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 planting pollinator-friendly plants in your gardens.
For Perennial Garden Month, we’ve put together a Pollinator Friendly Courtyard in our nursery. See a sampling of perennials known for being well loved by pollinators, especially the butterflies and hummingbirds so many people love to see in their yards.
Pollinator tip: Plant Milkweeds or leave Milkweeds in place when you find the plant in your garden. As caterpillars, Monarchs feed exclusively on the leaves of Milkweed, and simply cannot live without it.
Here is a selection of pollinator-friendly plants that we currently have in the nursery, and expect to restock throughout this year’s growing season. We hope you come in to take a look!
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. Find a printable version of this list here.
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
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