The following resources were used for generating the What’s in Bloom pages on this website.

Plant information:
NC Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox A searchable database containing detailed descriptions and photographs of more than 4000 plants that grow in and around North Carolina

USDA Plants Database USDA, NRCS. 2020. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov) National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 US

Chatham Mills “Pollinator Paradise” Garden A demonstration garden created by Agriculture Agent Debbie Roos of the Chatham County Center of North Carolina Cooperative Extension. The garden features over 220 species of perennials, trees, shrubs, vines, and grasses, and 85% of them are native to North Carolina.

Sources for plants that are common sources of nectar/pollen in this region:
[1] North Carolina State Beekeepers Association (NCSBA) website, “Common Floral Sources in North Carolina”, Piedmont region
[2] HoneyBeeNet, List of Honey Bee Forage Species within Region 11 (Appalachian-Ozark Upland) for the state of NC
[3] The Hive and the Honey Bee, 2015 ed, Chapter 13, Ayers and Harman: Important Nectar and Pollen Plants of the Continental United States and Canada

Pollen color:
[4] Wikipedia, List of Pollen Sources
[5] OCBA member photos of honeybees collecting pollen on specific flowers, posted in What’s in Bloom

Pollen and nectar source ratings:
[6] Garden Plants for Honey Bees – Peter Lindtner (2014)
[7] Wikipedia, List of Northern American nectar sources for honey bees

Honey Tasting Notes:
[8] The Honey Connoisseur, Marchese and Flottum (2013)
[9] UC Davis Honey and Pollination Center, Honey Flavor Wheel
[10] NCSBA Honey Tasting by Suzy Spencer

Resources for pollinator-friendly gardening
Top 25 Native Pollinator Plants for North Carolina by Debbie Roos Agriculture Agent NC Cooperative Extension—Chatham County
Pollinator Plants for Mid-Atlantic Region Xerces Society