Threadleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillate) provides yellow flowers from May to July and attracts butterflies, syrphid flies, honeybees. Lobed Coreopsis (Coreopsis auriculata) produces golden yellow flowers in April, May and June and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Green and Gold (Chrysogonum virginianum) produces yellow flowers in March, April and May. It attracts butterflies and bees and is a host. It attracts butterflies and honeybees and is a host plant.īlue Wild Indigo (Baptisia australis) sprouts blue flowers in April and May. pulchra) blooms with pink flowers from July to September and attracts butterflies, hummingbirds, bees, beetles, wasps, flies and is a host plant.īutterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) provides orange flowers from May to August (and may rebloom in the fall). It also is a host.Įastern Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata var. The pollinators that are attracted to each type of plant are listed and if the plant is also a host plant, that is indicated.Įastern Bluestar (Amsonia tabermontana) provides blue flowers in April and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Here are some plants you can use to attract pollinators to your garden. This will provide habitat and shelter for certain species including ground nesting bees and other insects.īy planting a garden for pollinators, you can make a positive impact on your community, provide habitat for insects and wildlife and have a beautiful garden that offers blooms for every season.īutterfly weed attracts butterflies and honeybees. Leave areas with dead logs, leaves and water if possible. Choose plants for every season and make sure something is always blooming.ħ. Plant a diversity of species (at least 5-10 different species, to attract a greater number of pollinators.Ħ. This reduces the energy required for foraging.ĥ. Plant groups of a single flower species in the same area. Remove invasive plants which crowd out natives.Ĥ.

Certain butterflies require a particular species of host plant.ģ. A host plant provides a place for butterflies and moths to lay eggs and then the plant becomes a source of food for the caterpillars before they become butterflies.

Plant and encourage native flowering plants.Ģ. Here are some ways you can attract and support pollinators.ġ. For this reason, your plant choices in your own garden can make a difference. Insects and animal pollinators are drawn to certain plants more than others. Pollination also happens through self-pollination, as well as by wind and water. This is the start of the process that results in the production of seeds and fruits and the next generation of plants. When a bee moves from flower to flower in search of nectar, it carries pollen grains from the anther (the male part of a flower) to the stigma (the female part of the flower). Nectar, a food source, is mostly a solution of sugars, but also has traces of proteins, salts, acids, and essential oils. If you are a gardener, it’s likely you’ve seen pollination in process if you’ve observed insects visiting flowers to drink nectar or feed on pollen. This in turn leads to a healthy ecosystem. As home gardeners, we can create a haven for pollinators by eliminating the use of chemicals in our gardens and creating habitats that will attract pollinators and support wildlife. Pollinators - especially bees (there are over 4,000 species of native bees in the United States) - have been affected by habitat loss, disease, and pesticide use.

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