city in California
Honey bee forage in California City, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 21% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (54th percentile) and lowest in summer (23rd). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in California City?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 15, peaking late Mar (native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- 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 California City, 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 Mar 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): rabbitbrush, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, garden flowers; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, rabbitbrush, dandelion; 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around California City
Mostly: Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; Sonora-Mojave Mixed Salt Desert Scrub; North American Warm Desert Ruderal & Planted Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; open water 3.65 mi W.
How California City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 6th | 33rd | 5th | 27th |
| California | 21st | 30th | 23rd | 54th |
| Mojave Basin and Range | 85th | 85th | 83rd | 37th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 91% 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 California City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
North Edwards 8 mi · Boron 14 mi · Edwards AFB 17 mi · Randsburg 19 mi · Johannesburg 20 mi · Mojave 20 mi
All towns in California · National map · How the scoring works
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 California City (35.1466, -117.8693); 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.