Information on common floral sources in North Carolina.
| Mountain Region | Average Mountain Bloom Period |
Pollen | |||
| Plant Name | Scientific Name | Starts | Days | Ends | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Maple | Acer rubrum | 5-Mar | 35 | 9-Apr | C0B095 |
| Sumac | Rhus spp. | 8-Apr | 146 | 1-Sep | F6BB43 |
| Dandelion | Taraxacum officinale | 1-May | 50 | 20-Jun | F29D4B |
| Black Gum | Nyssa sylvatica | 5-May | 10 | 15-May | F7DC6F |
| Holly | Ilex spp. | 8-May | 15 | 23-May | F7DC6F |
| Black Locust | Robinia pseudoacacia | 15-May | 14 | 29-May | DAF7A6 |
| Raspberry | Rubus spp. | 17-May | 17 | 3-Jun | DCDCDC |
| Persimmon | Diospyros virginiana | 22-May | 15 | 6-Jun | FAD749 |
| Tulip Poplar | Liriodendrum tulipifera | 25-May | 23 | 17-Jun | FCF3CF |
| Ladino, White Clovers | Trifolium repens | 29-May | 51 | 19-Jul | 859D6C |
| Sweet Clover | Melilotus spp. | 8-Jun | 53 | 31-Jul | |
| Basswood, Linden | Tilia spp. | 20-Jun | 23 | 13-Jul | FFCE19 |
| Sourwood | Oxydendrum arboreum | 25-Jun | 25 | 20-Jul | FCF3CF |
| Aster | Aster spp. | 30-Aug | 40 | 9-Oct | F8CD76 |
| Piedmont Region | Average Piedmont Bloom Period |
Pollen | |||
| Plant Name | Scientific Name | Starts | Days | Ends | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Maple | Acer rubrum | 1-Feb | 40 | 12-Mar | C0B095 |
| Sugar Maple | Acer saccharum | 5-Mar | 25 | 30-Mar | DAF7A6 |
| Dandelion | Taraxacum officinale | 15-Mar | 60 | 14-May | F29D4B |
| Sumac | Rhus spp. | 3-Apr | 151 | 1-Sep | F6BB43 |
| Alsike Clover | Trifolium hybridum | 4-Apr | 102 | 15-Jul | |
| Blackberry | Rubus spp. | 10-Apr | 20 | 30-Apr | D3D3D3 |
| Crimson Clover | Trifolium incarnatum | 10-Apr | 25 | 5-May | |
| Ladino, White Clover | Trifolium repens | 14-Apr | 102 | 25-Jul | 859D6C |
| Tulip Poplar | Liriodendrum tulipifera | 25-Apr | 29 | 24-May | FCF3CF |
| Black Gum | Nyssa sylvatica | 26-Apr | 14 | 10-May | F7DC6F |
| Black Locust | Robinia pseudoacacia | 27-Apr | 10 | 7-May | DAF7A6 |
| Vetch | Vicia spp. | 28-Apr | 46 | 13-Jun | |
| Holly | Ilex spp. | 30-Apr | 15 | 15-May | F7DC6F |
| Raspberry | Rubus spp. | 30-Apr | 20 | 20-May | DCDCDC |
| Privet | Ligustrum spp. | 8-May | 23 | 31-May | DAF7A6 |
| Persimmon | Diospyros virginiana | 20-May | 13 | 2-Jun | FAD749 |
| Sweet Clover | Melilotus spp. | 28-May | 37 | 4-Jul | |
| Sourwood | Oxydendrum arboreum | 10-Jun | 20 | 30-Jun | FCF3CF |
| Heartsease, Smartweed, Knotweed | Polygonum spp. | 4-Jul | 126 | 7-Nov | FCF3CF |
| Goldenrod | Solidago spp. | 8-Aug | 67 | 14-Oct | FAD749 |
| Aster | Aster spp. | 25-Sep | 35 | 30-Oct | F8CD76 |
| Coastal Region | Average Coastal Plain Bloom Period |
Pollen | |||
| Plant Name | Scientific Name | Starts | Days | Ends | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Maple | Acer rubrum | 20-Jan | 45 | 5-Mar | C0B095 |
| Sugar Maple | Acer saccharum | 25-Feb | 25 | 21-Mar | DAF7A6 |
| Blackberry | Rubus spp. | 1-Mar | 46 | 16-Apr | D3D3D3 |
| Dandelion | Taraxacum officinale | 5-Mar | 55 | 29-Apr | F29D4B |
| Sumac | Rhus spp. | 1-Apr | 153 | 1-Sep | F6BB43 |
| Huckleberry | Gaylussacia spp. | 5-Apr | 32 | 7-May | |
| Tulip Poplar | Liriodendrum tulipifera | 17-Apr | 30 | 17-May | FCF3CF |
| Tupelo Gum | Nyssa aquatica | 20-Apr | 30 | 20-May | |
| Raspberry | Rubus spp. | 20-Apr | 40 | 30-May | DCDCDC |
| Holly | Ilex spp. | 24-Apr | 16 | 10-May | F7DC6F |
| Black Gum | Nyssa sylvatica | 27-Apr | 24 | 21-May | F7DC6F |
| Gallberry | Ilex glabra & coriacea | 12-May | 28 | 9-Jun | DAF7A6 |
| Sourwood | Oxydendrum arboreum | 1-Jun | 20 | 21-Jun | FCF3CF |
| Pepperbush | Clethra alnifolia | 1-Aug | 20 | 21-Aug | F7DC6F |
| Goldenrod | Solidago spp. | 1-Aug | 85 | 25-Oct | FAD749 |
| Aster | Aster spp. | 30-Sep | 40 | 9-Nov | F8CD76 |
A few notes on plants. Consider all information presented here as approximate. Plants are COMPLICATED. Species within a genus may differ wildly in their pollen colors and blooming times, despite being apparently identical plants. Weather and microclimate may entirely alter bloom time to what is normally expected.
Pollen shown white without a number means the color is unknown. The numbers refer to hex codes, useful for displaying color electronically. Colors (again approximate) were compiled from
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pollen_sources
- http://www.sheffieldbeekeepers.org.uk/tools/pollen-chart/
- Garden Plants for Honey Bees, P. Lindtner. Wicwas Press, Kalamazoo MI, 2014.