The Sandhills of North Carolina is famous for being the only place on earth where bees create purple honey – a mesmerizing, iridescent substance that looks more like a sci-fi material than the usual golden honey. Even though we’ve featured a range of peculiar honey varieties on Oddity Central, from the costly Corbezzolo Honey to the meat honey produced by vulture bees, none can match the visual appeal of purple honey. This rare nectar is claimed to be sweeter than its amber counterpart and has a subtle fruity aroma.
Recently, photos of jars filled with purple honey went viral on Reddit, sparking a discussion about its authenticity. However, purple honey is indeed genuine, although it’s tough to obtain even in North Carolina. The locals consider it a delicacy that’s challenging to come by. While the hue of honey usually depends on the flower the nectar comes from, the reason behind purple honey is unknown. Some believe it’s sourced from blueberries or huckleberries, but experts have stated that bees cannot puncture the skin of such fruits. The flowers of the Kudzu plant and southern leatherwood are also considered as possible sources of this enigmatic honey.
According to Professor John Ambrose from North Carolina State University, the purple color of honey may arise from a chemical reaction between bees’ stomach acid and aluminum. Coastal flowers in North Carolina are said to have higher aluminum content than anywhere else, explaining why this peculiar honey is exclusive to this state. Many people who have tasted purple honey claim that it has a unique grape or berry-like flavor that’s hard to describe.
Purple honey is rare and usually more expensive than amber honey. However, with its recent popularity on the internet, the demand for it has soared, and beekeepers in North Carolina are receiving orders from around the globe. Beekeeper Donald Dees revealed that he had to shut down his website for a few days to cope with the surge in orders.