Gorse pollen

Ulex europaeus

Pale lemon, in the yellow range.

FloweringAll year, peak spring

PollenGood

NectarNone

SeasonWinter, Spring, Summer, Autumn

WhereMoor and heath, Waste and verge

Flowers in some form in every month. A reliable standby when the calendar is quiet.

Gorse (Ulex europaeus) 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.

Sweet chestnutJune to July ComfreyMay to July HazelJanuary to March ElderJune to July Creeping thistleJuly to September

Out at about the same time

HazelPale sulphur yellow HelleborePale creamy yellow SnowdropBright orange AlderGreenish yellow to olive ColtsfootDeep golden yellow CrocusOrange to orange yellow

Saw a load like this going in?

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

Pollen identifier