city in California
Honey bee forage in Palm Desert, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 59% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (73rd percentile) and lowest in spring (43rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.9 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); citrus (nearest 3.5 mi E); grapes (nearest 3.6 mi E).
When is the honey flow in Palm Desert?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 15, peaking early Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Palm Desert, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; 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
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, lindens / basswood; 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 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi E, blooms late Mar – late May (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Citrus: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.5 mi E, blooms late Feb – late Apr
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 Palm Desert
Mostly: Developed, medium intensity; Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.13 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 95% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Palm Desert ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 61st | 62nd | 26th | 39th |
| California | 59th | 43rd | 50th | 73rd |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 93rd | 88th | 95th | 97th |
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 Palm Desert: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Indian Wells 3 mi · Rancho Mirage 4 mi · Bermuda Dunes 4 mi · Desert Palms 5 mi · Thousand Palms 5 mi · Indio 7 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 Palm Desert (33.7376, -116.3641); 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.