community in California
Honey bee forage in Mountain Center, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 64% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (79th percentile) and lowest in fall (22nd). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), 0.11 mi S.
When is the honey flow in Mountain Center?
- First forage: Feb 16 (spring-flowering shrubs, dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to May 15, peaking early Apr (spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mountain Center, 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 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light 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): spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
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 Mountain Center
Mostly: Southern California Dry-Mesic Chaparral; Central and Southern California Mixed Evergreen Woodland; California Mesic Chaparral.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.12 mi S.
How Mountain Center ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 66th | 97th | 17th | 7th |
| California | 64th | 79th | 40th | 22nd |
| Southern California Mountains | 75th | 83rd | 57th | 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 Mountain Center: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Idyllwild-Pine Cove 2 mi · Valle Vista 10 mi · Anza 10 mi · Palm Springs 12 mi · East Hemet 13 mi · Sage 13 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 Mountain Center (33.7107, -116.7233); 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.