Sourwood Honey

Coming soon

In late June, we move our bees to the mountains along North Carolina's Blue Ridge Parkway to follow the bloom of the native sourwood tree (Oxydendrum arboreum). Its delicate white, bell-shaped flowers open for only a few weeks, giving the bees a brief window to gather the nectar used to produce this highly prized regional honey.

Sourwood honey is light in color and smooth, with a distinctive, buttery flavor and a pleasant sweetness that lasts after each taste. Despite its name, sourwood honey is not sour at all.

Producing a true sourwood crop takes careful timing and attention. Our colonies are placed near abundant sourwood trees during the bloom, and honey from earlier nectar sources is managed and harvested separately to keep the sourwood pure. Because the harvest depends so much on location, weather, and the length of the bloom, the amount we're able to produce can vary considerably from year to year.

Much of what's sold as "sourwood" honey isn't genuine—some is produced from sugar water fed to bees rather than true nectar. That's why it matters to know your beekeeper and ask where and how your sourwood honey was actually produced.

Sourwood honey rarely crystallizes and usually stays liquid for a long time. If it does crystallize, that's a natural characteristic of raw honey, not a sign that it's spoiled.

At a glance

Floral source

Sourwood tree (Oxydendrum arboreum)

Where it's made

The mountains along North Carolina's Blue Ridge Parkway

Season

A brief bloom beginning in late June

Color

Light amber

Flavor and texture

Smooth, rich, and buttery, with a pleasant sweetness that lasts after each taste

Crystallization

Rarely crystallizes; usually stays liquid for a long time

Available sizes

• 8 ounces
• 16 ounces
• 32 ounces

How to purchase

Buy directly from our locations in Mebane or Jamesville, NC—please email Hye-Sook Lee first at hyesook@leesbees.org. Our products are also carried by local stores.

More honey: Water Tupelo Honey · Sourwood Honey with Comb