BEEKEEPING
&
DEVELOPMENT 48
Melaleuca leucadendron by Nguyen Quang Tan, of University Agriculture and Forestry, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Apicultural value Melaleuca leucadendron is the most important source of nectar and pollen for Apis dorsata
and Apis florea in the swampy forests of southern Vietnam. It is also a good source for Apis cerana in Malaysia and for Apis mellifera in Florida, USA.
Synonym NGUYEN QUANG TAN
Melaleuca cajuputi Powell
Family Myrtaceae
Distribution
PHOTOGRAPHS
Tropical Asia, Australia, Central America and Florida.
Description An evergreen tree or shrub, very common in coastal areas. The woody tree, with a narrow crown, can reach 25 min height and 40 cm in diameter. The shrub straggles along the
Flowers and leaves of Melaleuca leucadendron
ground,
Bark: thick, soft, shaggy, white, like paper. Leaves: 4-8 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, oil-containing
Flowers: White, fragrant with
a fluff of long
stamens, copious nectar flow.
Flowering: two periods
a year, from January
to April and from July to August.
Honey: amber coloured with a tendency for further darkening, with a strong and distinctive smell
Wood: Hard and fairly heavy Uses Melaleuca shrub: oil extract from the leaves is used in medicine, as an insect repellent, and in soap manufacturing Melaleuca tree trunks: used in construction and for fuelwood. Melaleuca bark. used as smoker fuel Also used as packing material Melaleuca honey. in Vietnam tens of tonnes of honey are harvested from Apis dorsata colonies by the rafter beekeeping technique Up to 100 tonnes are harvested by professional Apis mellifera beekeepers each year
25
See ordering
15
ur‘bees have favourite trees? bret) welcome to send your contribution to TREES mate USE ‘Do
A Bees for Development publication
in Vietnam
Bees and Forest in the Tropics (} Beetsma, editor), NECTAR, Netherlands pp 27-41
Melaleuca Symposium, September 1980 Flonda Division of Forestry, Florida, USA pp 79-80
Melaleuca leucadendron
ace
florea in submerged Melaleuca forests
Rafter beekeeping in Vietnam the Apimondia Gold Medal winning video is available from
information on page
em
MULDER,V (1995) Honey and wax production from Apis dorsata and Apis
ROBINSON, F (1980) Relationship of
Bees for Development price
Pm
KIEW,R, MUID,M (1991) Beekeeping in Malaysia: pollen atlas Umted Selangor Press Sdn Bhd, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Read more about Rafter beekeeping in Vietnam in page 8
B&D36
:
References
ee
Melaleuca to beekeeping
Proceedings of
TAN,NGUYEN QUANG, CHINH,P H; THAILP H, MULDER,V (1997) Rafter beekeeping with Apis dorsata; some factors affecting the occupation of rafters by bees Journal of Apicultural Research 36(1): 49-54
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