by Lauren Kurtz
There are some things to consider when planting a pollinator garden.
Who will come
The species that will visit the pollinator garden depends on the region where you live and the plants you grow. You’re likely to invite native bees including bumblebees, sweat bees, and mason bees—there are over 4,000 native bees in the United states- to your garden! Other visitors may include honeybees—which are not native to the US but have been naturalized because of their usefulness in agriculture for pollinating crops—wasps, butterflies, and moths. You may see hummingbirds and bats as well. All these different species are pollinators of our plant life and provide essential functions to these ecosystems.
What they need
Pollinators travel from plant to plant to drink nectar or collect pollen. As they travel, pollen spreads from plant to plant and the flowers are fertilized. Once the flowers are fertilized, they will develop seeds for the next generation of plants.
If you want to attract a diverse range of pollinators, choose plants in a variety of colors and shapes, and with varying bloom times. Some pollinators have preferences for the shape of flowers they visit. Butterflies prefer to feed on flowers rich in nectar, like purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) or butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), while hummingbirds prefer a tubular flower, like cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) so they can sip nectar with their long tongue. Nectar eating bats and moths prefer flowers that are open at night because this is when they are most active. Ideally, a pollinator garden will contain a variety of plants that bloom all season long from early spring to late fall! By planting like this, there is a food source in your yard for different pollinators all throughout the growing season. This provides flowers all season for your enjoyment too, benefiting not only the pollinators, but you as well!
Native and near native plants
Native plants are best suited to attract pollinators. Native plants have co-evolved in specific habitats with other native species, over time. The National Wildlife Federation has a native plant finder tool to identify suitable native plants for your region. Native plants are adapted to local environmental conditions, so they usually require less maintenance once established. The rule of “right plant, right place” still applies though. Just because a plant is native to your state does not mean it is suited to the specific conditions in your landscape. Keep the specific environmental conditions, like sun exposure and soil type, in mind when choosing your plants.
There are some differences in opinion about what makes a plant native. Does this mean native to the United States, native to your state, or county? Near-native plants are those that may occur in neighboring regions, while maybe not technically native to your locale, they can still be beneficial plants to include in a pollinator garden.
Some butterflies and moths only lay their eggs on specific plant species, these are called specialists. The caterpillars will only eat the leaves of their host plant, like the monarch does with milkweed. To provide food for the entire lifecycle of butterflies and moths, plant their larval host plants. Some plants are considered keystone species because they act as host to many different pollinator species. The National Wildlife Federation native plant finder can also help identify keystone species in your region.
Exotic pollinator plants
You will find that some beneficial pollinator plants are not native to the United States. Many common horticultural plants are native to Europe or Asia. These plants can be included in a pollinator garden if they are not deemed invasive in your area. The benefit of exotic pollinator plants is they can extend the flowering season in your yard. According to the National Wildlife Federation, the plants in your garden should be at least 70% native and no more than 30% exotic if you want your garden to be beneficial to wildlife.
Creating habitat
Beyond the plants you choose, there are other considerations to provide habitat for pollinators. Save the garden cleanout for the spring instead of in the fall. Some insects use the hollow stems of perennial plants to overwinter. Keeping last season’s plant debris in place allows overwintering insects the habitat they need to make it through the winter. You could also consider adding a bee hotel to your yard, and provide an area for bees to overwinter. Leaving some leaf litter in your garden beds is beneficial for overwintering insects as well. Lastly, avoid using pesticides in and around your yard. Skip the lawn treatment, skip the mosquito spray, and encourage your neighbors to do the same!
Lauren Kurtz is a plant scientist and horticulturist specializing in invasive species management, ecological landscaping, and science communication. She holds a doctorate in Plant Science from the University of Connecticut. Lauren currently conducts invasive plant outreach at UConn and owns Northwind Natives, offering ecological horticulture consulting and educational programming. She has published peer-reviewed research, developed statewide Extension materials, and delivered workshops for diverse groups. Her work bridges applied research and public education, advancing sustainable land care and native plant stewardship throughout New England.