Spoted napweed is an important honey plant here in
Michigan, where most people call it "Star Thistle"
I have about 18 medium supers of this honey on my
hives right now- and will be extracting soon. It is my
biggest crop most summers.  I try to time my hives
growth to take advantage of this flow, since I can
sell all I am able to harvest.

It is a very light, mildly flavored honey that is the
most popular one I harvest.  It has a very delicate
flavor that most people seem to like- it compliments
tea well without overpowering other flavors, and is
great for cooking too.

It is an introduced species,but has spread widely over
some areas of Michigan. You will see acres of it mixed
in the roadsoide weeds along the highways. In July,
the hillsides in Oakland county are covered with a
veil of purplish blue.  It seems to prefer rocky sandy
soils, and grows readily where the soil has been
disturbed by roadwork, and on fallow fields.  I do not
know of this plant causing problems for farmers or
people with animals- It actually seems to prefer
"Waste" areas. In areas sewn with clover or other
plants, it seems to dissapear.

If any of you know differently, I would like to hear
the other side of this story. I am no expert...

I was dissapointed to find out last spring that an
insect has been introduced to control this "weed".  I
will miss the wonderfull honey if the introduction is
sucessful.

Ellen Anglin