Flowering Plants/Trees Back to Honey Plants
Common yellow mustard is common all over the United States and Canada. It is a member of the Cruciferae family. Common mustard bloom early in the spring in many cases before farmers are able to plow fields. It provides honey bees with abundant forage if they are close to it.
Description of nectar
Lovell says that the nectar produces a honey light in color, but the flavor is generally regarded as inferior. It is also a honey that granulates quickly.
Description of Pollen
The pollen is yellow .
Description of pollen grain
Pollen grains of this family are
subprolate and tricolpate. The surface is heavily netted. It
is football shaped with predominate pores. These photos are taken
from Pollen grains of Canadian honey plants.
These are SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope pictures).
The photographs thru my microscope above do not show the heavy netting on the surface but clearly show the shape and pores. Often in a picture of pollen, several grains will be present and on occasion one can photography both a grain from the polar view and the long side view. If you look closely, an end polar view is located at the top of the circle of light.