The Sweet Facts About Tupelo Honey
Tupelo honey is produced from the tupelo gum tree (Nyssa Ogeche) which grows along the Apalachicola, Choctahatchee and Ochlockonee rivers in northwest Florida. Tupelo honey is characterized as a smooth honey with a complex floral herbal flavor with a fruity aftertaste. Known as the champagne of honeys, Tupelo honey is a light golden amber color with a slight green cast. Its flavor is delicate and distinctive with a high fructose/low glucose content that does not crystallize.
Tupelo trees grow in the wetlands. Beekeepers operate their apiaries from boats and high platforms. All of the work is done by hand and very labor intensive. Frames are set out on boardwalks constructed over the Apalachicola River and its creeks.
Tupleo honey is highly prized. To ensure the honey is pure tupelo, the bee colonies must be stripped of all stored honey just as the white tupelo bloom begins. The hives are set up river far away from any other types of flowering plants. The bees must have clean combs in which to place the Tupelo honey. The new crop is then removed before it can be mixed with additional honey sources. The timing of these operations is critical and years of experience are needed to produce a fine harvest this special honey.
Although tupelo trees can be found elsewhere, the white tupelo from which the honey featured in the 1997 movie "Ulee's Gold" is derived is found in abundance only along the Apalachicola River. The film starring Peter Fonda was filmed in Apalachicola. He received an academy award nomination for his role.
Information from the National Honey Board www.honey.com.
Ten species of tupelo trees make up the genus Nyssa. Five species are native to North America, and the others are native to east and south Asia. Nyssa sylvatica is grown for its beautiful foliage, while Nyssa aquatica has commercial value. Nysseides was the Greek water nymph who gave her name to the genus. The common name, tupelo, comes from two Cree words which mean ‘tree of the swamp’.
Tupelo is also sometimes called ‘pioneer’s toothbrush’. When a small, brittle twig is broken off sharply, it has a bundle of woody fibers on the end that was once used to clean teeth. It’s also called ‘bee-gum’ because hollow trees were used as beehives.
Tupelo trees grow in the wetlands. Beekeepers operate their apiaries from boats and high platforms. All of the work is done by hand and very labor intensive. Frames are set out on boardwalks constructed over the Apalachicola River and its creeks.
Tupleo honey is highly prized. To ensure the honey is pure tupelo, the bee colonies must be stripped of all stored honey just as the white tupelo bloom begins. The hives are set up river far away from any other types of flowering plants. The bees must have clean combs in which to place the Tupelo honey. The new crop is then removed before it can be mixed with additional honey sources. The timing of these operations is critical and years of experience are needed to produce a fine harvest this special honey.
Although tupelo trees can be found elsewhere, the white tupelo from which the honey featured in the 1997 movie "Ulee's Gold" is derived is found in abundance only along the Apalachicola River. The film starring Peter Fonda was filmed in Apalachicola. He received an academy award nomination for his role.
Information from the National Honey Board www.honey.com.
Ten species of tupelo trees make up the genus Nyssa. Five species are native to North America, and the others are native to east and south Asia. Nyssa sylvatica is grown for its beautiful foliage, while Nyssa aquatica has commercial value. Nysseides was the Greek water nymph who gave her name to the genus. The common name, tupelo, comes from two Cree words which mean ‘tree of the swamp’.
Tupelo is also sometimes called ‘pioneer’s toothbrush’. When a small, brittle twig is broken off sharply, it has a bundle of woody fibers on the end that was once used to clean teeth. It’s also called ‘bee-gum’ because hollow trees were used as beehives.