Ash pollen

Fraxinus excelsior

Dull olive green, in the green range.

FloweringApril to May

PollenMinor

NectarNone

SeasonSpring

WhereWoodland, Hedgerow

Wind pollinated, so only a minor pickup for bees.

Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) in flower — Photo: MurielBendel, CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikimedia Commons

Easy to mistake for these

Closest pollen colours in our set, measured the same way the pollen identifier scores a match. Colour alone will not settle it, so check the flowering months and what is actually growing near your hives.

BerberisApril to May OakApril to May Traveller’s joyJuly to September AlderFebruary to March Sweet chestnutJune to July

Out at about the same time

ApplePale creamy yellow BerberisDull olive green BluebellCreamy white CharlockLemon yellow Cherry laurelDull greenish yellow CowslipWarm yellow

Saw a load like this going in?

Sample the colour against all 89 plants, then keep a forage record per hive.

Pollen identifier