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List of Honey Bee Forage Species within Region 13 for the State of MA

Ordered by Begin Bloom Month

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USDA codeFamilyLatin NameCommon NamePlant TypeBegin Bloom MonthEnd Bloom MonthSig
ACERAceraceaeAcermapleTDB35N
TAOFCAsteraceaeTaraxacumDandelion, blow-ballsF49N
ACNE2AceraceaeAcer negundoBox elder, ash-leavedTDB45N
POPULSalicaceaePopulusCottonwood, poplar aspenTDB45N
SALIXSalicaceaeSalixWillow, osierTDB46N
ULMUSUlmaceaeUlmusElmTDB45N
TRHYFabaceaeTrifolium hybridumAlsike cloverF59Y
TRPR2FabaceaeTrifolium pratenseRed cloverF59N
TRRE3FabaceaeTrifolium repensWhite, dutch cloverF59Y
RUBUSRosaceaeRubusBlackberryS, C57N
RUCO4RosaceaeRubusRaspberryS,C57N
VACCIEricaceaeVacciniumBlueberry, huckleberrySDB56N
MALUSRosaceaeMalusAppleTDB56N
PRAVRosaceaePrunusCherry (uncultivated)TDB56N
ROPSFabaceaeRobinia pseudoacaciaBlack locust, false acacia, yellow locustTDB57Y
LONICCaprifoliceaeLonicerahoneysuckleV56N
CUCURCucurbitaceaeCucurbita L.Pumpkin, squash, gourdC68N
ASCLEAsclepiadaceaeAsclepiasMilkweed, butterfly flowerF68N
LYSA2LythraceaeLythrum salicariaLoosestrife, purple loosestrifeF69Y
MELILFabaceaeMelilotusSweet clover (white/yellow)F69N
LIGUS2OleaceaeLigustrumPrivet, hedge plantS67N
RHUSAnacardiaceaeRhusSumac, sugar bush, lemonade berryS68Y
VAMAEricaceaeVaccinium macrocarponCranberryS, C67N
TILIATiliaceaeTiliaBasswood, lime tree, whitewoodTDB67N
CUMECucurbitaceaeCucumis meloCantaloupe, muskmelon, casaba,C78N
CUSA4CucurbitaceaeCucumis sativuscucumberC78N
ZEMAM2PoaceaeZea maysCorn, maizeC79N
POLYG4PolygonaceaePolygonumSmartweed, knotweed, fleece flowerF79N
SOLIDAsteraceaeSolidagoGoldenrodF710Y
THYMULamiaceaeThymusThymeF, C79N
CEOC2RubiaceaeCephalanthus occidentalisButtonbrushS78Y
CLAL3ClethraceaeClethra alnifoliaClethra, sweet pepperbush,S79Y
ASTERAsteraceaeAsterAsterF810N
POCU6PolygonaceaePolygonum cuspidatumJapanese knotweed, Mexican bambooF89N

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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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Last Updated: February 1, 2024