This is an outstanding honey tree. The flower is not showy and is green-white color appearing with the leaves, hanging in clusters. Shown on the map is the famous area where much of the Tupelo honey gathered in the United States is located. The 2003 honey crop from Tupelo ended earlier than usual with beekeepers in the region extracting a crop short of the average. The Tupelo tree is a swamp tree and according to Lovell is found in desolate, unwholesome swamp where mosquitoes are prevalent, roads are absent, and an absence of late-blooming plants to maintain the strength of colonies in the fall. Many pictures of raised platforms to hold bee hives are found in past magazine articles of 50 to 100 years ago gathering Tupelo honey. Some of these locations had several hundred hives to a location and are known for producing good crops of Tupelo honey year after year.
Description of nectar
Tupelo honey
Honey produced by the bees from the nectar according the Frank Pellett's book American Honey Plants is one of the very best. It is has a pale lemon-greenish hue as a color, has a fine flavor, and is very slow to granulate--some say it never granulates. Often Tupelo honey is mixed with other nectar sources to prevent them from granulating quickly. The taste of Tupelo honey is distinct. It has been described as having a mild exquisite flavor and a thick body.