community in California
Honey bee forage in Petaluma Center, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 85% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (84th percentile) and lowest in fall (73rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: grapes (nearest 3.4 mi E).
When is the honey flow in Petaluma Center?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 15, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jul 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Petaluma 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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
- Grapes: about 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.4 mi E, blooms early Apr – early May
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 Petaluma Center
Mostly: California Ruderal Grassland and Meadow; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; California Northern Coastal Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi N.
How Petaluma Center ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 91st | 98th | 49th | 39th |
| California | 85th | 84th | 76th | 73rd |
| Central California Foothills and Coastal Mountains | 60th | 52nd | 71st | 49th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 39% 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 Petaluma Center: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bloomfield 6 mi · Tomales 6 mi · Cotati 7 mi · Penngrove 7 mi · Rohnert Park 8 mi · Valley Ford 9 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 Petaluma Center (38.2507, -122.7888); 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.