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List of Honey Bee Forage Species within Region 5 for the State of CO

Ordered by Begin Bloom Month

RETURN to map
USDA codeFamilyLatin NameCommon NamePlant TypeBegin Bloom MonthEnd Bloom MonthSig
SALIXSalicaceaeSalixWillow, osierTDB28N
TAOFCAsteraceaeTaraxacumDandelion, blow-ballsF39N
POPULSalicaceaePopulusCottonwood, poplar aspenTDB36N
QUERCFagaceaeQuercusOakTDB36N
ULMUSUlmaceaeUlmusElmTDB35N
PRAR3RosaceaePrunus armeniacaApricotTDB, C35N
PRUNURosaceaePrunusPlum (cultivated)C45N
PYRUSRosaceaePyrusPearC45N
ASTRAFabaceaeAstragalusMilk-vetch, loco-weedF49N
BALSAAsteraceaeBalsamorhizaBalsamroot, sunflowerF46N
TRRE3FabaceaeTrifolium repensWhite, dutch cloverF49N
TAMAR2TamaricaceaeTamarixTamarisk, salt cedar, athelS49N
ACNE2AceraceaeAcer negundoBox elder, ash-leavedTDB45N
FRAXIOleaceaeFraxinusAshTDB45N
MALUSRosaceaeMalusAppleTDB45N
PRPE3RosaceaePrunus persicaPeachTDB, C45N
PRAVRosaceaePrunusCherry (cultivated)TDB,C45N
BRASS2BrassicaceaeBrassicamustardC59N
MESAFabaceaeMedicago sativaAlfalfa, lucerneC59Y
ERODIGeraniaceaeErodiumFilaree, heron's bill, storkbill, pin-clover, alfileria, clocksF58N
HYDRO4HydrophyllaceaeHydrophyllumWaterleaf and phaceliaF57N
LUPINFabaceaeLupinusLupineF59N
MELILFabaceaeMelilotusSweet clover (white/yellow)F59Y
ONOBRFabaceaeOnobrychisSainfoin, esparcet, holy cloverF58N
PLLAPlantaginaceaePlantago lanceolataPlantain, ribgrass, buckhorn, ripplegrassF59N
STPIBrassicaceaeStanleya pinnataPrince's / desert plumeF58N
SYMPHSymphoricarposSymphoricarposSnowberry, wolfberry, waxberry,F58N
TRHYFabaceaeTrifolium hybridumAlsike cloverF59N
TRPR2FabaceaeTrifolium pratenseRed cloverF59N
VICIAFabaceaeViciaVetch, tareF58Y
WYETHAsteraceaeWyethiaMule-earsF57N
OPUNTCactaceaeOpuntiaPrickley pearS57N
SPHAEMalvaceaeSphaeralceaGlobe mallowS58N
RUCO4RosaceaeRubusRaspberryS,C57N
ELANElaeagnaceaeElaeagnus angustifoliaRussian olive, silverberrySDB57N
RIBESSaxifragaceaeRibesCurrantSDB57N
CIRSIAsteraceaeCirsiumThistlesF610N
CLSECapparaceaeCleome serrulataRocky mountain bee plant,F69N
GERANGeraniaceaeGeraniumWild geraniumF68N
GRINDAsteraceaeGrindeliaResinweed, rosinweed, rarweedd, gumweed, gum plant, sticky-headsF610N
MAVULamiaceaeMarrubium vulgareHorehoundF69N
MONARLamiaceaeMonardaHorsemint, wild bergamot, bee-balmF68N
SALSOChenopodiaceaeSalsolaRussian thistle, saltwort,S610N
ARNE4ConvolvulaceaeConvolvulusBindweedV, F69N
ZEMAM2PoaceaeZea maysCorn, maizeC78N
CENTAAsteraceaeCentaureaStar thistle, knapweedF79N
HELIA3AsteraceaeHelianthusSunflowerF710N
RUDBEAsteraceaeRudbeckiaCone flowerF79Y
CHRYS9AsteraceaeChrysothamnusRabbitbrushS710Y

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Plant Type codes:

Sig column

      T    - tree
    TDB - tree, deciduous broadleaf
    TEN - tree, evergreen needleleaf
    TEB - tree, evergreen broadleaf
      S    - shrub
    SEB - shrub, evergreen broadleaf
    SDB - shrub, deciduous broadleaf
      V    - vine
    VDB - vine, deciduous broadleaf
      G    - grass
      F    - forb (herbaceous flowering plants, non-woody)
      C    - crops/cultivated
   This column indicates whether or not the species is considered a very important nectar source species within the state and region selected. If it is a significant source, it is indicated here with a 'Y' and the row is highlighted.

In this context, important is defined by Ayers and Harman as those species that "reliably produce a large percent of the harvested honey" within the selected region.

 
 

 For those wishing to see more detailed information about any species in the list, please visit the USDA PLANTS Database web site and search by any of the first three columns from the table.

 
This output was derived from content created by Ayers and Harman, and published as Chapter 11 "Bee Forage of North America and the Potential for Planting for Bees" from the book The Hive and the Honey Bee, 1992, Graham, J. ed. Dadant and Sons Inc. Hamilton, Illinois.
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