Limited Release: Basswood Blossom Raw Honey

The Basswood (Tilia americana) is a deciduous tree native to eastern North America. It produces fragrant, white flowers in late spring, that draw the bees to it, where they enjoy the abundant nectar. (This honey is sometimes called Linden honey, referring to the tree’s alternate name.) Because conditions of weather and flowering differ every season, there is no guarantee that a beekeeper will get Basswood honey on a given year or how much. It is therefore in limited quantity and highly prized. This type of honey is known as a varietal or mono-floral which means the bees have fed predominantly on one type of nectar. When Basswood is flowering, it is a preferred food so when beekeepers move their hives near the trees in full bloom, they know the bees will spend most of their time there. They then pay close attention to the taste of the honey and the duration of the flowering period, and harvest it just as the bees start to move on to other flowers.