Planting for Pollinators
Gardening to encourage pollinators allows us to understand and appreciate a part of nature we usually don't notice: the insects. Once you start paying attention, you will find a whole world that is even more complex, fascinating and important than you may have realized. Through simply looking for food, thousands of species of insects (and animals) help plants to reproduce. It has been estimated that roughly 90% of the flowering plants worldwide require an insect or animal to distribute their pollen in order to set fruit and seed. That includes one-third of all crops grown for people, including citrus fruits, almonds, berries, squash and cotton.
Most people know that bees are important pollinators, but that=s not all. Many species of butterflies, bats, birds, moths, flies, wasps, and even mammals are also pollinators. They are so essential to reproduction that much of the world's plant life could not exist without them. Would you like to attract pollinating insects onto your land? Many of these insects are tiny and need very small flowers. Review this fact sheet for the plants, shrubs and trees that will do the best job.
April
Trees
- Corneliancherry dogwood - Cornus mas
- Red Maple - Acer Rubrum
Shrubs
- Mt. Pieris - Pieris floribunda
- Winter-fragrant honeysuckle - Lonicera fragrantissima
Perennials
- Virginia bluebells - Mertensia virginica
- Dandelions
May
Trees
- Alternate leaf dogwood - Cornus alternifolia
- American Holly - Ilex opaca
- Crabapple - Malus spp.
- Serviceberry - Amelanchier laevis
- Tupelo - Nyssa sylvatica
Shrubs
- Bearberry - Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
- Blueberry - Vaccinium corymbosum
- Fothergilla - Fothergilla major, F. gardenii
- Inkberry - Ilex glabra
- Red-veined Enkianthus - Enkianthus campanulatus
- Shadbush - Amelanchier canadensis
- Raspberry - Rubus varieties
- Redbud - Cercis canadensis
- Winterberry - Ilex verticillata
Perennials
- 'May Night' salvia - Salvia 'May Night'
- Chives - Allium schoenoprasum
- Columbine - Aquilegia canadensis, Aquilegia hybrids
- Hardy geranium - Geranium spp.
- Mountain bluet - Centaurea montana
- Ornamental Onions - Allium, various species
- Moss phlox - Phlox subulata
- Woodland phlox - Phlox divaricata
June
Trees
- American linden - Tilia americana
- Tulip tree - Liriodendron tulipifera
- Yellowwood - Cladrastis kentuckea
Shrubs
- Smooth Hydrangea - Hydrangea arborescens
Perennials
- Beebalm - Monarda didyma
- Bellflower - Campanula spp.
- Borage - Borago officinalis
- Catmint - Nepeta spp.
- Mountain mint - Monarda punctata
- Foxglove - Digitalis spp.
- Pincushion Flower - Scabiosa caucasica
- Queen Anne's Lace
- Stoke's Aster - Stokesia laevis
- Thyme - Thymus spp.
- Yarrow - Achillea spp.
July
Trees
- Goldenrain tree - Koelreuteria paniculata
- Sourwood - Oxydendrum arboreum
Shrubs
- Sweet Pepperbush - Clethra alnifolia
- Ninebark - Physocarpus opulifolius 'Diablo', 'Summer Wine'
- Panicle hydrangea - Hydrangea paniculata
- Shining sumac - Rhus coppalina
- Butterfly bush - Buddleia davidii
Perennials
- Black eye Susan - Rudbeckia spp.
- Butterfly weed - Asclepias tuberose
- Coneflower - Echinacea purpurea
- Coreopsis - Coreopsis grandiflora, C. lanceolata, C. verticillata
- False sunflower - Heliopsis 'Summer Sun'
- Gayfeather - Liatris spicata
- Globe thistle - Echinops ritro
- Anise hyssop - Agastaches spp.
- Swamp milkweed - Asclepias incarnate
Herbs
- Dill
- Lavender
- Oregano
- Rosemary
Annuals
- Calendula
- Cosmos
- Mallows
- Nasturtium
- Snapdragon
- Sunflower
- Verbena bonariensis
August
Shrubs
- Blue mist shrub - Caryopteris x clandonensis
- Chaste tree- Vitex spp.
- Glossy abelia - Abelia grandiflora
Perennials
- 'Autumn Joy' Sedium - Sedum spp.
- Sneezewood - Helenium autumnale
September
Shrubs
- Seven-son flower - Heptacodium miconioides
Perennials
- Golden rod - Solidago spp.
- New York ironweed - Veronia novaboracensis
October
Shrubs
- Witch hazel - Hamamelis virginiana
Perennials
- Asters - Aster spp. 'Sheffield Pink' Chrysanthemum
- Nippon daisy - Chrysanthemum nipponicum
