Is tupelo honey endangered?

Ever hear of tupelo honey? Well, you might have heard of the song by Van Morrison; but you might not have ever indulged in the details. Tupelo honey is a unique gourmet honey harvested in southern Georgia and northern Florida, from the white Ogeechee tupelo gum tree. You can read more about it in the links, but the quick story is that to make pure tupelo honey, the beekeepers have to clear out the hives of any other honey, and then let the bees go when the tupelo trees are blooming, for about three weeks every summer. The result is a uniquely-flavored honey that won't granulate (high fructose content).

The question is: is tupelo honey endangered? Between the problems with bees, the difficulty of making it, and drought and land-use change, the conditions and skills for making it are rare. A couple of changes, and it may be very, very difficult to get. So get yours now!

Ark of Taste: Tupelo Honey

Tupelo Honey Tower Jar

Tupelo Honey Facts

Armadillo Pepper - Tupelo Honey

Tupelo Forests and Beekeepers in Gulf County, Florida:
Livelihood Preservation and Forest Conservation in a
Changing Rural Landscape