community in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Saddlebrooke, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 79% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (81st percentile) and lowest in fall (28th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.3 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Saddlebrooke?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 15, peaking early Mar (summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Saddlebrooke, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, rabbitbrush, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Alfalfa: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi E, blooms late 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 Saddlebrooke
Mostly: North American Warm Desert Ruderal & Planted Scrub; Sonoran Paloverde-Mixed Cacti Desert Scrub; Chihuahuan Mixed Desert and Thornscrub.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.41 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.49 mi W.
How Saddlebrooke ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 16th | 50th | 9th | 27th |
| Arizona | 79th | 81st | 52nd | 28th |
| Madrean Archipelago | 41st | 40th | 41st | 12th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 85% 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 Saddlebrooke: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Catalina 5 mi · Oracle 6 mi · Summerhaven 10 mi · Campo Bonito 10 mi · Oro Valley 11 mi · Mammoth 12 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 Saddlebrooke (32.5564, -110.8747); 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.