False acacia pollen

Robinia pseudoacacia

Pale creamy white, in the cream / white range.

FloweringMay to June

PollenFair

NectarGood

SeasonSpring, Summer

WhereGarden, Waste and verge

A generous nectar tree in a warm year, though its brief bloom is easily spoilt by a wet spell.

False acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia) in flower — Photo: Andrey Butko, CC BY-SA 3.0. 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.

Globe thistleJuly to September RowanMay to June Winter clematisNovember to February YewFebruary to April Flowering currantApril to May

Confused with in the field

Noted by name in our own records, rather than worked out from the colour.

LaburnumBrick orange

Out at about the same time

ComfreyDull pale yellow CotoneasterDull pale cream HawthornYellow brown HollyMuted pale yellow Horse chestnutBrick to rusty red LaburnumBrick orange

Saw a load like this going in?

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

Pollen identifier