# American Holly honey



## beecole (Nov 25, 2011)

I took off my first honey a week ago. We have an abundance of American Holly trees. The honey tastes great but has an overwhelming floral smell. Is this normal for honey from Holly flowers?


Any experience with holly?


----------



## AstroBee (Jan 3, 2003)

Yes, this is the case. I think its a great honey and really like the floral smell.


----------



## beecole (Nov 25, 2011)

Thanks Astro. That's the input I was hoping for.

BTW, Very nice clean website.


----------



## merdoc (May 4, 2010)

our best honey my area is gallberry its in the holly family.


----------



## bevy's honeybees (Apr 21, 2011)

Last year I got a good gallberry harvest, which I thought was orange blossom at the time. The other day I walked past a gallberry bush and instantly recognized the smell.

People who got it from me commented on the "floral" taste and like it. Now I know not to call it orange blossom honey. It's in bloom now and I hope for a good harvest again--with my additional hives this year.


----------



## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

Does Holly honey crystallize quickly?


----------



## johng (Nov 24, 2009)

I'm not sure about true Holly honey but, Gallberry is slow to crystallize. It's normally a very light colored great tasting honey. Gallberry is related to the Hollies. The little blooms look almost identical. But, the leaves and the berries look different.


----------



## beecole (Nov 25, 2011)

No, American Holly honey is slow to crystallize.

By the way, My original post about the very strong floral smell was because the first honey I took off was not fully capped. It was still partly nectar and that explains the extra flowr smell.

I have since pilled 100% capped holly and it still has the floral smell and taste but it is not so potent.

Very nice honey. I will have to try some Gallberry sometime.


----------



## AstroBee (Jan 3, 2003)

Michael Palmer said:


> Does Holly honey crystallize quickly?


Very slow to crystallize.


----------

