of a multitask approach.

Knowing when the bees are filling the supers, the characteristics of the honey, and the main floral types in your area, all come into play.

Waiting until the end of the year makes this task much harder.

A general approach would be clover and dandelion (lighter honey) as early honeys, in May and early June. Goldenrod and aster (darker honey) in September. But localized floral sources such as locust, farm plantings such as buckwheat and alfalfa, and even occasional maple can be seen in supers. I would not spend a great deal on backyard "plots" of small plantings of one thing or another. Bees will work them, but for the most part play minor roles in anything to a point of claiming this type honey or another.

Get a good plant book like "American Honey Plants" by Frank C Pellett. Then make an effort to look at what the flowers are blooming in your area. You can also tell much by the pollen being brought in. But as with much of Pennsylvania, much of the honey is a blend since large mono-nectar sources are rare in comparison to other parts of the country. So I usually have a springtime blend (light) and a summertime or fall floral type (darker) honey.

[Shawn]

Check out the gardening section and I bet youll find some flowers for your area.