Glossary
Honey produced by bees foraging on the blossoms of the tung oil tree (Vernicia fordii), grown primarily for industrial tung oil production in the southeastern United States and China. Tung honey can produce mild gastrointestinal distress in some consumers and is generally considered unfit for human consumption due to trace amounts of toxic compounds from the tung tree.
Tung trees bloom prolifically in March and April, providing an abundant early-season nectar source in areas where they are cultivated (primarily Mississippi, Louisiana, and parts of the Gulf coast). Bees readily work tung blossoms, producing a light-colored honey with a distinctive, somewhat unpleasant flavor.
However, tung honey has been associated with nausea, vomiting, and digestive upset in consumers. The tung tree contains toxins including saponins in its seeds and leaves, and trace amounts of these compounds are believed to carry through into the nectar and honey. While the concentrations are low and not everyone is affected, the honey is widely considered unsafe for sale.
Beekeepers in tung-growing areas should be aware that honey supers left on during the tung bloom may contain tung honey mixed with other nectar sources. If tung trees are prominent in the foraging area, consider removing honey supers before the tung bloom or designating tung-flow honey for bee consumption rather than human harvest.
Interestingly, tung nectar does not appear to harm the bees themselves. Colonies often thrive during the tung flow, building up rapidly in early spring. The issue is specifically with human consumption of the resulting honey.
Mildly toxic rather than poisonous. Tung honey can cause nausea, stomach upset, and vomiting in some consumers, but it is not life-threatening. Not all people are equally affected. However, it is considered unfit for commercial sale and should not be intentionally marketed for human consumption.
If tung oil trees bloom within your bees' foraging range (2-3 miles), some tung nectar may be incorporated into spring honey. The honey may have an off-flavor described as slightly acrid or medicinal. Pollen analysis can confirm the presence of tung pollen.
Yes. Rhododendron honey (mad honey) from Turkey, and honey from certain Aconitum and Kalmia species can be toxic. Toxic honeys are rare but illustrate the importance of knowing what plants grow in your bees' foraging area.
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