A variety of flowering native plants that offer nectar and pollen throughout the growing seasons is, without question, the best way to attract and support a variety of pollinators.
Pollinators are attracted to blooms that fit their physiological traits – specifically blooms that fit the length of their tongue. Some bees are generalists, flitting among flowers to drink nectar and collect pollen from an array of plants. Flat or shallow blossoms, such as asters or coreopsis, attract a wide variety of bee species. But long-tongued pollinators (such as butterflies and bumble bees) are attracted to flowers that have tube-shaped nectaries, such as Monarda or Liatris. Flowers that bloom in early spring provide food for newly emerging bumble bee queens, while fall blooms favors pollinators that are actively seeking the additional energy needed for overwintering. Also, grouping three or more of a single plant attracts bees because a large cluster of plants blooming together allows them to forage more efficiently.
Inextricably linked, pollinators are as vital to native plants as the plants are vital to them. Garden with native plants and forgo the use of chemicals to create pollinator-friendly landscapes that can help curb pollinator decline.
Important Plants for Pollinators – PDF: Exlpore which pollinators will visit, and which plants are host plants for butterflies and moths. A plant list, arranged to help you maximize pollinator support across the seasons.
Browse the POLLINATOR FAVORITES on our Website – Guaranteed to turn your yard into a pollinator paradise!
Create the Best Habitat with POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY PRACTICES
A condensed list of Pollinator Favorites:
SPRING
EARLY SUMMER
- Columbine
- Downy Phlox
- Lanceleaf Coreopsis
- Prairie Spiderwort
- Ohio Spiderwort
- Leadplant
- Cream False Indigo
- Smooth Penstemon
- Butterflyweed
- Blue Vervain
- Purple Poppy Mallow
- Meadow Rose
- Carolina Rose
- New Jersey Tea
- Common Ninebark
- Wild Blue Phlox
MIDSUMMER
- Purple Prairie Clover
- White Prairie Clover
- Common Milkweed
- Red Milkweed
- Pale Purple Coneflower
- Purple Conelfower
- Ozark Coneflower
- Cardinal Flower
- Orange Coneflower
- Dotted Mint
- Great Blue Lobelia
- Marsh Phlox
- Bergamot
- Red Beebalm
- Mountain Mint
- Wild Senna
LATE SUMMER
- Lavender Hyssop
- Obedient Plant
- Boneset
- Hoary Vervain
- Meadow Blazingstar
- Dense Blazingstar
- Prairie Blazingstar
- Rough Blazingstar
- Culver’s Root
- Cupplant
- Rattlesnake Master
- Joe Pye Weed
- Tall joe Pye Weed
- Sweet Joe Pye Weed
- Ironweed
- Blue Sage
- Black Eyed Susan
- Sweet Black Eyed Susan
- Brown Eyed Susan
FALL
- Mistflower
- Woodland Sunflower
- Bottle Gentian
- Calico Aster
- Heart Leaved Aster
- Heath Aster
- New England Aster
- Ohio Goldenrod
- Showy Goldenrod
- Stiff Goldenrod
- Blue Stemmed Goldenrod
- Smooth Aster