Honey Trivia

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Research On Sweet Uses of Honey

It All Depends On Where The Bees Buzz

The colour and flavour of honeys differ, depending on the nectar source (the blossom) visited by the honeybees. The colour ranges from nearly colourless to dark brown, and the flavour varies from delectably mild to distinctively bold, depending on where the honeybees buzzed.

In fact, there are more than 300 unique types of honey available, each originating from a different floral source. As a general rule, the light coloured honey is milder and the dark coloured honey is stronger.

Honey is called monofloral when it is derived from a dominant floral source. "blended" honey is created from a blend of several floral sources. The floral source determines the colour, flavour and consistency of honey. The large diversity of flowers across Canada produce a wide variety of honeys with special properties. Honey has its own personality determined by the flowers from which it was produced. Clover, canola, alfalfa, sunflowers, fruit trees, blueberries and wildflowers are examples of honey -producing plants in Canada.

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Here is a look at some of the most common honeys and their floral sources:

Acacia Honey is a pale yellow honey with an exquisite, delicate taste. China is the major source for acacia honey. It is also produced in California.

Alfalfa Honey, produced extensively throughout Canada and the United States is light in colour with a pleasingly mild flavour and aroma.

Basswood Honey is often characterized by its distinctive "biting" flavour. Basswood honey is generally water white in colour and strong in flavour.

Buckwheat Honey is dark, full-bodied honey. The production of buckwheat and, therefore, buckwheat honey, has declined in the United states. It is still produced, however, in Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin as well as in Eastern Canada.

Clover Honey has a pleasing, mild taste. White clover, alsike clover and the white and yellow sweet clovers are most important for honey production. Depending on the location and type of source clover, clover honey varies in colour from water white to light amber to amber.

Eucalyptus Honey comes from one of the larger plant genera, containing over 500 distinct species and many hybrids. As may be expected with a diverse group of plants, eucalyptus honey varies greatly in colour and flavour but tends to be a stronger flavoured honey. Eucalyptus is the major source of honey in Australia.

Fireweed Honey is light in colour and comes from a perennial herb that affords wonderful bee pasture in the northern and pacific States and Canada. Fireweed grows in the open woods, reaching a height of 3 to 5 feet and spikes attractive pinkish flowers.

Orange Blossom Honey, often a combination of citrus sources, is usually light in colour and mild in flavour with a fresh scent and light taste reminiscent of the blossom. Orange Blossom Honey is produced in Florida, Southern California and Southern Texas.

Sourwood Honey's source is small to medium-size tree that is common in the southern part of the Appalachian mountains from West Virginia and Southern Pennsylvania to Northern Georgia. The honey is light in colour and heavy bodied with a fine mild flavour.

Tulip Poplar or Tulip Tree Honey is dark amber in colour. The flavour, however, is not as strong as one would expect of dark honey. Tulip poplar honey is produced from Southern New England west to Southern Michigan and south to the Gulf States east of The Mississippi.

Tupelo Honey is a premium honey produced in the Southeastern United states. It is heavy bodied and high in levulose. It is usually light in colour with a mild, distinctive taste.

*Courtesy of the National Honey Board *