Tupelo Honey Facts

Tupelo honey is produced from the tupelo gum tree which grows profusely along the Chipola and Apalachicola rivers of northwest Florida. Here in the river swamps, this honey is produced in a unique fashion. Bees are placed on elevated platforms along the river's edge, and they fan out through the surrounding Tupelo-blossom-laden swamps during April and May and return with their precious treasure. This river valley is the only place in the world where certified Tupelo Honey is produced commercially. This is because of the profuse growth of the white Tupelo, Nyssa ogeche, that produces good quality Tupelo Honey.

Real Tupelo honey is a light golden amber color with a greenish cast. The flavor is delicious, delicate and distinctive; a choice table grade honey. Good white tupelo, unmixed with other honeys, will not granulate, and due to this high levulose low dextrose ratio some diabetic patients have been permitted by their physicians to eat Tupelo honey. Average analysis: levulose 44.03%, dextrose 29,98%.

Black tupelo, ti-ti, black gum, willow, and several other honey plants bloom in advance of white tupelo and are used to build up colony strength and stores. Since these sources produce a less desirable, darker honey, which will granulate, the product is sold as bakery grade honey. Some stores are selling a honey labeled Tupelo which is as dark as the bakery honey. Possibly it is just that or a blend which is a cheaper honey for which the buyer may be paying a premium price.

The important point which we wish to make here is that all honey that is being labeled Tupelo is not top quality Tupelo honey as the bees make it and as skilled beekeepers produce it. Some honey may be very light in color and could very well have a high percentage of gallberry. Gallberry blooms right after Tupelo. It is attractive, as it is a light white honey, but it is not Tupelo and will soon granulate. Some honey is labeled Tupelo and wildflower. In this case the buyer has no guarantee of just how much real Tupelo he may be getting.

Fine Tupelo Honey is more expensive because it costs more to produce this excellent specialty honey. To gain access to the river locations where the honey is produced requires expensive labor and equipment. In order to get fine, unmixed Tupelo honey, colonies must be stripped of all stores just as the white Tupelo bloom begins. The bees must have clean combs in which to place the Tupelo honey. Then the new crop must be 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 product that will certify as Tupelo honey.

Attributes of Tupelo Honey: All natural, wholesome, healthy nutritious, fat free product.