Introduction


 This publication names and describes the most
important bee plants found in the state of Florida and
contains their approximate distribution and bloom-
ing date. With this information, beekeepers should
be able to manage their colonies better and/or move
them to maximize production. Finding locations for
colonies, based on proximity to plants good for honey
production, is both an art and science; it takes careful
observation and often several years of actual bee-
keeping experience at one location to determine suit-
ability. In this regard, the beekeeper must learn to
become a careful experimenter and observer of plants
at various locations.


 Plants that profusely produce nectar and/or pollen
in one location may not in another for a number of
reasons including differences in soil moisture, pH,
constituents and fertility. These factors are also
affected by climatic conditions such as rainfall distri-
bution, temperature and relative humidity (see A
Florida Beekeeping Almanac, Cooperative Extension
Circular 537 for details). A calendar of beekeeping
events (Figure 1) correlates bee population and bee-
keeping management with the flowering of important
bee plants.
 Over the last four decades, there has been an over-
all decrease in honey bee forage plants throughout
the United States. This is principally a result of
changing agricultural patterns and increasing urban
development. Florida is not immune to these prob-
lems, and policy makers need to consider the possible
impact on most Florida native bee plants. A specific
case in point is gallberry, present in vast communi-
ties within low lying swampy areas in the past, but
continuously declining because of forest manage-
ment, agriculture and urbanization, all of which seek
to drain the land and lower the water table.


 Although many plants produce pollen for bees, it
is usually nectar-producing species that are of most
interest to beekeepers. Only a few plants are capable
of secreting the vast amount of nectar honey bees
need to produce a honey crop. In Florida, for example,
perhaps fewer than 10 species account for over 90
percent of the state's honey crop, and only one, cit-
rus, is cultivated. The most reliable nectar producers
are citrus, gallberry, tupelo, saw palmetto, punk tree,
Brazilian pepper and sabal (cabbage) palm. Fortu-
nately, in most areas, minor nectar producers are also
found which help support bee populations, although
contributing little toward a surplus honey crop. It
is important to recognize that large tracts of plants
are necessary to produce surplus for just one colony.
The proximity of colonies to desirable plants is also
important: the closer the better.
 Of great importance is the knowledge that most
beekeepers must move their colonies two to three
times during the nectar-producing season. Only a few
sites in the state will support bees on a year-round
basis. This seasonal nectar production accounts for
interest on the part of many to plant a succession
of nectar-secreting crops for honey bees. In the past,
this has not been considered economical unless the
crop would also be used for another purpose (e.g.
livestock forage). However, it might pay to experi-
ment on a limited basis with legumes, other cover
crops or even native plants. Two Florida plants, sum-
mer titi and yellow jessamine, are considered harmful
to bees, and areas where they are abundant should
be avoided during flowering.
 The plants in this publication are grouped as those
which are 1) reliable nectar producers and responsible
for commercial quantities of honey, 2) generally
important for colony maintenance, 3) undesirable
species, 4) cultivated crops and 5) ornamentals of
present and potential importance.


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