Pollinator Plants
Pollinator Plants
Pollinator plants provide nectar, pollen, foliage, nesting materials, shelter, and other resources used by bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, hummingbirds, and other pollinating animals. A productive pollinator landscape is more than a collection of attractive flowers. It is habitat designed to provide food and shelter throughout the growing season and, where possible, throughout the complete life cycles of the animals it supports.
Native plants are especially prominent in pollinator gardening because they evolved within regional ecosystems alongside native insects and other wildlife. Regional plant lists therefore emphasize species adapted to local soils, rainfall, temperatures, and pollinator communities. Pollinator gardens can nevertheless include carefully chosen annuals, herbs, ornamental flowers, trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, and other plants that supplement native vegetation and extend the availability of floral resources.
Designing a Pollinator Garden
Effective pollinator gardens contain a diversity of flowering plants rather than relying on a single species. Plants with different flower colors, shapes, heights, and blooming periods accommodate different groups of pollinators and help maintain a succession of nectar and pollen from early spring through autumn.
Continuous bloom is one of the central principles of pollinator-garden design. Early-season flowers provide resources when insects emerge in spring, summer flowers sustain populations during the main growing season, and late-blooming plants such as asters and goldenrods provide important resources for insects preparing for winter or migration.
Planting flowers in groups can make resources easier for pollinators to locate and use efficiently. Gardens can also incorporate different vegetation layers, including groundcovers, herbaceous perennials, shrubs, vines, and trees. Even small beds, containers, balconies, school gardens, and other limited spaces can contribute useful habitat when planted with nectar- and pollen-producing species.
Native Plants for Pollinators
Native wildflowers and other locally adapted plants are widely recommended as the ecological foundation of pollinator habitat. Commonly recommended groups include milkweeds, asters, goldenrods, coneflowers, bee balms, mountain mints, blazing stars, penstemons, sunflowers, violets, columbines, yarrow, and numerous other regional species.
Native plants can provide resources extending beyond their flowers. Their foliage may serve as food for caterpillars, stems can provide nesting or overwintering sites, and seeds and fruits can support birds and other wildlife. Some specialist bees also depend upon pollen from a relatively narrow range of native plants.
Because appropriate plants vary greatly by location, regional recommendations are important. Pollinator planting guides are available for areas including the Northeast, Midwest, Great Lakes, Northern and Southern Plains, Southeast, Florida, Maritime and Inland Northwest, Great Basin, Rocky Mountains, Southwest, California, and other ecological regions.
Bees and Specialist Pollinators
Bees are among the principal beneficiaries of pollinator plantings. Gardens containing overlapping flowering periods can provide pollen and nectar throughout the active seasons of solitary bees, bumblebees, honey bees, and other bee groups.
Different plants provide different nutritional resources, and diversity can therefore be more valuable than simply increasing the number of flowers of one species. Specialist bees make plant selection particularly important because some collect pollen from only certain plant families or genera.
Pollinator habitat also requires nesting opportunities. Bare or lightly vegetated soil can accommodate ground-nesting bees, while hollow or pithy stems, dead wood, and other natural materials can support cavity-nesting species. Reducing unnecessary pesticide exposure further increases the value of these habitats.
Butterflies, Monarchs, and Caterpillar Host Plants
Butterfly gardens require both nectar plants for adults and host plants for caterpillars. A landscape containing abundant nectar but no appropriate larval vegetation may support adult feeding without providing habitat for successful reproduction.
Monarch butterflies illustrate this distinction particularly clearly. Monarch caterpillars require milkweeds, while adult monarchs use nectar from many flowering species. Regional monarch planting guides therefore combine milkweed conservation with nectar-producing flowers needed during breeding and migration.
Other butterflies similarly depend on particular host plants. Violets, willows, hackberries, parsley-family plants, spicebush, and numerous other species support different caterpillars. Preserving these plants broadens a garden from a feeding station into more complete butterfly habitat.
Trees, Shrubs, Vines, and Woody Plants
Pollinator habitat need not consist primarily of flower beds. Flowering trees and shrubs can produce large quantities of pollen and nectar while also providing shelter, nesting opportunities, caterpillar food, fruits, and structural diversity.
Woody plants can be especially valuable during early spring, when relatively few herbaceous plants are flowering. Native shrubs, flowering trees, and vines can therefore fill important seasonal gaps while creating a layered landscape that supports insects, birds, and other wildlife.
Annual Flowers, Herbs, and Containers
Annual flowers can supplement perennial and native plantings by producing abundant flowers over extended periods. Sunflowers, zinnias, cosmos, salvias, lantanas, alyssum, cuphea, and other annuals can attract substantial numbers of flower-visiting insects.
Flowering herbs can also contribute to pollinator gardens. Basil, lavender, oregano, sage, thyme, dill, borage, and related plants can provide nectar and pollen when allowed to flower.
Containers make pollinator gardening possible on patios, balconies, porches, and other locations without conventional garden beds. Although small plantings cannot replace extensive natural habitat, collectively they can add floral resources to urban and suburban landscapes.
Bee Lawns, Meadows, and Lawn Alternatives
Conventional lawns generally provide fewer floral resources than landscapes containing diverse flowering vegetation. Bee lawns introduce low-growing flowers such as self-heal, violets, wild strawberry, and other compatible plants into usable turf.
Prairie gardens and wildflower meadows represent more extensive alternatives. Native grasses combined with flowering plants can reduce mowing while creating larger areas of forage, shelter, nesting habitat, and overwintering space.
Purpose-designed pollinator gardens containing reliable spring-through-fall flowers provide a more durable habitat strategy than simply allowing ordinary turf weeds to flower temporarily.
Pollinator Plants in Farms and Food Gardens
Pollinator plants can be incorporated into agricultural landscapes through hedgerows, conservation-cover plantings, field borders, wildflower areas, and dedicated habitat strips. These plantings can maintain pollinator populations before and after crop flowering periods.
Flowering habitat can also support predatory and parasitic insects involved in natural pest control. Hoverflies, parasitoid wasps, lacewings, lady beetles, and other beneficial insects use many of the same nectar and pollen resources provided for bees and butterflies.
Vegetable and fruit gardens can similarly benefit from nearby flowering plants. Maintaining diverse floral resources throughout the season can help sustain insects needed when pollinator-dependent crops begin flowering.
Habitat Beyond Flowers
Flowers are only one component of pollinator habitat. Pollinators also require places to nest, reproduce, shelter, and overwinter. Bare soil, standing stems, leaf litter, dead wood, shrubs, trees, and relatively undisturbed areas can all contribute to habitat quality.
Water and protection from pesticides are additional considerations. Management practices that preserve natural materials and minimize unnecessary disturbance can be as important as choosing the correct flowering plants.
A successful pollinator garden therefore functions as a small ecosystem rather than simply a decorative flower collection.
Regional Plant Selection
There is no universal list of the best pollinator plants. Species appropriate for California's Central Coast differ from those suited to Florida, New England, the Great Plains, the Great Basin, or the Southwest deserts.
Regional guides help gardeners select plants adapted to local climate, soils, water availability, and native pollinator communities. They can also identify plants used by specialist bees and caterpillars that would be overlooked by generic national planting lists.
Selecting locally appropriate plants can reduce irrigation and maintenance requirements while increasing the ecological value of gardens, farms, parks, and restoration projects.
Pollinator Plants and Biodiversity
Pollinator gardens contribute to biodiversity by supporting ecological relationships extending beyond pollination itself. Plants feed caterpillars and other herbivorous insects, which in turn become food for birds and other animals. Flowering vegetation also supports predators and parasitoids that help regulate insect populations.
Layering trees, shrubs, perennials, grasses, vines, and groundcovers creates more structural and biological diversity than landscapes dominated by lawns or a small number of ornamental species.
Networks of residential gardens, public plantings, farms, roadsides, parks, and restored natural areas can collectively create larger mosaics of habitat through which pollinators move while searching for food, nesting sites, and mates.
Conclusion
Pollinator plants are most effective when considered as components of complete habitat. Diverse native and pollinator-friendly plants can provide nectar and pollen across the seasons while trees, shrubs, host plants, grasses, stems, soil, and other landscape features provide the resources necessary for reproduction, nesting, shelter, and overwintering.
The strongest pollinator landscapes combine regional plant selection, continuous flowering, structural diversity, caterpillar host plants, nesting habitat, reduced pesticide exposure, and ecologically sensitive maintenance. These principles can be applied at many scales, from a few containers or a small residential garden to meadows, farms, restoration projects, and extensive conservation landscapes.
General Pollinator Plants and Garden Design
| University of Minnesota Extension | University of Minnesota Extension | August 20, 2026
Fall-blooming perennials and container plants can extend nectar and pollen supplies into autumn, when migrating and overwintering pollinators still need abundant floral resources.
| University of Maryland Extension | University of Maryland Extension | July 28, 2026
Native pollinators require nectar and pollen throughout the growing season as well as larval host plants, nesting habitat, and undisturbed overwintering areas.
| Phillip Prichard | University of Georgia Extension | July 1, 2026
Native plants such as columbine, crownbeard, and dogbane can turn shaded landscapes into productive habitat for bees, butterflies, beetles, and other pollinators.
| Madeline Wimmer | University of Minnesota Extension | July 1, 2026
Planning pollinator habitat around fruit production requires providing several flowering species during early-, middle-, and late-season bloom periods.
| University of Maryland Extension | University of Maryland Extension | May 26, 2026
A Maryland demonstration garden illustrates how dozens of native and non-native pollinator-friendly species can be incorporated into sustainable residential landscaping.
| Penn State Extension | Penn State Extension | May 21, 2026
Native shrubs are important pollinator plants that can provide nectar, pollen, caterpillar food, nesting resources, and structural habitat within home landscapes.
| Susan Collins-Smith | Mississippi State University Extension | April 29, 2026
Even containers and small garden beds planted with lantana, pentas, salvias, flowering herbs, and other nectar plants can provide useful pollinator habitat.
| Penn State Master Gardeners | Penn State Extension | March 2, 2026
A detailed native plant list identifies trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants useful for attracting bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, moths, and other wildlife.
| Connie Schmotzer | Penn State Extension | February 2026
Successful pollinator gardens provide successive flowering from spring through fall and combine native perennials, shrubs, trees, herbs, and annual flowers.
| University of Illinois Extension | University of Illinois Extension | 2026
Native plants including coneflowers, asters, butterfly weed, penstemon, columbine, geranium, and Virginia bluebells form the basis of an attractive pollinator garden.
| Penn State Extension | Penn State Extension | June 2, 2025
Diverse native flowers, especially plants with compound flower clusters such as goldenrods, milkweeds, and Joe Pye weeds, can support large numbers of pollinator species.
| Penn State Extension | Penn State Extension | May 22, 2025
A collection of books, guides, online resources, and educational materials helps home gardeners learn how to identify and support pollinating insects.
| N.C. Cooperative Extension | North Carolina State University | March 7, 2025
Native flowering plants that bloom at different times of year provide crucial forage for both generalist and specialist native bees.
| National Park Service | U.S. National Park Service | December 23, 2024
Native plants have evolved alongside local pollinators and can provide more appropriate food resources than many introduced ornamental species.
| Judy Peacock | University of Georgia Extension | July 29, 2024
A gardener describes developing a native pollinator garden containing asters, mountain mint, yarrow, bee balm, coneflower, milkweed, cardinal flower, and other species.
Planting colorful, nectar- and pollen-rich flowers throughout the year can provide habitat and food for birds, butterflies, moths, bees, and beneficial insects.
| Eddie Smith | Mississippi State University Extension | July 31, 2023
Yarrow, bachelor’s buttons, Stokes' aster, verbena, and other flowering plants can make residential landscapes valuable feeding sites for pollinating insects.
| University of Georgia Extension | University of Georgia Extension | June 2023
Pollinator gardens benefit from diverse native plants with different flower colors, shapes, heights, and bloom periods extending through spring, summer, and fall.
| University of Illinois Extension | University of Illinois Extension | n.d.
Plant profiles describe bloom periods, growing requirements, and pollinator associations for many flowers suitable for Illinois pollinator gardens.
| Penn State Extension | Penn State Extension | n.d.
Pollinator habitat should combine flowering plants, nesting sites, shelter, water, and season-long pollen and nectar resources.
Native Plant Lists and Regional Guides
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | April 21, 2023
The Great Basin guide identifies native plant species suited to the region's climate that provide pollen, nectar, and other ecological resources.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | April 21, 2023
Inland Northwest plants are selected for their value to native pollinators and their suitability for regional growing conditions.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | April 21, 2023
Native Rocky Mountain wildflowers, shrubs, and other plants can provide important food and habitat for pollinating and beneficial insects.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | April 21, 2023
The Sonoran Desert regional guide recommends native plants capable of supporting pollinators under hot, arid growing conditions.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | April 21, 2023
Chihuahuan Desert native species provide locally adapted pollen, nectar, host-plant, and habitat resources for pollinating insects.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | April 21, 2023
This regional guide identifies pollinator-supporting native plants appropriate for mountain environments in Arizona and New Mexico.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | April 21, 2023
Plateau-region native plants can be incorporated into restoration projects, farms, and home landscapes to improve floral resources for pollinators.
| Sarah Nizzi et al. | Xerces Society | May 31, 2018
This Midwest list highlights native species valuable to adult pollinators, caterpillars, specialist bees, and beneficial predatory insects.
| Kelly Gill et al. | Xerces Society | May 31, 2018
Mid-Atlantic native plants are ranked for their ability to provide pollen, nectar, host-plant resources, nesting materials, and habitat for beneficial insects.
| Eric Lee-Mader et al. | Xerces Society | May 31, 2018
The Maritime Northwest guide recommends native plant species adapted to regional soils and climates that provide food and shelter for native pollinators.
| Rae Powers et al. | Xerces Society | May 31, 2018
Northern Plains wildflowers and woody plants are evaluated for their benefits to bees, butterflies, moths, caterpillars, and beneficial insects.
| Ray Moranz and Kelly Gill | Xerces Society | May 31, 2018
The Southeast regional list identifies native plants suited to landscapes where gardeners want to support pollinators while reducing irrigation and maintenance requirements.
| Ray Moranz et al. | Xerces Society | May 31, 2018
Florida native plant recommendations emphasize species providing pollen, nectar, caterpillar food, specialized bee forage, and habitat for beneficial insects.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 31, 2018
A regional selection of Great Lakes native plants supports bees and other pollinators while also benefiting butterflies, moths, and natural pest-control organisms.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 31, 2018
Northeast native plant recommendations provide gardeners and land managers with species capable of supplying season-long pollinator forage.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 31, 2018
Native Southern Plains flowers and other plants can support diverse bees, butterflies, moths, and beneficial insects across gardens and agricultural landscapes.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | n.d.
Xerces Society regional plant lists identify native flowers, shrubs, trees, vines, and other plants that supply nectar, pollen, caterpillar food, and nesting resources.
California and Western Pollinator Plants
| National Park Service | U.S. National Park Service | 2022
A compact California pollinator garden design combines alumroot, buckbrush, yarrow, Oregon grape, sage, milkweed, mulefat, rabbitbrush, and California poppy.
| National Park Service | U.S. National Park Service | 2022
The Northwest garden design uses plants such as Douglas aster, Oregon sunshine, redflower currant, showy milkweed, yarrow, and goldenrod to span multiple bloom periods.
| National Park Service | U.S. National Park Service | 2022
A Southwest native pollinator garden recipe provides nine plants arranged to maintain flowering through spring, summer, and fall.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | February 24, 2020
Recommended plants for California deserts and southern Nevada can create pollinator habitat in urban, agricultural, rural, and natural landscapes.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | October 7, 2019
Sierra Foothills plants are selected for pollinator attractiveness, regional adaptation, drought tolerance, and their ability to provide season-long floral resources.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 30, 2018
California Central Coast recommendations emphasize drought-tolerant plants attractive to diverse bees and capable of providing early-, mid-, and late-season forage.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 30, 2018
Central Valley pollinator habitat should combine several flowering species from each major bloom period to create continuous pollen and nectar availability.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 30, 2018
Southern California Coast plant recommendations emphasize native, drought-tolerant species suitable for bees and beneficial insects.
| Gail Langellotto et al. | Oregon State University Extension | 2018
Native wildflowers, trees, and shrubs combined with water, sunny planting sites, nesting ground, and season-long flowers can create a home pollinator landscape.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | n.d.
Five California regional plant lists help landowners choose pollinator plants adapted to distinct climates ranging from coastal areas to deserts and foothills.
| Oregon State University Extension | Oregon State University Extension | n.d.
A list of 25 Oregon plants recommends species flowering from winter through autumn to provide resources for native bees and other pollinators.
| UC Marin Master Gardeners | University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources | n.d.
Plant recommendations for Marin County help gardeners provide food, water, and shelter for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and beneficial insects.
Utah and Intermountain Pollinator Plants
| Utah State University Extension | Utah State University | 2024
Recommended pollinator plants include poppies, cosmos, sunflower, zinnia, coneflower, milkweed, bee balm, goldenrod, salvia, herbs, trees, and shrubs.
| Ann Mull et al. | Utah State University Extension | August 2022
Integrated pest and pollinator management recommends combining pollinator-attractive plants with pest-management practices that minimize harm to beneficial insects.
| Utah State University Extension | Utah State University | n.d.
Native bee gardens can compensate for habitat lost to pavement, buildings, lawns, grain fields, and other landscapes with limited floral resources.
| Utah State University | Utah State University Extension | n.d.
An extensive demonstration-garden list includes yarrow, hyssop, asters, coneflowers, lavender, penstemons, sages, goldenrod, thyme, and many other pollinator plants.
| Utah State University | Utah State University Extension | n.d.
The Ogden Botanical Gardens list features dozens of perennial flowers and shrubs planted specifically for their ornamental and pollinator value.
| Utah State University | Utah State University Extension | n.d.
A demonstration garden shows how flowers can provide nectar, shelter, and other resources for pollinating insects throughout the growing season.
| Utah State University Extension | Utah State University | n.d.
Bridger Park's pollinator garden illustrates how attractive perennial landscapes can simultaneously support pollinators and nearby vegetable gardens.
| Utah State University Extension | Utah State University | n.d.
Landscapes can help bees by incorporating native flowers, early-blooming plants, accessible single flowers, herbs, coneflowers, and sunflowers.
| Swaner EcoCenter | Utah State University | n.d.
Restoration plantings use milkweeds, bee plant, buckwheat, sunflower, penstemons, goldenrod, serviceberry, rabbitbrush, and other natives beneficial to wildlife and pollinators.
| Utah State University Extension | Utah State University | n.d.
The Protectors of Urban Pollinators program encourages communities to plant pollinator flowers, protect habitat, and reduce insecticide exposure.
Trees, Shrubs, Shade and Specialized Gardens
| University of Maryland Extension | University of Maryland Extension | 2026
Maryland native-plant resources include pollinator gardens, landscape designs, sunny-slope plants, seed propagation guidance, and other habitat-oriented gardening information.
| Iowa State University Extension | Iowa State University | 2026
A pollinator plant list includes yarrow, false indigo, asters, coneflowers, sunflower, hydrangea, penstemon, phlox, zinnia, and golden Alexanders.
| University of Maryland Extension | University of Maryland Extension | June 13, 2025
Pollinator gardens should contain different flower shapes, colors, and heights, host plants, water sources, nesting habitat, and flowers spanning the entire growing season.
| Cornell Cooperative Extension | Cornell University | 2024
A pollinator garden should provide layered vegetation, water, bare nesting soil, dead wood, diverse native flowers, larval host plants, and pesticide-free habitat.
| University of Illinois Extension | University of Illinois Extension | August 2023
A sunny mesic pollinator garden design incorporates chokeberry, bee balm, bluestar, penstemon, butterflyweed, asters, coneflowers, and native grasses.
| UConn Extension | University of Connecticut | 2021
Native plants adapted to local climate and soils can provide food for specialist bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, moth caterpillars, and other pollinators.
| Rhonda Ferree | University of Illinois Extension | March 2, 2018
Anise hyssop, coreopsis, wild indigo, foxglove penstemon, and other native perennials can form the foundation of a pollinator-friendly landscape.
| Penn State Master Gardeners | Penn State Extension | n.d.
A detailed table matches pollinator plants including cosmos, zinnia, coneflower, sunflower, lobelia, mountain mint, bee balm, milkweed, and asters with growing conditions.
| University of Maryland Extension | University of Maryland Extension | n.d.
Locally native gardens support bees, caterpillars, butterflies, moths, birds, and other wildlife while potentially reducing fertilizer, pesticide, and irrigation requirements.
USDA, NRCS and Government Resources
| National Park Service | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | October 28, 2025
The Sugarlands Visitor Center pollinator garden contains more than 70 native plant species that attract bees, flies, butterflies, and other wildlife.
| USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service | USDA NRCS | 2025
Southwestern pollinator plant suggestions include native willows, plum, chokecherry, prairie sunflower, Rocky Mountain bee plant, gilia, basil, and other flowering species.
| National Park Service | U.S. National Park Service | 2025
Ecoregional recipe cards provide simple native-plant designs for small gardens intended to offer colorful pollinator forage throughout the growing season.
| USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service | USDA NRCS | 2024
East Texas native pollinator habitat recommendations include blazing star, black-eyed Susan, coneflowers, sunflower, mountain mint, ironweed, horsemint, and wild indigo.
| National Park Service | U.S. National Park Service | 2022
The Northeast planting card provides a compact native garden layout designed to maintain spring, summer, and fall food resources for pollinators.
| National Park Service | U.S. National Park Service | 2022
A Great Plains garden recipe combines nine native plants selected to create continuous seasonal bloom in states including North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma.
| USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service | USDA NRCS | 2012
A Northeast pollinator guide profiles dozens of native plants including milkweeds, asters, goldenrods, blazing stars, lobelias, mountain mint, bee balm, and vervains.
Pollinator Partnership Resources
| Pollinator Partnership | Pollinator Partnership | 2026
A concise guide explains how to choose native plants, avoid invasive species, and include flowers, trees, shrubs, grasses, and other habitat plants.
| Elizabeth L. Ley et al. | Pollinator Partnership | 2026
An Intermountain regional guide identifies locally appropriate flowers and habitat practices for supporting bees and other pollinating animals.
| Pollinator Partnership | Pollinator Partnership | 2025
The guide recommends grouping plants, providing multiple flower types, maintaining bloom from early spring through fall, and including host plants for pollinator larvae.
| Elizabeth L. Ley et al. | Pollinator Partnership | 2017
Aspen Parkland recommendations match garden flowers and crops such as lavender, goldenrod, penstemon, salvia, sunflower, clover, and willow with different native bees.
Bees and Specialist Pollinators
| Ask Extension Experts | Ask Extension | May 27, 2025
Extension experts discuss annual bedding plants for pollinators and explain why native sunflowers, asters, salvias, and other locally adapted flowers often provide greater ecological benefits.
| Royal Horticultural Society | RHS | 2025
The RHS Plants for Pollinators program uses scientific evidence to identify thousands of garden and wild plants valuable to bees, butterflies, moths, and hoverflies.
| Penn State Center for Pollinator Research | Penn State University | n.d.
Pollinator nutrition differs among plants, making native plant diversity important for supplying the particular pollen, nectar, protein, lipid, and carbohydrate needs of different species.
| University of Illinois Extension | University of Illinois Extension | n.d.
Educational guides cover Illinois pollinator plants, spring flowers for bees, pollinator garden design, and identification of native bee species.
Butterflies, Monarchs and Host Plants
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | October 17, 2019
California nectar-plant recommendations help gardeners and restoration practitioners provide flowers needed by adult monarch butterflies during breeding and migration.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 31, 2018
Great Lakes native nectar plants can help monarch butterflies obtain energy during reproduction and their long-distance seasonal movements.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 31, 2018
Midwest native flowering plants provide adult monarchs with nectar while complementing milkweed host plants needed by monarch caterpillars.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 31, 2018
Mid-Atlantic nectar plants can be combined with milkweeds to create more complete habitat for monarch reproduction and migration.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 31, 2018
Northern Plains flowering plants supply adult monarch butterflies with nectar across the breeding and migratory seasons.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 31, 2018
Southern Plains nectar resources are particularly important along migration routes used by monarch butterflies traveling between Mexico and northern breeding areas.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 31, 2018
Native Southeast nectar plants can strengthen monarch habitat while also providing food for bees and numerous other flower-visiting insects.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 31, 2018
Rocky Mountain flowering plants provide nectar resources adapted to regional conditions and useful to monarchs and other pollinating insects.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 31, 2018
Southwest native nectar plants help sustain monarchs across arid migration landscapes where reliable floral resources can be widely separated.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 31, 2018
Maritime Northwest nectar plants provide locally appropriate flowering resources for western monarchs and other beneficial insects.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 31, 2018
Inland Northwest native plants supply nectar to adult monarchs while improving overall floral diversity in restored and managed landscapes.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 31, 2018
Great Basin nectar plants support monarch butterflies and other pollinators within dry western landscapes.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 31, 2018
Florida native nectar plants provide flowering resources that can be incorporated into gardens and conservation areas supporting monarchs and other butterflies.
| Monarch Watch | University of Kansas | n.d.
A seasonal list identifies nectar plants for butterflies and other pollinators, including Indian blanket, columbine, partridge pea, phlox, sage, sunflower, and wild onion.
Establishment, Farms and Larger Pollinator Habitats
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | June 15, 2018
Maintaining diverse wildflower plantings can preserve a continuous supply of pollen and nectar while preventing a few aggressive species from dominating pollinator habitat.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | June 15, 2018
Native flowering habitat around organic farms can support crop pollinators as well as predatory and parasitoid insects that contribute to natural pest suppression.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 17, 2018
Native hedgerows can provide permanent pollen, nectar, nesting habitat, shelter, and movement corridors for pollinators in California agricultural landscapes.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 17, 2018
Conservation-cover plantings use flowering species selected to improve pollinator habitat while providing broader soil and farm conservation benefits.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 17, 2018
Western Oregon and Washington conservation-cover recommendations combine native plants suitable for long-term pollinator habitat.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 17, 2018
Pollinator-friendly hedgerows in New Jersey can connect fragmented habitats while producing pollen and nectar within agricultural landscapes.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 17, 2018
Conservation-cover plantings provide New Jersey farmers and landowners with another approach for establishing persistent pollinator forage.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 17, 2018
Florida hedgerows planted with appropriate flowering species can provide food, shelter, and landscape connectivity for pollinating insects.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 17, 2018
Pollinator-oriented conservation cover uses locally appropriate plants to improve the ecological value of agricultural and managed landscapes.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | May 16, 2018
Habitat planning can integrate flowering plants that support both pollinators and beneficial insects into farms and other working landscapes.
| Xerces Society and USDA NRCS | Xerces Society | February 24, 2011
This technical note provides plant-selection and conservation guidance for establishing pollinator habitat across eastern Washington, northeastern Oregon, and northern Idaho.
Additional Pollinator Plant Resources
| Mississippi State University Extension | Mississippi State University | 2026
A comprehensive pollinator-garden guide covers butterfly host plants, hummingbird nectar plants, native flowers, container gardens, site selection, and garden construction.
| Utah State University Extension | Utah State University | 2023
A printable pollinator plant list contains numerous cultivars of asters, penstemons, coneflowers, lavender, sage, goldenrod, thyme, hyssop, and related flowering plants.
| University of Georgia Extension | University of Georgia Extension | December 6, 2022
Georgia's annual pollinator-plant selections illustrate how native spring-, summer-, and fall-flowering plants can provide a succession of food resources.
| University of Georgia Extension | University of Georgia Extension | February 2021
Georgia's Pollinator Plants of the Year program promotes high-performing landscape plants selected for both ornamental qualities and ecological value.
| Linda Langelo | Colorado State University Extension | 2018
A Colorado community pollinator garden uses native winecups, Mexican hat, Rocky Mountain penstemon, lemon bee balm, cinquefoil, and complementary ornamental plants.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | November 29, 2016
One hundred important flowers, trees, shrubs, and other plants are highlighted as practical choices for increasing pollen and nectar resources available to bees.
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | October 2, 2007
Delaware native plants are identified for their ability to provide appropriate pollen and nectar resources to locally occurring native bee species.
| Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew | Grow Wild / Kew | n.d.
UK native plants such as bird's-foot trefoil, knapweed, cowslip, foxglove, oxeye daisy, selfheal, clover, and wild carrot provide food for pollinating insects.
| University of Maryland Extension | University of Maryland Extension | n.d.
Pollinator-friendly nursery production combines native plants with pest-control practices designed to minimize pesticide exposure to bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects.
| Utah State University Extension | Utah State University | n.d.
Botanical garden plant collections show how bee balm, butterfly weed, blazing star, blanket flower, bluebeard, sage, and other flowering plants can be incorporated into designed landscapes.
Pollinator-Friendly Garden Planning
| Linda Geist | University of Missouri Extension | May 28, 2026
Fragrant flowers use scent as well as color to attract insects, hummingbirds, and other pollinators, making aromatic plants useful additions to pollinator gardens.
| Penn State Extension | Penn State Extension | May 21, 2026
Native perennial herbs can combine culinary, aromatic, and ornamental value with flowers that provide resources for native pollinating insects.
| Linda Geist | University of Missouri Extension | April 10, 2026
Zinnias, cosmos, lantana, sunflowers, Mexican sunflowers, salvia, alyssum, cuphea, and other easy annuals can provide long-lasting pollen and nectar.
| Linda Geist | University of Missouri Extension | March 4, 2026
Early flowers such as self-heal, violets, and even dandelions can provide valuable resources to pollinators emerging before many garden plants begin blooming.
| Brent McGhie | University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources | March 3, 2026
Pollinator gardens can combine flowering plants that feed bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, hummingbirds, and other animals throughout the growing season.
| University of New Hampshire Extension | University of New Hampshire | 2026
A pollinator habitat can be built around at least three native flowering species in each major season together with host plants, shelter, water, and reduced pesticide use.
| University of Maine Cooperative Extension | University of Maine | 2026
Maine's pollinator certification program recommends at least nine native nectar and pollen plants, divided among early-, middle-, and late-season bloom periods.
| University of Maine Cooperative Extension | University of Maine | June 6, 2025
Native flowers blooming throughout the growing season, removal of invasive plants, and protection of nesting areas can transform residential gardens into pollinator habitat.
| Grace Ferry and Brian Kunkel | University of Delaware Cooperative Extension | April 2025
Dense blazing star, penstemon, New England aster, mountain mint, and other native plants support Delaware's bees, butterflies, beetles, flies, and other pollinators.
| University of Delaware | University of Delaware | n.d.
The university's educational pollinator garden demonstrates how milkweeds and diverse flowering plants provide pollen, nectar, foliage, and other resources to insects.
Annual Flowers and Containers
| Julie Weisenhorn | University of Minnesota Extension | 2026
Trials found sunflowers, salvias, black-eyed Susans, sneezeweed, zinnias, and other annuals among the most frequently visited flowers by pollinating insects.
| University of Minnesota Extension | University of Minnesota | 2026
Salvias produce colorful flower spikes visited by bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds and include cultivars suited to garden beds and containers.
| University of Delaware Cooperative Extension | University of Delaware | 2026
Alyssum, nasturtiums, marigolds, and sunflowers can be incorporated into food gardens to attract bees and other beneficial insects.
| Mississippi State University Extension | Mississippi State University | 2026
Containers and small planting beds can support pollinators when planted with nectar flowers and combined with water and pesticide-conscious maintenance.
| Lynne M. Holland | University of Maine Cooperative Extension | January 19, 2023
Annual flowers can supplement a garden whose ecological foundation consists of native plants providing dependable year-round food and habitat.
| University of Delaware Cooperative Extension | University of Delaware | n.d.
Pollinator gardens can be grown in pots on sunny balconies and porches as well as in conventional garden beds.
| University of Minnesota Extension | University of Minnesota | n.d.
Annual flowers can produce continuous nectar through summer while complementary perennial flowers and larval host plants support complete butterfly life cycles.
Native Perennials
| Penn State Master Gardeners | Penn State Extension | 2026
Blazing stars, milkweeds, mountain mints, bee balms, rattlesnake master, and native sunflowers are particularly useful for pollinators and predatory insects.
| University of Wisconsin Extension | Wisconsin Horticulture | 2024
A Wisconsin reference table identifies native plants suitable for building regionally appropriate pollinator gardens.
| Cathy Neal and Sandra Rehan | University of New Hampshire Extension | 2018
Northern New England gardens can support bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds with a diverse sequence of flowering plants from spring through autumn.
| University of Massachusetts Extension | UMass Extension | 2016
Native perennial recommendations include milkweeds, New England aster, turtleheads, sedges, thoroughworts, and other plants useful in pollinator landscapes.
Trees, Shrubs, Vines, and Woody Plants
| University of Minnesota Extension | University of Minnesota | 2026
Trees, shrubs, and vines can supply substantial quantities of pollen and nectar while simultaneously creating nesting, shelter, and fruit resources.
| John Frett | University of Delaware Cooperative Extension | February 2025
Native trees and shrubs form the ecological foundation of landscapes by supporting insects, birds, and other wildlife with relatively low maintenance requirements.
| University of New Hampshire Extension | University of New Hampshire | 2018
Flowering groundcovers, perennials, trees, and shrubs can be selected to ensure nectar and pollen are available across multiple seasons.
| University of Delaware Cooperative Extension | University of Delaware | n.d.
Diverse native and non-invasive landscape plants can replace biologically poor or invasive ornamentals while maintaining attractive residential landscapes.
Bee Lawns and Lawn Alternatives
| Iowa State University Extension | Iowa State University | 2026
Self-heal, violets, wild strawberry, prairie smoke, tickseed, asters, and other low-growing flowers can improve lawn habitat for pollinators.
| University of Wisconsin Extension | Wisconsin Horticulture | 2026
Establishing intentional early-blooming flowers such as bluebells, columbine, coreopsis, self-heal, serviceberry, maple, and cherry provides reliable spring forage.
| Iowa State University Extension | Iowa State University | 2026
Dedicated pollinator gardens containing diverse spring-through-fall flowers offer a more dependable long-term strategy than relying solely on temporarily unmown turf.
| University of Minnesota Extension | University of Minnesota | n.d.
Bee lawns combine turfgrass with low-growing flowering plants to provide usable lawn space along with pollen and nectar for bees.
| University of Minnesota Extension | University of Minnesota | n.d.
Prairie gardens replace conventional lawn with native grasses and wildflowers that provide food and habitat while reducing mowing requirements.
Butterfly and Caterpillar Plants
| University of Wisconsin Extension | Wisconsin Horticulture | 2024
A regional native-plant list identifies flowers and host plants useful for attracting and sustaining Wisconsin butterflies.
| University of Wisconsin Extension | Wisconsin Horticulture | 2023
Black swallowtails depend on larval plants in the carrot family while adults visit nectar-producing flowers.
| University of Wisconsin Extension | Wisconsin Horticulture | 2023
Monarch conservation requires milkweed for caterpillars as well as abundant nectar flowers for adults during breeding and migration.
| University of Wisconsin Extension | Wisconsin Horticulture | 2023
Painted lady butterflies demonstrate why pollinator landscapes should provide both adult nectar flowers and plants suitable for caterpillar development.
| University of Wisconsin Extension | Wisconsin Horticulture | 2023
Red admirals illustrate the ecological importance of preserving larval food plants as well as showy nectar-producing flowers.
| Penn State Master Gardeners | Penn State Extension | n.d.
Milkweeds, asters, coneflowers, Joe Pye weeds, blazing stars, bee balms, goldenrods, ironweeds, sunflowers, and mountain mints provide butterfly nectar.
Native Bees and Specialist Pollinators
| University of Wisconsin Extension | Wisconsin Horticulture | 2026
Learning which bee groups occur locally can help gardeners select flowers and nesting habitat suitable for a wider diversity of native pollinators.
| Jonathan Foster | University of Maine Cooperative Extension | March 13, 2025
Planting locally native wildflowers is an effective way to expand food resources for wild bees without requiring a highly formal garden.
| University of Wisconsin Extension | Wisconsin Horticulture | 2023
Bumblebees require pollen and nectar across their long colony season, making continuous flowering from spring through autumn particularly important.
| University of Wisconsin Extension | Wisconsin Horticulture | 2023
Leafcutter bees depend on flowering plants for pollen and nectar and also use plant materials in constructing their solitary nests.
| University of Wisconsin Extension | Wisconsin Horticulture | 2023
Squash bees demonstrate the close relationships that can develop between specialist native bees and particular groups of flowering plants.
| University of Wisconsin Extension | Wisconsin Horticulture | 2023
Small sweat bees are common flower visitors and benefit from diverse open flowers and protected nesting areas within gardens.
| University of Wisconsin Extension | Wisconsin Horticulture | 2016
A field guide introduces common Wisconsin bees that can be observed visiting flowers in pollinator gardens and natural landscapes.
| University of Wisconsin Extension | Wisconsin Horticulture | n.d.
Native bees benefit from gardens containing sequential flowering plants, nesting habitat, and reduced pesticide exposure.
Other Pollinating Insects and Animals
| University of New Hampshire Extension | University of New Hampshire | May 2026
Different pollinator groups favor different flower forms: bees frequently use blue, white, and yellow flowers while hummingbirds and butterflies favor other combinations.
| University of Wisconsin Extension | Wisconsin Horticulture | 2023
Goldenrod soldier beetles illustrate how late-blooming flowers support beetles as well as more familiar bee and butterfly pollinators.
| University of Wisconsin Extension | Wisconsin Horticulture | 2023
Honey bees gather nectar and pollen from a broad variety of flowering plants, emphasizing the value of maintaining season-long bloom.
| University of Wisconsin Extension | Wisconsin Horticulture | 2023
Hummingbird moths visit nectar-rich flowers and broaden the range of animals that benefit from pollinator-oriented garden design.
| University of Wisconsin Extension | Wisconsin Horticulture | 2023
Ruby-throated hummingbirds benefit from nectar-producing tubular flowers incorporated into gardens alongside insect-pollinated plants.
| University of Wisconsin Extension | Wisconsin Horticulture | 2023
Sphinx moths are important flower visitors, particularly where gardens include nectar plants suited to their long proboscises and evening activity.
Beneficial Insects and Companion Planting
| Iowa State University Extension | Iowa State University | 2026
Flowers supply nectar and pollen to bees, butterflies, predatory wasps, hoverflies, lady beetles, lacewings, and other beneficial insects.
| Judy Hough-Goldstein | University of Delaware Cooperative Extension | February 2025
Alyssum, native perennials, flowering shrubs, and other nectar plants can attract hoverflies, parasitoid wasps, lacewings, lady beetles, bees, and butterflies.
| Sue Barton and Rebecca Pineo | University of Delaware Cooperative Extension | February 2025
Native plants form the base of diverse garden food webs by supporting insects that subsequently provide food for birds and other wildlife.
| University of Wisconsin Extension | Wisconsin Horticulture | n.d.
Nectar- and pollen-producing flowers can support predatory and parasitic insects as well as conventional pollinators, improving biological pest control.
| Penn State Master Gardeners | Penn State Extension | n.d.
Native flowers can simultaneously attract pollinating bees and butterflies and predatory insects that consume common garden pests.
Meadows and Larger Pollinator Plantings
| Mississippi Master Naturalist | Mississippi State University Extension | 2026
A compact native garden design shows how differently sized plants can be arranged to support resident and migrating bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
| Colorado State University Extension | Colorado State University | 2024
Colorado pollinator habitat can include winecups, sulphur flower, prairie smoke, blue flax, penstemons, yarrow, serviceberry, and flowering fruit trees.
| Colorado State University Extension | Colorado State University | 2020
Low-water pollinator gardens should contain overlapping bloom periods and clusters of native plants suited to dry western landscapes.
| Cathy Neal | University of New Hampshire Extension | 2019
Wildflower meadows can provide extensive floral resources, nesting sites, and protected habitat for bees, butterflies, moths, birds, and other wildlife.
Habitat Beyond Flowers
| University of New Hampshire Extension | University of New Hampshire | 2026
Pollinator habitat requires plants for food alongside nesting and overwintering areas and landscape management that protects insects throughout their life cycles.
| University of Maine Cooperative Extension | University of Maine | 2026
Habitat-gardening guidance addresses native shrubs, wildflowers, vines, perennial beds, pollinator gardens, and other methods for supporting wildlife.
| University of Delaware | University of Delaware | 2026
The University of Delaware's educational pollinator garden combines year-round flowering plants with water and habitat features serving bees and other insects.
| University of Minnesota Extension | University of Minnesota | n.d.
Pollinator gardens become more valuable when flowering plants are accompanied by bare soil, stems, wood, and other natural nesting sites.
Regional and Evidence-Based Plant Lists
| Xerces Society | Xerces Society | n.d.
Regional native plant lists identify flowers that provide nectar and pollen as well as caterpillar host plants, specialist-bee forage, nesting materials, and beneficial-insect resources.
Plant Diversity and Garden Structure
| Linda Geist | University of Missouri Extension | June 11, 2025
Nativars can retain some benefits of native plants, although changes in flower color, structure, or other characteristics may alter their usefulness to particular pollinators.
| University of Missouri Extension | University of Missouri | 2018
Pollinator gardens are most effective when they contain diverse flower colors, grouped plantings, season-long bloom, and herbs such as basil, borage, dill, lavender, oregano, and sage.
| University of Delaware Botanic Gardens | University of Delaware | n.d.
A collection of native-plant, pollinator, meadow, wildlife-habitat, and invasive-plant resources helps gardeners design ecologically functional landscapes.
Pollinator Garden Research and Education
| Susan Carpenter | University of Wisconsin Extension | 2026
Pollinator garden design should combine careful plant selection with sustainable maintenance practices that protect insects throughout the growing season.
| Tim Ripp | University of Wisconsin Extension | 2026
Naturalistic landscapes can combine attractive design with native plants, reduced mowing, and habitat features beneficial to pollinators and other wildlife.
| University of Minnesota Extension | University of Minnesota | 2026
Pollinator-friendly landscapes combine food plants, nesting habitat, pesticide reduction, flowering lawns, shrubs, trees, and diverse gardens.
| University of Minnesota Extension | University of Minnesota | 2026
Farms can integrate flowering crops and dedicated habitat plantings into formal pollinator management plans that increase the availability of forage.
| University of Wisconsin Extension | Wisconsin Horticulture | n.d.
Pussy willow, cherry, blueberry, basswood, lupine, hyssop, coneflower, bergamot, blazing star, goldenrod, and asters are among plants valuable to native pollinators.
More Native Plant and Pollinator Resources
| University of Maine Cooperative Extension | University of Maine | August 3, 2026
Dense communities of pesticide-free native plants such as mountain mint, Joe Pye weed, bergamot, coneflowers, and sedges can provide efficient feeding habitat.
Complete Pollinator Landscapes
| University of Wisconsin Extension | Wisconsin Horticulture | 2026
Wisconsin's pollinator resource collection brings together plant lists, native bee information, butterfly plants, bee lawns, habitat design, and pollinator conservation practices.
