city in Texas
Honey bee forage in Spring Branch, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 71% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in fall (83rd percentile) and lowest in summer (52nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 1.7 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.2 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Spring Branch?
- First forage: Jan 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 15, peaking late Feb (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Spring Branch, 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 Feb 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Sorghum: about 43 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi SE, blooms late Apr – late May (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi SE, blooms late Apr – late May (grown 3 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 Spring Branch
Mostly: Edwards Plateau Limestone Savanna and Woodland; Great Plains Comanchian Ruderal Grassland; Edwards Plateau Limestone Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.03 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi S.
How Spring Branch ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 64th | 78th | 24th | 66th |
| Texas | 71st | 61st | 52nd | 83rd |
| Edwards Plateau | 94th | 61st | 77th | 47th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 85% 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 Spring Branch: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bulverde 7 mi · Canyon Lake 9 mi · Timberwood Park 13 mi · Blanco 15 mi · Fair Oaks Ranch 16 mi · Garden Ridge 18 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 Spring Branch (29.8763, -98.4085); 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.