A pollinator is an insect or animal that causes plants to make fruit or seeds. Bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, spiders, flies, wasps, and bats are pollinators, to name only a few. Pollinators have been in rapid decline in recent years, but you can help them by adding pollinator-friendly plants in your garden.
Many people don’t realize how much of our food is the result of pollination. Here is a list of crops that require pollination by insects.
Important: Plant Milkweeds or leave Milkweeds in place when you find the plant in your garden to support Monarch butterflies. As caterpillars, they feed exclusively on the leaves of Milkweed, and simply cannot live without it. To protect Monarch butterflies, protect this plant. Learn more about Butterfly Gardens here.
Plants Pollinators Love
Here is a selection of pollinator-friendly plants that we often stock throughout the growing season, subject to availability. We hope you bring some home with you to encourage pollinators in your yard.
PERENNIALS
Agastache, Giant Hyssop
Asclepias, Milkweed
Asters
Baptisia, False Indigo
Echinacea, Coneflower
Eupatorium, Joe Pye Weed
Geranium maculatum, Cranesbill or Hardy Geranium
Helenium, Sneezeweed
Helianthus, Perennial Sunflower
Liatris spicata, Gayfeather
Lobelia cardinalis, Cardinal Flower
Monarda, Bee Balm
Panicum, Switch Grass
Penstemon, Beard Tongue
Rudbeckia, Black-eyed Susan
Sedum
Tradescantia, Spiderwort
SHRUBS & TREES
Acer rubrum, Red or Swamp Maple
Amelanchier, Serviceberry
Betula nigra, Birch
Cephalanthus, Buttonbush
Cercis canadensis, Eastern Redbud
Clethra alnifolia, Summersweet
Cornus sericea, Redtwig Dogwood
Lindera benzoin, Spicebush
Liriodendron, Tuliptree
Rhus aromatic, Sumac
Rosa Virginiana and Rugosa Rose
Salix, Willow
Sambucus, Elderberry
Vacciniums, Blueberries
Ageratum, a.k.a. Floss Flower
Alyssum
Borage
Calendula, a.k.a. Pot Marigold
Cleome
Cosmos
Dahlia
Lantana
Marigold
Morning Glory
Petunias
Pentas
Rudbeckia
Sunflowers
Salvia
Sunflower
Vervain, a.k.a. Verbena bonariensis
Zinnia