Monofloral honey is a type of honey which has a distinctive flavor or other attribute due to its being predominantly from the nectar of a single plant species."Monofloral honey types ", Bee-info.com. (in German) It is stored and labeled separately so as to command a premium price. While there may never be an absolute monofloral type, some honeys are relatively pure due to the prodigious nectar production of a particular species, such as citrus (orange blossom honey), or there may be little else in bloom at the time.
Beekeepers learn the predominant nectar sources of their region, and often plan harvests to keep especially fine ones separate. For example, in the southern Appalachians, sourwood honey, from a small tree that blooms late in the season, is highly regarded. Beekeepers try to remove the previously produced dark and strong flavored tulip poplar honey, just before the sourwood bloom, so it does not mix with the lighter sourwood. During sourwood bloom, there is little else for the bees to forage.
Some types Common nameOriginThe range of the origin plant is wider than stated, usually worldwide. There may also be local concentrations in any part of the world, meaning the monofloral honey can be produced outside the stated countries of originCharacteristics and availability"Main European unifloral honeys: descriptive sheets", Apidologie 35 (2004) S38–S81 (PDF)."Honey Varietals ", National Honey Board (US)Color(False) AcaciaEastern North America (native), Bulgaria, Hungary, Ukraine and Romania (main producers), Canada, China, France, Serbia and Italy Acacia, a light and clear honey made from the blossoms of Robinia pseudoacacia (aka black locust/American acacia) has a mild delicate floral taste and is one of the most popular and sweetest honey varieties. It lasts as a liquid due to being high in fructose. It has a fairly low acid content, and is excellent for sweetening without altering the taste or the aroma of beverages.Ranges from light yellow to almost colorless.Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)North America Alfalfa honey, produced extensively from the purple or blue blossoms (the most important honey plant in most of the western states) throughout the summer, is white or extra light amber in color with a fine flavor – a subtle spicy profile and mildly scented floral aroma. Not as sweet as most honey types, its delicate nature does not overpower other flavors.WhiteApple blossomUnited KingdomAsterUnited StatesA distinctively sweet smelling, full bodied floral varietal, Aster honey is abundant in the Mid-South United States. It is light in color and prone to crystallize quickly. Relatively thick and smooth in consistency.Light yellowAvocadoWestern United StatesCollected from the California avocado blossoms, avocado honey is dark in color and is dissimilar in taste to the avocado fruit, yet shares with it a fairly rich and buttery flavour. This honey originated in Southern Mexico and is now a common crop in Central America, Australia and other tropical regions. Dark amberBasswood/Lime (linden) blossom (Tilia)Ukraine, Russia, China, Hungary, Poland and the United KingdomProduced from the cream-colored basswood blossoms found throughout North America, basswood honey is one of the few exceptional honey varieties that has a water-white to light color and yet strong distinctive biting, mildly spicy flavour and a distinctive lingering aftertaste. It's somewhat fresh, pleasant "woody" scent is very good with teas like Earl Grey and works well in many recipes, e.g. for salad dressings and marinades.Water-white or pale, depending on the time of collectionBlueberryNortheastern USProduced in New England and in Michigan, blueberry honey is taken from the tiny white flowers of the blueberry bush. It has a pleasant full, well-rounded flavor, a slight tang, and a blueberry aftertaste. Light amber or amberBlue gumAustralia and TasmaniaBlue gum, a Eucalyptus honey species, grows in South Australia and Tasmania. Its honey is amber in colour and dense in texture. Delicious on toast and wafers, this variety is popularly used as a breakfast or ice-cream drizzle.AmberBuckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum)United States, France, Canada, Japan, Poland, and the Netherlands Aroma of hay, with intense, slightly bitter taste. United States, Canada, Europe.MahoganyCarrotUnited StatesCarrot honey has a dark amber color with an aroma reminiscent of chocolate. The taste is strong with a bite to it – a sharp spike in an otherwise earthy, caramel flavor. There is also a "grassy" aftertaste, something close to meadow honey. This honey's taste is different from other honeys. It shines through when used in recipes. Carrot honey is obtained when carrot plants run to seed. This happens usually on specialist seed-breeding farms, or when bees collect nectar from wild carrots.Dark amberCherry blossomUnited Kingdom, ItalyChestnutFrance, Italy, GreeceA dark honey with one of the highest mineral contents of all honeys.Conti, M.E.Lazio region (central Italy) honeys: a survey of mineral content and typical quality parameters (2000) Food Control, 11 (6), pp. 459–463.Yellowish-brownChinese tallow treeSoutheastern United StatesTallow trees produce a very heavy honey flow of high-quality honey in May and June in the Southeastern states into Texas and beekeepers often move their hives into tallow tree areas to harvest the bountiful nectar. Honey is dark with a tangy taste that is prized. Dark amberCloverCanada, United States, Sweden and New Zealand.Clover honey is a variety of honey made by bees that are fed clover.Clover honey – Encyc Depending on the location and source, clover honey varies in color from water white to different tones of amber. White clover in particular is grown as a widespread blooming pasture crop and is a major nectar source in many parts of the world. The nectar from clover contains a higher water content and a larger proportion of glucose relative to fructose than found in many other varieties. As a result, clover honey tends to have a higher water content, which may permit it to crystallize more readily over time. Crystallization of honey does not indicate spoilage, but tends to be aesthetically undesirable, so producers may alter their procedures to avoid the hygroscopic honey from absorbing more moisture from the atmosphere.White to tones of amberDandelionNew Zealand, ChinaHarvested from New Zealand's South Island, dandelion honey is a relatively strong honey blended with mild tangy notes. This dark amber honey delivers a distinct floral aroma of dandelions which are traditionally prized as a medicinal herb in China (including Tibet) and India for its broad spectrum of powerful healing properties.Dark amberEucalyptusCommon in Australia, in Western Cape in South Africa, and in Brazil.Monofloral eucalypt honeys include jarrah, yellow box, grey box, blue gum, river red gum, ironbark, stringybark and messmate. Eucalyptus honey varies greatly in color and flavor, but in general, it tends to be a bold-flavored honey with a slightly medicinal aftertaste. It may be used in baked goods, sauces, dressings. (Tasmanian leatherwood honey is considered a delicacy, but is not a eucalypt honey)Light amber to medium-dark redFireweedNorthwestern US, Western CanadaFireweed honey is produced in great quantities in some areas of western Canada and northwestern US and is considered a premium monofloral.AmberGallberrySoutheastern United StatesHas a rich but not overpowering flavor and is produced almost exclusively in the coastal Southeast.Very dark amberGoldenrod (genus Solidago)With acid soil, adequate moisture and good foraging weather during the autumn bloom, bees can make large quantities of honey from it. Much of it is sold for bakery use, but in some areas it has become a favored monofloral honey. Has a curious, distinctive and powerful smell, that has been described by some 'like caramel and milk is mixed into the honey', a spicy smell. Others suggest a faint licorice aroma. There is a peculiar discrepancy between the smell and its taste, and between varieties. The taste has been variously described as: 'a bit of a bite', 'a butterscotch-like flavor', 'similar to dandelion honey'.AmberHawthornUnited Kingdom, ItalyCommon heather, LingMainly from moorland in the United KingdomJarrahJarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) is a native tree unique to Western Australia (WA).Jujube, or Yemen sidrYemen, PakistanTraditional honey with reputed health benefits. Found in the desert areas of Yemen, Pakistan's potohar region sidr trees are also known as jujube, or Ziziphus zizyphusYellowish-brownKamahiNew ZealandThe creamy colored flowers of this common tree are very attractive to bees.Light amberKiawe Prosopsis pallida, see mesquiteKudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata)Japan, elsewhere where the plant is naturalisedBee colonies may forage on kudzu flowers when there is a drought of nectar from other flower sources. The resultant honey has a rich red or purple hue, a low viscosity, and is described as having a flavour similar to bubblegum or grape jelly.Varies from red to purpleLavenderSee the section spelled "Lavander" in "Main European unifloral honeys: descriptive sheets ", Apidologie 35 (2004) S38–S81 (PDF).Produced mainly in France, Italy and SpainWoody, floralLight yellowLeatherwood (Eucryphia lucida)TasmaniaA richly aromatic and distinctly floral honey, with spicy, caramel and vanilla undertones, and a lingering floral aftertaste.Dark amberLehuaHawaiiLehua honey is made from the lehua (blossoms) of the ōhia lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha), and is probably the rarest Hawaiian honey. It is liquid when harvested from the hives but turns into a creamy, sturdy honey after a couple of weeks.LeptospermumAustralia, New ZealandMade from any of dozens of shrub-like evergreen tree species MacadamiaDark amberManukaNew Zealand and AustraliaManuka honey is from bees who feed on the flowers of the Manuka bush, also known as the "tea tree" to produce a honey that has anti-bacterial properties. Tea tree oil is commonly from the related Melaleuca tree native to Australia.Dark cream to dark brown. It is also notably viscous.MesquiteSouthwestern U.S.The mesquite tree is prized for its sweet-smoky smelling wood, primarily used in barbecues and meat smokers. The honey produced from its flowers also has this distinctive smoky aroma.Dark brown and viscous. Remains semi-crystalline even in hot weather.Nodding thistle, or musk thistle (Carduus nutans)WorldwideConsidered a noxious weed in many areas of the world, but produces a good honey.Light amberOrange blossomFrance, Italy (Sicily), Mexico, Brazil and Spain; southern Greece; United States (Arizona, California, Texas, and Florida)Is actually made from mixed citrus nectars. It is a thick, very sweet honey. Strong aroma.Light amber to white, the lighter color and milder flavor coming in years when there is a large harvest and the honey is little contaminated by other nectars.Tulip tree, or poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera)Southern Appalachia, USTulip tree is actually not a poplar, but the honey called "poplar" is a favorite regional monofloral honey.Dark amber or black, when held to the light may appear reddish.RapeCentral and Eastern EuropeA floral – fresh fruit (fruity) aroma, warm, medium intensity.