Where the Sweetness Comes In

But there is another use for the mesquite shrub or tree. From spring to early summer, long, fat, yellow blooms hang from the tree like huge fuzzy caterpillars. And they are the source that adds sweetness to the mystery of the mesquite tree’s life.

Ralph Lusby is a third-generation beekeeper who keeps hives where the mesquite flourishes in the Arizona desert. He was interviewed by an Awake! correspondent and made these comments:

“Near dry streambeds I’ve seen mesquite trees that get plenty of water give three full blooms in a season. On a good mesquite honey flow, my bees give 85 to 90 percent mesquite honey, mixed with 10 to 15 percent cat’s-claw honey. I’ve tasted lots of honey in my life, but mesquite is by far the best. It’s the mildest of all honey. It lacks the strong honey aftertaste, so it makes a great sweetener. People who don’t like honey usually like mesquite honey. Because it is mild, however, if it is mixed with stronger honeys it may be overwhelmed by them.

Close-up of bee on mesquite