I'm glad you asked! Plants can be divided into two categories: native and non-native. Native plants are those that originate from local environments. They're adapted to the habitat their in, which means they don't need as much water or maintenance. Most have immunity to garden critters, which means they don't need pesticides to fend off bugs. Most importantly, they give pollinators a habitat to live in and a stable food source as well. Some non-native plants are helpful for pollinators, but overall they upset the balance of the local ecosystem. If the non-native plants thrive, they can quickly take over and outcompete the native ones. This hurts pollinators because when native plants die, they no longer have a food source! So, as you can see, native plants are not just beneficial for pollinators, but are better for the environment as well. Read below to see which plants I have in my pollinator garden, and how they're helping:
Asclepias incarnata "Swamp Milkweed"
Common Name: Swamp Milkweed Latin Name: Asclepias incarnata Perennial or Annual: Perennial Light Needed: Full Sun Helps: Butterflies, bees, moths, and hummingbirds. Blooms In: Mid-Summer to Late Summer *** Swamp milkweed is the host plant for the monarch butterfly!
Penstemon digitalis "Pocahontas Beardtongue"
Common Name: Pocahontas Beardtongue Latin Name: Penstemon digitalis "Pocahontas" Perennial or Annual: Perennial Light Needed: Full Sun Helps: Butterflies, hummingbirds. Blooms In: Mid-Spring to Early Summer
Symphyotrichum cordifolium "Blue Wood-Aster"
Common Name: Blue Wood-Aster Latin Name: Symphyotrichum cordifolium Perennial or annual: Perennial Light Needed: Partial to Full Sun Helps: Butterflies, hummingbirds. Blooms In: Late Summer to Mid-Fall
Verbesina virginica "White Wingstem Frostweed"
Common Name: White Wingstem Frostweed Latin Name: Verbesina virginica Perennial or annual: Perennial Light Needed: Partial to Full Sun Helps: Bees, butterflies. Blooms In: Late Summer to Mid-Fall
Echinacea purpurea "Purple Coneflower"
Common Name: Purple Coneflower Latin Name: Echinacea purpurea Perennial or annual: Perennial Light Needed: Full Sun Helps: Bees, butterflies, moths, wasps, and beetles. Blooms In: Mid-Summer to Early Fall
Eutrochium purpureum "Joe-Pye Weed"
Common Name: Joe-Pye Weed Latin Name: Eutrochium purpureum Perennial or annual: Perennial Light Needed: Partial to Full Sun Helps: Bees, butterflies, and moths. Blooms In: Mid-Summer to Early Fall
Zizia aurea "Golden Alexander"
Common Name: Golden Alexander Latin Name: Zizia aurea Perennial or annual: Perennial Light Needed: Partial to Full Sun Helps: Bees, butterflies, moths, wasps, and beetles. Blooms In: Late Spring to Early Summer
Physostegia virginiana "Obedient Plant"
Common Name: Obedient Plant Latin Name: Physostegia virginiana Perennial or annual: Perennial Light Needed: Partial to Full Sun Helps: Bees, butterflies, and moths. Blooms In: Late Summer to Early Fall
Ratibida pinnata "Prairie Coneflower"
Common Name: Prairie Coneflower Latin Name: Ratibida pinnata Perennial or annual: Perennial Light Needed: Partial to Full Sun Helps: Butterflies Blooms In: Early Summer to Late Summer
Monarda fistulosa "Wild Bergamot"
Common Name: Wild Bergamot Latin Name: Monarda fistulosa Perennial or annual: Perennial Light Needed: Partial to Full Sun Helps: Bees, butterflies, moths, wasps, beetles, and hummingbirds. Blooms In: Mid-Summer
Liatris spicata "Dense Blazing Star"
Common Name: Dense Blazing Star Latin Name: Liatris spicata Perennial or annual: Perennial Light Needed: Full Sun Helps: Butterflies, hummingbirds. Blooms In: Late Summer to Early Fall
Viola sororia "Common Violet"
Common Name: Common Violet Latin Name: Viola sororia Perennial or annual: Perennial Light Needed: Partial to Full Sun Helps: Bees, butterflies. Blooms In: Late Spring to Late Summer *** Violets are the host plants of the Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly!
Heliopsis helianthoides "Oxeye Sunflower"
Common Name: OxEye Sunflower Latin Name: Heliopsis helianthoides Perennial or annual: Perennial Light Needed: Full Sun Helps: Butterflies, hummingbirds. Blooms In: Early Summer to Mid-Summer
Pycnanthemum muticum "Mountain Mint"
Common Name: Mountain Mint Latin Name: Pycnanthemum muticum Perennial or annual: Perennial Light Needed: Full Sun Helps: Bees, butterflies, wasps, and beetles. Blooms In: Mid-Summer to Late Summer
Solidago rigida "Stiff Goldenrod"
Common Name: Stiff Goldenrod Latin Name: Solidago rigida Perennial or annual: Perennial Light Needed: Full Sun Helps: Bees, butterflies, moths, wasps, and beetles. Blooms In: Late Summer to Early Fall
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae "New England Aster"
Common Name: New England Aster Latin Name: Symphyotrichum novae-angliae Perennial or annual: Perennial Light Needed: Full Sun Helps: Bees, butterflies, wasps, and beetles. Blooms In: Late Summer to Early Fall
Lonicera sempervirens "Major Wheeler Honeysuckle"
Common Name: Major Wheeler Honeysuckle Latin Name: Lonicera sempervirens Perennial or annual: Perennial Light Needed: Full Sun Helps: Hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. Blooms In: Late Spring to Late Summer
Rudbeckia hirta "Black-Eyed Susan"
Common Name: Black-Eyed Susan Latin Name: Rudbeckia hirta Perennial or annual: Perennial Light Needed: Full Sun Helps: Bees, butterflies, moths, wasps, and beetles. Blooms In: Early Summer to Early Fall