Blackthorn pollen

Prunus spinosa

Creamy tan, in the brown range.

FloweringMarch to April

PollenGood

NectarYes

SeasonSpring

WhereHedgerow

Hedgerow blossom that opens before the leaves show.

Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) in flower — Photo: Kieran Roy Powell, CC BY 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.

Wild cherryApril to May PoplarMarch to April AlderFebruary to March Creeping thistleJuly to September OakApril to May

Out at about the same time

BoxMuted yellow DandelionDeep orange GooseberryPale greenish cream PoplarDull yellow brown Red deadnettleOrange red to brick RosemaryPale off-white cream

Saw a load like this going in?

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

Pollen identifier