5.2 Perennials

PERENNIALS
much more sprawling in habit".
Oenothera L.
evening primrose, sundrops, oenothere
per. -37° to -23° C Jun-Sep 30-120 cm
Value for pollen: an early morning source of P (blossoms fade toward noon) 35 ; in
most spp. new blossoms open in the evening (moth pollinated) but a few spp. are day
openine.
Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.
sainfoin, holy clover, esparcette
per. not quite as hardy as alfalfa Jun-Aug 10-80 cm NP
Value for honey: HP16 Hp6 17 ; H yield 20-54 kg/colony/season 17; N sugar
concentration up to 60% 1'i ; sugar concentration increased by 25% after a rise in
temperature of 1° C at night 17 ; secretion optimum at 22-25° C, but continues from
14-30° C and is increased with the addition of a full mineral fertilizer to the soil 17 ;
bees begin working sainfoin an hour before they begin foraging on Trifolium hybridum
(alsike) or Trifolium repens (white clover) 72; blooms for 10-14 days at an opportune
time between fruit bloom (Prunus, Pyrus) and white clover (T. repens) 72 or between
dandelion (Taraxacum of cinale) and sweet clover (Melilotus) 35 , and 2 weeks before
alfalfa (Medicago sativa) 2 ; seems more attractive to bees than Trifolium repens (white
clover) 72 .
Honey: yellow in colour, classed as water-white to light amber; granulates rapidly,
finely, and to a solid consistency; flavour is less sweet than most other H; aroma faint,
delicate 17 ; probable source of famous French Gatinais H 72 .
Notes: cultivated forage crop; valuable pasturage plant that is only cut once; not longlived
in all areas; deep tap root and is drought resistant; pink flowers on a spike; see
Table 18.
Opuntia polyacantha Haw.
prickly pear cactus, plains prickly pear cactus, Indian fig
per. -37° to -29° C Jun-Jul 20 cm (N)P
Value for honey: N flow is very short (4-5 days) 72 ; bees may collect red juices of the
fruits"; other Opuntia are also attractive to bees /2 .
Honey: reddish, classed as light amber, granulates to large crystals in clear liquid;
heavy body and is described as stringy; fair to rank flavours 72.
Notes: large yellow flowers; useful for a hot dry position.
Origanum vulgare L.
wiklinatjoram_potam_ marjoram n origano, organy, marjolaine sauvage, origan
per. -37° to -29° C Jul-Aug 75 cm
Value for honey: HP4 16 ; N sugar concentration of 76% has been recorded, making this
N one of the most concentrated known 16 ; H yield of 22 kg/colony/season reported
where marjoram is a common weed 50; blooms at the same time as fireweed (Epilobium
angustifolium) 72 .
Honey: is considered to improve the flavour of milder H's when blended with them 35 ;
a major source of H from Mt. Hymettus in Greece which is famous from classical
times 16 .
Notes: a cultivated culinary herb that also has medicinal uses; woolly aromatic leaves,
purplish or white flowers; roadsides, old fields and thin woods, sw. Que. and s. Ont.
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