[Mradamhopkins]

Hi guys! Just was going around my house today trying to document all the nectar sources I have. I live on 5 acres in unincorporated Orange County right outside ocoee.i forgot to walk over to my fence line and take pictures of the palms that are in bloom and covered with bees. I'm just trying to make sure I know what I have so any corrections/ clarifications would be great! I got these trees from the IFAS for free through Orange County free tree program. I thought it was a holly but is this what they call Brazilian pepper?? I have 2 sick looking holly trees that were existing when I bought the house that have no flowers. also have some holly bushes another source that is just finished blooming is the bottle brush lastly is what I believe to be mexican clover but not really sure. I know that it's not a big nectar source but it's been in bloom for several months and when there's nothing else it at least gives them something so I don't have to feed them and there's plenty of it since my whole property has it growing.

 

[johng]

No, your tree is defiantly a Holly, you actually have two different kinds of Holly, Your first picture and the one with the dark green shiney leaf is also a Holly. The small low growing plant is Mexican Clover, the red bloom is Bottle brush. The Pepper will start blooming sometime next month. Look for it along road side ditches or over grown lots. Orlando is a great area to be a bee keeper. You are close to almost every major honey flow Florida has to offer with just a little moving around. In order from Orange, Gallberry/Palmetto, Palm, with Pepper finishing up the season. The only flow you would have to travel very far for would be Mangrove. And Mangrove really would not be that far either.

 

[jbeshearse]

The Melitto Files published quarterly in Florida show an excellent beekeeping calendar for Florida beekeepers including approximate bloom times of various significant nectar sources. See page 4

http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/honeybee/extension/Melitto File PDFs/Melitto_July_2014_7-1.pdf