HONEY PLANTS 
515 
southern Arizona.* There are many species of 
Gilia in the western States. The bloom is visited 
by honeybees in large numbers. 
Globe Thistle ( Echinops spherocephalus) .-—This¬ 
tle-like herb from Europe, 3 to 6 feet tall, with 
spinose leaves. At one time it was believed to be 
a most promising honey plant. Three acres of it 
were planted by Herman Chapman of Versailles, 
New York, whence it was known as Chapman’s 
honey plant. It proved unsatisfactory and today 
is almost unknown to beekeepers. 
Goldenrod (Solidago). —Numerous species. Sur¬ 
plus in New England; honey golden or dark am¬ 
ber; thick, of fine flavor. See Goldenrod. 
Gooseberry.—See Currant. 
Granjeno ( Mormisia pallida). —A thorny shrub 
in southern Texas, growing on sandy soil and con¬ 
sidered a good honey plant. (Syn. Celtis pallida.) 
Gum Plant ( Grindelia squarrosa). —Many acres 
of the dry plains of Manitoba and Minnesota are 
covered with its yellow flowers which are very at¬ 
tractive to bees. 
Hackberry (Celtis). —Sugarberry. Nettle-tree. 
Shrubs or small trees on which the greenish flow¬ 
ers unfold before the leaves. From the common 
hackberry ( C. occidentali.s) in Illinois and Mis¬ 
souri in some years the bees gather a large amount 
of nectar. There are more species in the South 
than in the North. 
Hawthorn ( Crataegus ).—A great number of 
closely allied species, blooming in May; valuable 
■for both nectar and pollen. 
Heather ( Calluna vulgaris). —In northern and 
western Europe heather or ling covers vast areas 
called moors. Honey amber-colored, with an aro¬ 
matic flavor, and a pungent aroma, but so viscous 
that it is difficult to extract. On an estate in South 
Lancaster, Mass., there have been planted two or 
three acres of heather. The plant is hardy and 
seeds itself. 
Heartsease (Polygonum Persicaria). —Natural¬ 
ized from Europe thruout a large part of North 
America; honey varies from light to dark amber; 
flavor very good. Water smartweed (P. puncta- 
tum) occurs in wet lands thruout North America; 
honey dark and of poor quality. Many other 
smart-weeds are of more or less value; about Vo 
species in North America. See Heartsease. 
Hedge Nettle ( Stachys ).—Many species secrete 
nectar freely, and attract a large number of bees. 
Holly (Ilex opaca). —American holly. White holly. 
A small evergreen tree which in the southern 
States blooms in April. In western Mississippi and 
southern Arkansas it is an important honey plant 
yielding a large surplus. Honey nearly white, 
heavy, excellent, and when pure will not candy. 
See Holly. 
Hollyhock (Sidalcea malvaeflora). ■ —Checker- 
bloom. Grows in profusion along the roadsides 
and irrigating ditches of southern California and 
southern Arizona. A good source of nectar in win¬ 
ter, sometimes yields a small extracting. Stimu¬ 
lates brood-rearing. 
Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos). —A large 
thdrny tree bearing small greenish flowers. Rich 
woods from New York to Texas. The bloom secretes 
nectar freely, but the tree is too rare to yield a 
surplus. 
Honeysuckle (Lonicera). —Honeybees are able to 
gather the nectar of several species of bush-honey¬ 
suckle ; but the nectar of the climbing garden hon¬ 
eysuckle (L. Periclymenum) , adapted to moths, and 
of the trumpet honeysuckle (L. sempervirens ), 
adapted to humming birds, is beyond their reach. 
Horse-chestnut (Aesculus Hippocaatanum). —A 
bumblebee flower, but honeybees obtain both nectar 
and pollen. 
Horsemint (Monarda punctata). —New York to 
Florida and Texas. One of the main yielders in 
Texas; honey of good quality, but rather strong- 
flavored. M. clinopodioides is likewise very valu¬ 
able ; honey has been compared to that of bass¬ 
wood. See Horsemint. 
Hop-tree (Ptelea trifoliata). —A small tree with 
greenish white flowers, which have a disagreeable 
odor. In rich woodlands from Minnesota to Flor¬ 
ida and Texas. Blooms in June. Very frequently 
visited by honeybees. Valuable when abundant. 
Also called whahoo and wafer ash. 
Horehound (Marrubium vulgare). —Good yields 
of dark honey, but it is so bitter as to be almost 
worthless except for medicine. See Horehound. 
Huajilla (Acacia Berlandieri). —A shrub form¬ 
ing dense thickets in the Rio Grande Plain. Honey 
white with a fine flavor and pronounced aroma. It 
granulates quickly with a coarse grain. See Hua¬ 
jilla. • 
Huisache (Yachellia farnesiana). —Yellow opa- 
nax. Cassie. Florida to southern California. A 
shrub or small tree. Chiefly valuable for pollen. 
(Syn. Acacia farnesiana). 
Jackass Clover.—See Stinkweed. 
Knotweed. — -See Heartsease. ' 
Lavender (Lavandula officinalis). —A garden 
herb cultivated for the strong aromatic foliage. The 
honey is very thick and difficult to extract. 
Lemon (Citrus Limonium). —Valuable for honey 
in southern California. Honey light-colored, of ex¬ 
cellent flavor with none of the tartness of the 
lemon. 
Lima Bean (Phaseolus lunatus). —More than 
one-half of the commercial crop of lima beans is 
grown in southern California in a narrow belt, 20 
miles wide; within reach of the ocean fogs. In 
Ventura County 50 pounds of honey per colony is 
often secured from the bean fields. Lima bean hon¬ 
ey is a heavy white honey with an excellent flavor. 
A bush variety is planted by the thousand acres 
and is yielding nectar better than the old variety. 
Linden. — Bee Basswood. 
Locust, Black (Robinia Pseudo-Acacia) .-—Com¬ 
mon in the mountains of the central and southern 
States. Widely cultivated. The cream-white flow¬ 
ers open in May. Honey white, mild-flavored, 
heavy and slow to granulate. A colony of bees has 
been known to store 15 pounds in one day. See 
Locust. 
Logwood (Haematoxylon campechianum) .-—Com¬ 
mon in the States bordering on the Bay of Cam¬ 
peche; introduced into Florida, Jamaica, and in the 
West Indies; honey nearly water-white, of good 
body, and unexcelled in flavor and aroma. See 
Logwood. 
Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica). —Sometimes wrong¬ 
ly named Japan plum; South and in California; 
valuable because it flowers late. 
Lucerne.—See- Alfalfa. 
Madron a (Arbutus Menziesii). —An evergreen 
tree common in the Coast Ranges of Oregon and 
California. The honey is light amber, with a good 
body and flavor. A reliable honey plant, but it 
blooms before settled weather. 
Mayweed (Anthemis Cotula.) —Honey light yel¬ 
low and very bitter. 
Mallow (Malva). —The flowers of several species 
are very frequently visited by honeybees for nectar 
and pollen, but not important except perhaps lo¬ 
cally. 
Manchineel ( Hippomane Mancinella). —Southeast 
Florida and on the Keys. Nectar very abundant. 
Small trees with apetalous, greenish flowers. 
