Beekeeping and Japanese Knotweed

[Graperunner]

I read an article about a beekeeper who did not want his bees where there was Japanese Knotweed.
The reason was not explained, does anyone know what the reason may be?

Paul

[Rader Sidetrack]

Perhaps he thinks honey flavor from Japanese Knotweed is too strong.

Japanese knotweed flowers are valued by some beekeepers as an important source of nectar for honeybees, at a time of year when little else is flowering. Japanese knotweed yields a monofloral honey, usually called bamboo honey by northeastern U.S. beekeepers, like a mild-flavored version of buckwheat honey (a related plant also in the Polygonaceae).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_knotweed

It is also reported to crystallize fairly quickly. Here is one beek's perspective:
http://www.honeybeesuite.com/knotty-but-nice-for-bees/


Some Beesource members like it:
http://www.beesource.com/forums/show...anese-Knotweed

[jim lyon]

I think only the beekeeper could answer that question. Yes it can discolor your lighter honey but it also comes in a bit later so the early honey can be seperated by removing it before the knotweed flow begins. To this beekeeper any honeyflow is a good one.

[Vance G]

As someone said: I can sell dark, I can't sell empty!

[Mr. C]

This just came up on a thread on Bee-L recently. Apparently knotweed produces an ok tasting honey, but the smell is off. Some of the commercial guys said that it was great for overwintering, but that honey packers would reject it, because even diluted it would still have the smell. You can search the Bee-L archives to find the thread, I think it was under Midwestern Beekeeping. I believe it was mentioned that some would move to the riverbottoms where the knotweed was after pulling honey to build up for Winter.

[cg3]

I have to disagree about Knotweed honey having an off smell. The last 2 years, I've won the dark honey catagory at our County Fair with honey that was mainly Knotweed. Good flavor and it comes at a time when, otherwise, we'd be in a dearth.

[Mr. C]

Could easily be different varieties, I looked it up and there were like 50 different closely related species of knotweed. I don't doubt your experience, but I also have no reason to doubt the experience of guy in question. I believe he was talking about Minnesota. Others on the list also mentioned that they kept knotweed honey separate and sold it as such with an explanation of the unusual smell. Beekeeping is local, who knows.

[jwbee]

This is from Wikipedia:


Japanese knotweed flowers are valued by some beekeepers as an important source of nectar for honeybees, at a time of year when little else is flowering. Japanese knotweed yields a monofloral honey, usually called bamboo honey by northeastern U.S. beekeepers, like a mild-flavored version of buckwheat honey (a related plant also in the Polygonaceae).

[honeyman46408]

If it flowers and the bees like it I like it !!

I have met keepers that don`t like "Loosestrif" honey but my bees love it sooooooo

[SwedeBee1970]

Everyone has their preferences for taste. If they don't like it, then cut it down and replace with another nectar source.

[honeyman46408]

If they don't like it, then cut it down and replace with another nectar source.

Now that would bee hard to do

[windfall]

If they don't like it, then cut it down and replace with another nectar source.

If only it were that easy we could reclaim hundreds of miles of streamsides and riverbottoms;the stuff is incredibly invasive and persistent.....you better be ready to cut it down every few weeks for a couple years if you want to get rid of it.
But all the critters that drink nectar sure do love it come fall.

[cg3]

Before I had bees I had been actively fighting its rapid spread up our hollow for several years with very little effect. Incredibly resilient stuff. Once I saw how happy it made my bees, though, I decided to leave well enough alone.

[jwbee]

Perhaps there's more than one reason the bees like it , as I was looking at it in Wiki , I read that it has high levels of Oxalic Acid , something we use to kill mites.

You never know.

[mmiller]

In a couple of my yards we get a good knotweed flow late in the season. The honey is very dark. I have no problem selling it and many customers ask for it. This year because of the dry late summer we didn't get nearly as much knotweed as normal and I've been out of it for about a month. Bummer cause people are calling and asking for it. I've not noticed the knotweed in my area as having any kind of "off" smell.

Mike