city in Alabama
Honey bee forage in Orange Beach, Alabama
Estimated forage here is better than about 14% of sites in Alabama. Against other Alabama sites it stands out most in fall (95th percentile) and lowest in spring (2nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 3.6 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 3.7 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Orange Beach?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 30, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 15 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Orange Beach, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on Feb 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Corn: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.6 mi NW, blooms late Apr – late May (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.7 mi NW, blooms early Apr – early Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Orange Beach
Mostly: Open water; East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Wet Flatwoods; East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.11 mi SE.
How Orange Beach ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 24th | 50th | 12th | 42nd |
| Alabama | 14th | 2nd | 30th | 95th |
| Southern Coastal Plain | 10th | 11th | 63rd | 60th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 39% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Orange Beach: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Elberta 6 mi · Gulf Shores 6 mi · Perdido Beach 7 mi · Bon Secour 8 mi · Foley 8 mi · Magnolia Springs 13 mi
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Orange Beach (30.294, -87.5954); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.