Sulla honey
Sulla honey is a monofloral honey from the nectar of sulla, or French honeysuckle (Hedysarum coronarium), a very pale honey of Italy and Spain.
Sulla honey is a single-flower honey obtained from the nectar of sulla, or French honeysuckle (Hedysarum coronarium), a Mediterranean forage legume. According to the European inventory of unifloral honeys, it is produced mainly in Italy and Spain and more rarely in France.
It is a very pale honey: European data give an average colour of 18 mm Pfund and an electrical conductivity of 0.20 mS/cm. Its sucrose can naturally be higher than in most honeys, up to 8.3 g/100 g in tested samples, which is why the EU honey directive allows up to 10 g/100 g for honey from Hedysarum instead of the usual 5 g.
A Sicilian sample from the Madonie hills, at about 700 m, had the most marked floral smell of four local honeys and the lowest pH (2.96), and it was already well crystallised; the water content of the samples was around 14–15 %.
Sulla is grown as a field crop, so the specification of Miel de Corse excludes its honey, along with rapeseed, sunflower, buckwheat and sainfoin.
Why this matters to you: sulla honey is one of the palest honeys on sale and sets quickly; a pale, crystallised jar is normal for it, and slightly higher sucrose is no sign of adulteration.
Facts
| Botanical origin | Nectar of sulla (Hedysarum coronarium) |
|---|---|
| Colour | Very pale, about 18 mm Pfund on average |
| Crystallization | Crystallises; Sicilian sample well crystallised |
| Moisture | About 14–15 % (Sicilian samples) |
| Region | Italy, Spain; more rarely France |
How it connects to Honey & beekeeping
Sulla honey → kind of → Blossom and honeydew honey → kind of → 🍯 Honey
Links
- Part of
- Monofloral honey, Blossom and honeydew honey
- Similar and different
- Clover honey, Alfalfa honey, Thistle honey
- Which plants it comes from
- Sulla (French honeysuckle)
Frequently asked questions
What is sulla honey made from?
From the nectar of sulla, or French honeysuckle (Hedysarum coronarium), a Mediterranean forage legume.
What colour is it?
Very pale: about 18 mm Pfund on average.
Is it true that higher sucrose in sulla honey means adulteration?
No. The EU directive allows up to 10 g sucrose per 100 g for Hedysarum honey, because this honey naturally contains more.
Where is it produced?
Mainly in Italy and Spain, more rarely in France.
Does sulla honey crystallise?
Yes; a Sicilian sample was already well crystallised.
What to read next
- Sulla (French honeysuckle) — Sulla (Hedysarum coronarium) is a Mediterranean forage legume with crimson flower spikes, valued for hay and for honey production.
- Alfalfa honey — Alfalfa, or lucerne, honey is a monofloral honey from the nectar of Medicago sativa; EU law allows it up to 10 g sucrose per 100 g.
- Thistle honey — Thistle honey is a monofloral honey from the nectar of thistles – spiny plants of the daisy family such as Galactites tomentosa, yellow star-thistle and creeping thistle.
- Clover honey — Clover honey is a monofloral honey from the nectar of clover (Trifolium), most often white clover, light in colour and mild in taste.
Similar
Sainfoin honey · Mesquite honey · Alfalfa honey · Clover honey · Dandelion honey · Phacelia honey
ℹ️ Honey is mostly sugars: about 82 g per 100 g. Do not give honey to babies under 1 year old because of the risk of infant botulism.
Sources
- Council Directive 2001/110/EC relating to honey, consolidated text 23.6.2014 (EUR-Lex)
- Persano Oddo L., Piro R. (2004) Main European unifloral honeys: descriptive sheets. Apidologie 35 (Suppl. 1) S38-S81
- Persano Oddo L. et al. (2004) Botanical species giving unifloral honey in Europe. Apidologie 35 (Suppl. 1) S82-S93
- Bambina P. et al. (2023) Qualitative characteristics of four Sicilian monofloral honeys from Apis mellifera ssp. sicula. Italian Journal of Food Science 35(1)
- Miel de Corse - Mele di Corsica PDO, amendment application with single document, OJ C 134, 14.5.2013 (EUR-Lex)
- FAO, Krell R. (1996) Value-added products from beekeeping, Chapter 2 Honey