Sourwood honey is native to the USA and comes from the nectar of the Sourwood Tree. Sourwood honey resists crystallization and has a light amber appearance. Prized by honey aficionados, this coveted raw honey variety is fantastic on countless foods. These include fried chicken, bread, and in yogurt. This honey is exceptional drizzled on fruits, oatmeal, granola, and cheeses. It’s also great when stirred in hot tea.

In North Georgia, this amazing honey has a short blooming period. It typically lasts from mid-July through early August. Sourwood blooms are rain sensitive. Unfortunately, it grows primarily in the Appalachians. This regions largely elevated and mountainous – making it subject to more summer rain. Too much rain negatively impacted sourwood blossoms. This causes large crops to be infrequent and often rare.

 

Caveat Emptor

Sourwood honey quality is poor when bees from the same hive pollinate both sourwood trees and non-sourwood trees. This is called cross-pollination and creates a diluted sourwood honey. When various blossoms are pollinated and mixed into the same bee hive, the honey is sourwood in name only. There are many pure sourwood sources so always ask your beekeeper or honey provider about the sourwood honey’s source.

 

Raw Sourwood Honey Facts

As a true mono-floral honey, sourwood honey is highly resistant to crystallizing. Because sourwood honey is a fructose honey, it has a lower glucose content and is more resistant to crystallizing. To learn more about raw honey in general, please visit our blog page at: https://www.zhikunedu.com/blog/raw-honey-2/.