city in North Carolina
Honey bee forage in Hendersonville, North Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 81% of sites in North Carolina. Against other North Carolina sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in summer (73rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: apples (nearest 1.0 mi E); corn (nearest 0.7 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hendersonville?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hendersonville, 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 Apr 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Apples: about 36 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi E, blooms late Mar – early Apr
- Corn: about 27 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
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 Hendersonville
Mostly: Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Southern Appalachian Oak Forest; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.11 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 80% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Apples: insecticides used on about 77% of surveyed US acres (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Hendersonville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 96th | 62nd | 38th |
| North Carolina | 81st | 94th | 73rd | 80th |
| Blue Ridge | 99th | 97th | 98th | 31st |
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 Hendersonville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Barker Heights 1 mi · Balfour 3 mi · Laurel Park 3 mi · Valley Hill 3 mi · East Flat Rock 4 mi · Flat Rock 4 mi
All towns in North Carolina · 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 Hendersonville (35.3243, -82.4563); 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.