got a lucky break today

[10framer]

joe, if it hadn't been for privet my bees would have starved by june this year.  the rain ruined, clover and poplar and really messed up sumac too.   sumac was my favorite honey when i was younger i was a little let down by how little my bees worked it this year.  
i drove through the subdivision where i found the tree and a couple more near it and the tallow trees are everywhere.  i need to find somewhere in the area to set up some hives.  it would complicate things to do it, though.  i'd have to cross state lines.  i live in alabama and georgia and chose georgia to keep bees, go figure.  i haven't decided what 'm going to do

[10framer]

i planted some vitex this summer along with some butterfly bushes.  i'm planning on raising queens on my place and i'm trying to bump up nectar plants.  i'll plant several acres in buckwheat next spring and i'll disc it after the first seeds set and maybe get two or three blooms.  i pulled no honey this year and i'm going to have to feed all winter.  i don't want to have to do that next year.

[greenbtree]

Tightwad mentioned Korean Bee Bee tree (Evodia danielli or Tedradium Danielli, there seems to be some confusion regarding taxonomy) it might be one to add to your nectar arsenal, don't know if it will grow well where you are.  Here's a link with a map of it's potential range hort.ifas.ufl.edu/database/documents/pdf/tree_fact.../evodana.pdf.  I've got about 50 of them in buckets that I started over the Winter from seed that are about three feet high now.  A couple of different sources for seed, including people on this forum.  Everything I have heard says they are not invasive, and they bloom when nothing else is in the Summer.

JC

[Moots]

JC,
Looks like your above link isn't working...

For those interested, here's the LINK!

[10framer]

^^^^^looks like i'm just above it's southern limit.  i've been looking for a local source for these but i really don't know enough about them.  if they don't bloom until they're 20 or 30 years old they don't help me (i doubt i'll live another 30 years) but if they bloom in 3 to 5 years i'd invest in them.  i was going to plant a lot of tulip poplars but they take too long to reach the age to bloom (easier to find out yards).  i found some poplar hybrids that are super fast growing but i don't know if the bees work them.