Hello Anthony:
These comments are not intended to relate to "Tazmanian" Leatherwood, and I
suspect these plants referenced are very different.  Leatherwood in the
Southeastern USA (southern Virginia down the coastal states,  to and
including Florida then west to Louisiana, especially in the " Coastal Plain"
areas of these states, have such a plant, more often called Titi, which is
botanically, Cyrilla racemiflora L.  It is a semi-evergreen shrub  or small
tree with gray or reddish spongy bark, and thick leathery glossy leaves with
a netlike venation pattern on the upper surface. Numerous racemes  4-12
inches  long are born on second year growth.  The small flowers are  about
1/16 inch across, white, with 5 petals bearing glandular tissue on the inner
surface and secreting a nectar that is attractive to bees.  Down this far
south they bloom quite early, and are in fact gone by mid april in south
central Alabama where I maintained a strong colony for 5 or 6 years.
There, the plant does not produce honey for harvest because of 1)
insufficient number of plants  2) the bees do not pursue it with enthusiasm.
 I have never tasted this honey, but further south near the coast, Titi does
have a role.  Perhaps, someone from that area will comment.   Further, it
has a reputation for contributing to, if not causing    " Purple brood", as
a manifestation of the nectar's poisonous effect  on the brood.   I have
seen my bees working the few plants near my colony, but have not seen purple
brood.  I believe there are other varieties of leatherwood up as far as the
northeastern states and even Maine, where it may be called Black Titi, or
Buckwheat Tree.  Nothing further
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> From: Anthony M Jadczak <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: leatherwood honey from Tazmania
> Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 09:41:49 -0500
>
>     Last night, one of the students in a beekeeping short course gave me a
>     small container of Leatherwood honey for the collection of honeys that
>     I bring to various meetings, classes, etc.  I have tasted many
>     different types of honey .  Any info on the honey, the plant and
>     production practices is appreciated.  Tony J. Augusta, Maine, USA