# Bee Bee Tree pictures.



## John67x

Here are some Bee Bee tree photos. They are a beautiful ornamental tree besides their value as a great source of late summer nectar for bees. The white flower cluster is softball sized and when in bloom in very late summer they often have as many as 20 bees per cluster. I have seeds available for sale in "for sale" category in forum here. Hope you enjoy the pictures, one of my favorite trees for sure and the bees agree! The last pic shows the "fruit" of the bee's labors...after pollination these red seed pods turn from this shade to a deeper reddish maroon color. Really striking as trees are covered with flowers and then fruit clusters.


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## ParanoidBeek

How long does it take for a beebee tree to reach maturity and have flowers?


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## John67x

These trees will mature and flower between 4-6 years of age. Thats been my experience with them. Not bad considering its a tree, but it's worth the wait. I've see as many as 20 bees on a single flower cluster and the trees put out a lot of flowers.


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## coopermaple

How far north will they survive? We are zone 4-5.


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## John67x

The trees are hardy in zones 4-8. The University of Maine planted the tree in a USDA zone 4a (temps reached as low as -30F) and found it did well. No extra winter protection was given the trees aside from mulch. My trees in Pennsylvania seem oblivious to the cold, leaves are still green even this late in October when most other trees are busy dropping theirs. I think they would be fine in your 4/5 zone for sure.


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## dcross

I put seed in a few years ago(fall 2007), they come back every year but die back to the ground over winter. Hoping they'll grow out of that eventually, the top growth gets larger every year, no blooms yet. Zone 5a


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## John67x

Well there are a few things you could try. When they are small they are susceptible to the cold, so some winter protection can get them through it. Mulch will help and maybe burlap staked around them. Deer could be eating them as well. Also if you bring a few indoors over winter before they go dormant you can grow them up over winter. Once they get a bit of size to them they endure some pretty tough winter weather. They should thrive in your zone once they get a decent size. When they do and start to flower you'll see how crazy the bees are for them!


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## dcross

They're enduring, I'm content to wait and see


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## John67x

Here is a link to some good pictures of trees: http://s1140.photobucket.com/albums/n578/john677x/


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## trance

John67x said:


> Here is a link to some good pictures of trees: http://s1140.photobucket.com/albums/n578/john677x/


Have any updated pictures? I would love to see the size of it now. Have you found it to be soft wood, easy to break off during a storm? WHat are your thoughts close to a house for shade?


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## Kamon A. Reynolds

These trees look great. Thanks for the photo's.

I'm about ready to plant 100 seeds anyone have much experience doing this and be willing to share some knowledge?

Thanks


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## Solarbeez

I just found out that a bee club is selling trees for $7.00 each...I'm getting two of them. Can't wait to get them growing. Hope they do well on the Oregon Coast. 
Those are great photos.


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## Solarbeez

Uh-oh...These trees don't bloom until they are 7 years old...? I hope I live that long. My wife and I will be working our walkers over to see the trees we planted 6 or 7 years earlier. Hope we can see well enough by then. Hope we can find them.


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## John67x

I am going to upload some newer pics soon. I saw about fifteen Swallowtail butterflies on them all at once yesterday but didn't have a chance to take some pics of them.


trance said:


> Have any updated pictures? I would love to see the size of it now. Have you found it to be soft wood, easy to break off during a storm? WHat are your thoughts close to a house for shade?


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## John67x

They bloom in 3-5 yrs in my experience. It depends on climate/environment perhaps.


Solarbeez said:


> Uh-oh...These trees don't bloom until they are 7 years old...? I hope I live that long. My wife and I will be working our walkers over to see the trees we planted 6 or 7 years earlier. Hope we can see well enough by then. Hope we can find them.


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## concpumper

Take john67 with a grain of salt. I ordered 12 trees + seeds from him. His initial communication was fine detailing how he would keep me informed as to when he received my check (should have used paypal) and shipping info. He cashed my check alright, then nothing. He would not return emails or phone calls. I did some checking on him and found out that in the last year he has done the same to others. Seems he used to be a good source a few years ago, but something has changed. Watch out.


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## concpumper

As a good post script, a few days after I posted warnings on all the beekeeping forums I could find, John sent me my trees. Better yet, he actually called me and apologized. If you have ever had to do something like that, you know that is not a call you like to make. The 6-8" trees arrived in good shape. I found another beekeeper in our local club that ordered from John and never got her trees. I gave her John's cell, and hope he does for her what he finally did for me.


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## c10250

Where is this tree native to? Also, what does the honey taste like??


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## concpumper

c10250 said:


> Where is this tree native to? Also, what does the honey taste like??


As best I can tell, you can plant it nearly throughout the US. It mainly seems to require well drained soil. I know that I just lost a 6" seedling to the horrendous rains here in Oklahoma. It was drowning in clay soil (my fault). The others seem to be doing better in situations where the soil drained better. I have no idea of the honey taste, but am rolling the dice and hoping for the best.


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## Honey man

i am planning on planting several of these next year, does anyone have a source for the honey, I would love to purchase a small amount to try. thanks


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## Diamond Hunter

The trees are Korean,you can buy them and many other bee trees at www.rockbridgetrees.com


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## odfrank

I am still shipping bare root BeeBee trees, see:

http://www.beesource.com/forums/sho...root-Trees-Now-Available-For-January-Shipment


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