Cherry Laurel

[thewoodgatherer]

I have been offered a new apiary location on a private estate with good access, security etc and some good potential bee forage. However they have a large number of Laurel hedges many of which will be in front of the hives. I have some cherry Laurel hedges at home and have not had any issues with my honey that I can detect ( no bitter or unusual flavours)
I know this has been talked about before but I have never found any definitive answers. What I have noticed though is that my honey bees don’t seam interested in the flowering Laurel, maybe due to other higher value forage
What do you experts think?

[Cable_Fairy]

Just done a search "It's definitely a bee friendly plant, packed with nectar and pollen. The cherry laurel, Prunus Caroliniana, a member of the rose family, draws honey bees as if there's no tomorrow"

I have a large Laurel at the back of my hives, the bees just fly over it, however it is normally full of "German Wasps"

[Alfred]

Can't remember the variety of gender that was being discussed but I was informed that laurel has a cyanide bearing part under the leaf

[thewoodgatherer]

Can't remember the variety of gender that was being discussed but I was informed that laurel has a cyanide bearing part under the leaf

That’s the point, apparently Laurels have extra floral nectaries which secret nectar from the leaf joints etc. What I can’t find is a definitive yes or no to honey toxicity. I guess the problem is more to do with the ratio of Laurel nectar within the specific honey content and dilution ratios which in the end is down to other forage availability etc. Maybe it might keep the mites at bay

[Alfred]

You don't see laurels wreaths anymore- does the F1 committee know something we dont!

[AdamD]

As well as flowering in April/May, Cherry Laurel has extra floral nectaries at the base of the leaf which can result in plenty of interest from insects at other times of the year, including honeybees.