Enter a pollen-analysis percentage and the variety being claimed. The threshold for each variety comes from Persano Oddo & Piro (2004) and the harmonised European melissopalynology methodology (Von der Ohe et al. 2004) — it differs across varieties because pollen deposited per bee visit varies roughly 10× across plant species. Acacia is unifloral at 15 %; chestnut needs 86 %.
A sample reading 20% Robinia pseudoacacia pollen meets the harmonised European unifloral standard for acacia (black locust) (Persano Oddo & Piro 2004). Confirm with conductivity, organoleptic, and physico-chemical criteria for full classification.
Robinia is the canonical UNDER-represented pollen. Each flower releases relatively little pollen and sheds it before bees collect, so a true monofloral acacia honey shows just 10–20 % Robinia in the sediment — yet a 65 % nectar fraction. Persano Oddo & Piro (2004) set the legal floor at 15 %; some Italian/Hungarian traditions allow 10 %.
| Variety | Scientific | Min % | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citrus / Orange Blossom | Citrus spp. | 10 | Under |
| Acacia (Black Locust) | Robinia pseudoacacia | 15 | Under |
| Lavender | Lavandula spp. | 15 | Under |
| Sage | Salvia spp. | 15 | Under |
| Rosemary | Rosmarinus officinalis | 15 | Under |
| Linden (Basswood) | Tilia spp. | 20 | Under |
| Blueberry | Vaccinium spp. | 20 | Under |
| Tupelo | Nyssa ogeche | 30 | Under |
| Avocado | Persea americana | 30 | Normal |
| Heather (Ling) | Calluna vulgaris | 45 | Normal |
| Clover | Trifolium spp. | 45 | Normal |
| Buckwheat | Fagopyrum esculentum | 45 | Normal |
| Sunflower | Helianthus annuus | 45 | Normal |
| Sourwood | Oxydendrum arboreum | 45 | Normal |
| Rapeseed (Canola) | Brassica napus | 60 | Over |
| Eucalyptus | Eucalyptus spp. | 70 | Over |
| Forget-me-not | Myosotis spp. | 70 | Over |
| Chestnut | Castanea sativa | 86 | Over |
Robinia pseudoacacia is unifloral at just 15 % pollen. Castanea sativa needs 86 %. The 5.7× spread reflects pollen-deposit physiology, not chemistry. Acacia bees collect nectar from pendant flowers that have already shed most of their pollen; chestnut bees pass through wind-pollinated catkins that coat them in pollen during every visit. A label that quotes pollen percentage without naming the variety has told you nothing.
Council Directive 2001/110/EC defers to the harmonised European melissopalynology methodology for unifloral classification, which in turn uses the Persano Oddo & Piro (2004) variety-specific thresholds. National DOP/PDO/AOP standards (Italian Miele di Castagno, French Miel de Lavande de Provence, Spanish Miel de Azahar) build on top of these floors with additional conductivity, HMF, and organoleptic requirements.
Pollen percentage alone does not certify a unifloral honey. EU harmonised methodology requires the pollen floor PLUS conductivity (≤0.8 mS/cm for blossom honeys, >0.8 mS/cm for honeydew), organoleptic confirmation (colour, aroma, taste), and physico- chemical parameters (HMF ≤40 mg/kg, diastase ≥8 Schade, moisture ≤20 %). This widget answers the pollen-floor question only.