community in Oregon
Honey bee forage in Melrose, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 81% of sites in Oregon. Against other Oregon sites it stands out most in spring (83rd percentile) and lowest in fall (21st). Biggest nearby bee crops: clover and wildflowers (nearest 2.1 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); grapes (nearest 3.1 mi N).
When is the honey flow in Melrose?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jul 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Melrose, 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 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, canada thistle; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), spotted and diffuse knapweed; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Clover and wildflowers: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi N, blooms late Mar – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Grapes: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.1 mi N, blooms early May – late 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 Melrose
Mostly: Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Mediterranean California Mixed Evergreen Forest; Mediterranean California Lower Montane Conifer Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi E.
How Melrose ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 98th | 58th | 18th |
| Oregon | 81st | 83rd | 43rd | 21st |
| Klamath Mountains/California High North Coast Range | 97th | 98th | 67th | 67th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 33% 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 Melrose: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lookingglass 5 mi · Roseburg North 6 mi · Roseburg 6 mi · Green 8 mi · Winston 9 mi · Dillard 10 mi
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 Melrose (43.2529, -123.4575); 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.