town in California
Honey bee forage in Yucca Valley, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 61% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (68th percentile) and lowest in summer (56th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), 0.2 mi N.
When is the honey flow in Yucca Valley?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 15, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Yucca Valley, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, rabbitbrush; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, rabbitbrush; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
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 Yucca Valley
Mostly: Mojave Mid-Elevation Mixed Desert Scrub; Sonora-Mojave Semi-Desert Chaparral; Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.2 mi N; open water 0.5 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 71% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Yucca Valley ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 63rd | 84th | 31st | 34th |
| California | 61st | 57th | 56th | 68th |
| Mojave Basin and Range | 99th | 99th | 98th | 90th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 47% 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 Yucca Valley: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Joshua Tree 6 mi · Morongo Valley 9 mi · Homestead Valley 10 mi · Desert Hot Springs 13 mi · Desert Edge 14 mi · Garnet 15 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 Yucca Valley (34.1233, -116.4216); 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.