Do Honeybees Work Pagoda Trees?

Pagoda Tree Description

• The pagoda tree is medium-sized, reaching a height of around 65 feet. The crown is round, with a pleasing symmetry. Leaves are fern-like and bright green, turning yellow in the fall. White, mildly fragrant flowers are produced in late summer and remain on the tree for around a month. These flowers are quite attractive to bees. Yellow, 6- to 8-inch seed pods resembling a string of beads replace the flowers in the fall.

Pagoda Tree Growth and Care

• The pagoda tree is medium-sized, reaching a height of around 65 feet high. It prefers a sunny location, with at least eight hours of sunlight per day. Once established, it is quite drought- and heat-resistant. It can be pruned in the spring, removing any dead or diseased branches, and encouraging desired growth pattern. Fertilize with all-purpose fertilizer early in spring when new growth develops. Mulch will help retain moisture and control weed growth.

Bee Society

• The familiar honeybee is a social insect, living in a hive that can contain up to 20,000 bees, according to Great Plains Nature Center. Bees have a highly structured social order and work together for the good of the hive. The queen bee is larger than the other bees, and can lay up to 1,500 eggs per day. Drones are the male bees in the hive. They do not have a stinger, and their only purpose is to mate with the queen. They have larger eyes than the other bees, which helps them spot queens on their mating flights. The worker bees do all of the essential tasks in maintaining the hive, including caring for the queen and drones, cleaning the hive, and foraging for food. Workers visit many different types of flowers, including the pagoda tree.

Bees Role in Plant Pollination.

• Bees play a critical role in plant pollination. As the honeybee goes from flower to flower searching for nectar, pollen sticks to the hairs on its body. The pollen rubs off on the next flower visited, resulting in fertilization. Many flowers are entirely dependent on honeybees for reproduction. The Great Plains Nature Center states that honeybees accomplish approximately one-quarter of the pollination needed for all fruit produced for human consumption -- an estimated $10 billion worth of work each year.