Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Carol on May 23, 2013, 03:18:13 pm
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I have what I am sure is a Chinese Tallow tree at the edge of the woods, about 75 ft from the hive...make that 3 big trees and at least 3 or 4 smaller ones. I've been watching one for the last week and today I see Honey Bees on it. After reading they were invasive I started looking and found the others. The trees are so thick around us it is hard to spot them and walking in the woods after rain means wading thru muck......no gators....but lots of snakes. Not real happy that they are an invasive species but happy for the bees. Also have lots of another invasive species around us...Pepper Bush. But they won't bloom for a while yet. I think I have a Sabal Palm starting a bloom and there are many of those and Cabbage Palms around us.
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Yes, I have them in my wetlands as of the past few years. I just recently found the name of the tree. I think they are nice trees, invasive yes but what isn't these days in Florida? I live and let live most of the time but an invasive plant that is beneficial to the Bees... I'm not in a rush to go clean up the swamp for free plus it's protected wetlands.
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They are around here also, I just didn't have any close by. This year I got seven about 3 to 4 feet tall and planted them, can't wait for them to get big enough to bloom.
Joe
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A good June Bloom, Mine just started...
I also purchased 3 Bee Bee Trees. These are good for July August Blooms.
If anyone wants the contact for Bee Bee Tree let me know. They are hard to find period, even harder right now. Mine were sent about 18 inches or so high with leaves, packed well and didn't miss a beat when planted (No drooping leaves etc...) http://www.honeybeesuite.com/honey-bee-forage-bee-bee-tree/ (http://www.honeybeesuite.com/honey-bee-forage-bee-bee-tree/)
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I just helped this old-timer re-establish a hive (he quit years ago due to mite arrival, SHB and health) over at his house. He's got a pretty strong hive going and we were watching it and shootin' da breeze. His hive already has one medium super full of honey. He's also a gardener and his wife does roses. Their backyard is in full bloom, but they didn't notice many bees. I said we should take a walk and look around. Along the side of his house he's got a HUGE red bottle brush stand that was just buzzin'.
He then points out a large swamp maple in the neighbor's yard since we were discussing early build-up forage and what not. I then glance over at the large, mature tree next to it.....then he asks, "Oh, BTW, what kind of tree is that?" and points to the tree I'm looking at as my mouth is dropping... :shock:...yep, big, beautiful tallow tree. I explained the whole tallow tree thing to him and then he proceeds to show me another 3 of them within a 20 yard walk of the hive. All I had to say to him was that he'd better get his next super ready (he's only got one more since he's just getting going again) and to get his extractor all cleaned up (it's in his attic) because he's going to need it.
The tallow trees we looked at were just getting ready. It looked like there was an odd bee or two scouting the blooms, but no real activity. They looked to be, at most, a week away from popping. The Old Boy should have a great first year "welcome back" to beekeeping honey yield.
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Last week mine looked like there were bees on it but not as many as I thought there would be after reading how many people plant them just for the bees and the honey they get from them. I don't really know what they look like in bloom. Never paid attention to them until I got the bees.
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Carol I'm the same as you. I actually knew what they looked like but didn't know they had an substantial flower or what it looked like. But with the bees I'm paying more attention now. The tallow in my neighborhood just started blooming. The flowers start as a long string with small bud up and down the side couldn't tell they were buds if you didn't know. Then when the flower opens it is 3 evenly spaced string of yellowish green so they don't stand out. The flowering starts closest to the trees and spreads to the end. Very much like wisteria just not as pretty. Since mine in north florida just started blooming in central florida it may be closer to the end for you.
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Luckily I have at least 4 smaller trees that don't look as "fluffy" as the 3 larger trees, so maybe they will be blooming shortly. The smaller ones have lots of bigger maples etc around them and don't get as much sun...so maybe the bloom will last longer. I checked the medium I put on a few weeks ago and they had filled about 7 frames. I was going to be away for 5 days and with the Tallow starting I put another medium on. Cant wait to look and see if they are working that yet. 1 deep and 1 medium for brood and 1 medium for them. Hope I can add more before I have to leave.
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Growing up i didn't know what they were called. We always reffered to it as a popcorn tree. I just assumed it was the state tree of Louisiana...lol :-D Because they are everywhere. I Live on three acres and have at least twentyfive to thirty in my yard. They have green buds on top right now standing str8 up. Can't wait til the girls have a go at em.... ;)
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The only reason I'm familiar with this tree is because when I was probably in forth grade or so, we had a plant sale at school. I bought my Mother a very small tree in a milk cartoon, which turned out to be a Chinese Tallow, which at the time I had no idea it was a trash tree.
She planted it outside her bedroom window and it grew like a weed. Once it got a little more established, every year my Uncle would trim it. He would literally cut off EVERY limb, and we would swear he had killed it. Every year, it would come back fuller and stronger than ever. :laugh:
Unfortunately, where my bees are, I don't have near as many as Plan-B, but I do have probably 8 to 10 small to medium ones relatively close...And hopefully some more in nearby woods. We'll see, hoping it's enough to help out the girls. :)
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I wish I had some of these, all I have is pine trees and sand.
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I wish I had some of these, all I have is pine trees and sand.
If you ever come towards Jacksonville, let me know. I can pull them up left and right for you...
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Most of the buds are standing straight up....but on one of the larger trees they are starting to droop and getting long and fluffy. Are they blooming? or have they already gone by.
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When the buds open they take on a slight yellowish tint and stand out from the leaves a bit.
Scott
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YES..... Like Scott said: They will turn yellow and also droop down instead of stand up straight like when they are first forming... :)
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they might be in Central Fl... Not here yet but soon. Take a picture and post if you're not sure
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This was taken on 5/22/13 They are fuller, longer and drooping on 2 of the trees the rest still look more like this.
(http://s23.postimg.org/s6y8qbj5j/005cs.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/s6y8qbj5j/)
ake
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The nectar starts flowing more after the male blossoms open.
Scott
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No idea what the male blossoms would be like. This is one of the trees.. taken today. I see a few bees every now and then on them but not large numbers. Have they already gone by or just getting started?
When my Bottlebrush bushes were blooming in March they were humming with bees, even before I got mine. After reading about Tallow I thought I would see something similar, but there is so much stuff around here they may have found something they like better. Did see bees on the Mexican Palms.
(http://s14.postimg.org/ur0rymrkt/image.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/ur0rymrkt/)
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No idea what the male blossoms would be like. This is one of the trees.. taken today. I see a few bees every now and then on them but not large numbers. Have they already gone by or just getting started?
When my Bottlebrush bushes were blooming in March they were humming with bees, even before I got mine. After reading about Tallow I thought I would see something similar, but there is so much stuff around here they may have found something they like better. Did see bees on the Mexican Palms.
(http://s14.postimg.org/ur0rymrkt/image.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/ur0rymrkt/)
Yes, they have opened. I can't really tell how far along they are but judging on how close we live to one another they should have been opened for maybe a week ISH? Mine have just started, they start from the bottom and go up from what I can tell. Oh and if your bees are not all over them then there is something else that is better (IMO) around but it's good to know there is backup...
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I found a low branch back in the bushes. Saw a bee checking them out but not a lot of buzzing. The "tassels" on this low branch are about 8" long, and they smell nice. Made me think of Lilacs. Most of the ones in the tree tops are only 5" (near as I can tell) and not hanging down like these.
(http://s23.postimg.org/nehjc9u4n/019csc.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/nehjc9u4n/)
But you may be right ...this Mexican Palm had more bees on it and it is very windy today with scattered showers.
(http://s10.postimg.org/oolu3zcw5/014csc.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/oolu3zcw5/)
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Here's one really in bloom... Ours are obviously just starting. But you can see how they will really look attractive very, very soon... You should get more bees on them.
(http://s11.postimg.org/ndntn2lnj/image.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/ndntn2lnj/)
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We have 5 acres of land, only 1/2 acre cleared, in the middle of several hundred acres of tree farms and woods. My Mom lived here since the mid 80's and she always claimed it was 10* cooler than in town...so maybe my trees are a bit slower than those in the open. Some are starting to look like your photo, but most are half way in between.
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There are Honey Bees on my Tallow Tree. This is the first time I have seen a significant number on them....sooooo happy. They are only about 70' from the hive. I spotted another one on the road in...We've had rain showers off and on for the past few days...how does that affect the pollen and nectar.