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Tupelo honey is produced from the Tupelo gum tree (Nyssa Ogeche)
which grows along the Apalachicola, Choctahatchee and Ochlockonee rivers and
their tributaries in northwest Florida.
To gather the nectar to produce this
unique specialty honey, bees are placed on bluffs or elevated platforms along
the river’s edge during April and May. |
| These river valleys are the only places in the world where Tupelo
honey is produced commercially. Tupelo honey is a light golden amber color with
a greenish cast. The flavor is delicate and distinctive. Tupelo honey is more
expensive than most honeys because it costs more to produce. To gain access to
the river location near the tupelo trees requires expensive labor and
equipment. In order to ensure the honey is pure Tupelo, the bee colonies must
be stripped of all stored honey just as the white tupelo bloom begins. Then,
the new crop must be removed before it can be mixed by the honey bees with
additional honey sources. Tupelo honey will never crystallize (granulate).
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| The branches are covered with obovate or elliptical leaves that are 3
to 6 inches long and half as wide. In early summer, they bear small,
greenish-yellow male and female flowers on separate trees. If trees of both
sexes are grown near each other, the female flowers will be followed by bunches
of 1/2-inch, egg-shaped berries. |
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