![]() ![]() When shopping for native plants at nurseries and garden centers, you will find that there are numerous cultivars available for native plants. Include host plants such as marsh milkweed ( Asclepias incarnata), butterfly milkweed ( Asclepias tuberosa), and wild lupine ( Lupinus perennis) in your gardens to help support rare butterflies. The monarch butterfly will feed on the nectar of many flowers but will only lay their eggs on the leaves of milkweed ( Asclepias spp.). Some moths and butterflies also use plants in our gardens as host plants to rear their young. Planting a variety of flower shapes and sizes will ensure all pollinators are well fed. Bumblebees are big and strong, allowing them to pry their way inside larger flowers such as wild indigo ( Baptisia spp.) that are difficult for other bees to access. Many of our small native bees prefer to forage on small flowers such as yarrow ( Achillea spp.) or composite flowers comprised of many tiny florets, like purple coneflowers ( Echinacea purpurea). However, red flowers, such as scarlet bee balm ( Monarda didyma) and cardinal flower ( Lobelia cardinalis), are magnets for butterflies and hummingbirds. For example, bees are more attracted to purple, yellow, and white flowers and less attracted to red flowers. The size, shape, and color of flowering plants all influence what types of pollinating insects will visit, so planting a diversity of flowers is the best way to attract a diversity of pollinators. In addition to perennial flowers, many flowering trees and shrubs, annuals, and spring bulbs are also beneficial to pollinators. When choosing plants, it is especially important to have plants that bloom early in the spring, such as a serviceberry tree ( Amelanchier spp.) or wild columbine ( Aquilegia canadensis), and late in the fall, such as Asters ( Symphyotrichum spp.). Try reversing that trend in your own landscape by using 70-80% native species.Ī pollinator-friendly landscape has flowers in bloom throughout the entire growing season, providing a consistent supply of nectar and pollen. A typical suburban landscape contains only 20-30% native plant species. There are plenty of non-native species that are also great for pollinators, so it is not necessary to avoid them altogether, but incorporating more native plants into your landscape will make the pollinators, as well as the birds and other wildlife, happiest. Research suggests that most pollinators prefer to forage-but not necessarily exclusively-on the nectar and pollen from native plants. ![]() Here is a set of considerations for choosing the best types of plants for pollinators, plus how to use them to create the best pollinator sanctuary possible. The layout of your gardens, layout of your plants, and your maintenance practices all affect pollinators. However, planning your pollinator-friendly landscape does not end with your plant list. Simple Tips for Creating a Pollinator-Friendly LandscapeĪ landscape rich with a diversity of flowering plants is both beautiful and helps support the thousands of species of bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinating insects we have in the U.S. ![]()
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