At 06:51 PM 3/7/98 -1000, you wrote:
>Given the large number of eucalyptus varieties, can any one point me
>towards  information regarding the nectar quality of the different kinds of
>Eucalyptus
 
Hi Walter,
 
In California the BLUE GUM is the only one of about 100 different euc's
grown here that produces large crops of honey. All of them bloom at
different times, some in the winter when bees can't fly far from home
and have been blamed for loss of many chilled bees in the winter. I suspect
more are killed crossing the freeways to reach the trees planted the full
length of California from boarder to boarder, NSEW..by the Department of
Transportation.
 
Bees wintered in the valley gum groves seem to have bad problems with EFB
in the spring. Pollen production is poor here from the euc's, but they do
provide red bee glue on the coast. The honey can be water white but most of
the time it is extra light amber. Crops of 60-100 lbs were considered
normal from Blue Gums blooming from December to July along the central cost
from B. Monterey to San Francisco Counties in the old days.
 
Much of the old growth gum trees have been logged off for paper pulp or
just cleared for other land uses in the central coastal area. Thousands of
new acres have been planted in the central valley to rid the soil of water
carried natural chemicals that is leached from the soil by farm irrigation
and these trees will be used for pulp or fire wood at some later date.
(Moving the chemicals to the air? Some of these chemicals are so bad that
they are sold as feed and food additives so those who don't have them can
enjoy.)<G>
 
A little eucalyptus honey can add flavor to any crop that comes in at the
same time. Because the flavor is not unlike that of cough syrup it is not
considered a bonus to Orange or Sage Honey Crops.
 
The seeds are easy to grow and can be started with ease by most anyone who
is interested. I started some when I was a child in a big indoor planter in
my folks bathroom much to my embracement...
 
Several varieties that are not frost tolerant bare bookays of large red
flowers that can contain table spoons of nectar in each flower and are a
beautiful sight when in bloom in Southern California and in special
indoor/outdoor environments in other areas.
 
ttul, the OLd Drone
for the USDA Honey Market reports:
 
 
http://209.76.50.54/
 
 
 
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