Maple is blooming!

Maple in bloom!

Maple for me is the sign that my bees have food. It is not only a pollen powerhouse but it provides the nectar that goes into the build up of brood to be able to collect that first flow. Although the nectar is generally consumed , it is reported that the honey is fine tasting, white to amber with a pink tint. 

The red maple can bloom January through March and can grow in a variety of soils. Here we call it swamp maple  and yes, it grows in the swamp or bayou.

It is a great shade tree. If you are thinking maple syrup , well, that is usually the sugar maple. The red maple sap can be used for syrup making but the flowering is earlier than the sugar maple and that makes for a short sap rise. Once the flowers bloom the sap changes and is no longer used for syrup.