city in Oklahoma
Honey bee forage in Poteau, Oklahoma
Estimated forage here is better than about 93% of sites in Oklahoma. Against other Oklahoma sites it stands out most in spring (95th percentile) and lowest in fall (19th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 3.6 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Poteau?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Poteau, 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 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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): 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
- Alfalfa: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.6 mi SE, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 1 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 Poteau
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; South-Central Interior Large Floodplain Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.02 mi W; open water 0.02 mi W.
How Poteau ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 97th | 45th | 27th |
| Oklahoma | 93rd | 95th | 66th | 19th |
| Arkansas Valley | 88th | 89th | 81st | 41st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 68% 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 Poteau: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Shady Point 5 mi · Cameron 6 mi · Monroe 7 mi · Panama 8 mi · Howe 8 mi · Wister 9 mi
All towns in Oklahoma · 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 Poteau (35.0667, -94.6103); 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.