city in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Phoenix, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 95% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (85th percentile) and lowest in fall (59th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.2 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Phoenix?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 15, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jul 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 Phoenix, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, rabbitbrush; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Alfalfa: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi W, blooms early Apr – late May (grown 3 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 Phoenix
Mostly: Developed, medium intensity; Sonoran Paloverde-Mixed Cacti Desert Scrub; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.14 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.17 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 94% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Phoenix ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 47th | 57th | 23rd | 38th |
| Arizona | 95th | 85th | 82nd | 59th |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 90th | 85th | 94th | 96th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Phoenix: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Glendale 6 mi · Paradise Valley 8 mi · Sun City 12 mi · Youngtown 12 mi · Tolleson 13 mi · El Mirage 14 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 Phoenix (33.5722, -112.0901); 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.