Arizona Nectar Flow & Bee Forage Calendar

What blooms for honey bees in Arizona through the year, when the flow is on and when the dearth hits. Main flow Mar to Jul, fall flow Aug to Sep. Built from the Sonoran Desert region: 56 forage plants and crops, honey-bee-confirmed.

Arizona: Your Beekeeping Year

Main flow Mar to Jul Dearth brief Fall flow Aug to Sep

The fall flow mostly builds their own winter stores, not a harvest to bank on. If a hive is light going into winter, feed 2:1 syrup while it is still warm enough for them to take it.

What's blooming in Arizona

Every forage plant behind the flow, including the introduced and invasive honey plants native-plant guides leave out.

Major flow

Nectar strength: low to high (bold names are major flows)

Native Introduced Invasive

Sources for this region: honey-plant references · regional varietal honeys · Xerces Sonoran Desert (NPPBI 2022) · Xerces Sonoran Desert (NPPBI 2022); genus estimate from American Honey Plants · Xerces Sonoran Desert (NPPBI 2022); genus estimate from Illinois Wildflowers · Xerces Sonoran Desert (NPPBI 2022); genus estimate from Plants for Bees · Xerces Sonoran Desert (NPPBI 2022); genus estimate from UC ANR; OSU Extension · Xerces Sonoran Desert (NPPBI 2022); values from American Honey Plants. Every plant is drawn from these, not generated. Tap any plant name to see its details and source.

Typical regional timing, not a forecast. The sources for this region are listed under the calendar.

Crops near you: bees and farmers

A crop grown around Arizona that feeds bees and depends on them to set a full harvest.

Crop	Blooms	Bees get	Crop needs bees
Orange blossom	Mar to Apr	Nectar	Moderate

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