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Collection

Native Pollinator Plants

Native plants that turn a yard into a season-long buffet for bees, butterflies, and the insects that keep the food web running.

Tip: open your state below for the version of this list filtered to plants native to your region and hardy in your zone.
The plants

81 native species in this collection.

A garden that feeds pollinators all season needs something in bloom from the first warm days of spring through the last of fall. Aim for at least three species flowering at any given time, plant in generous drifts of one kind rather than singletons so foragers can work efficiently, and leave seed heads and hollow stems standing over winter to shelter the next generation.

Evergreen shrub

California Lilac

Ceanothus thyrsiflorus

Works hard for pollinators — it draws pollinators, butterflies, and native bees as it blooms Mar through May.

  • Full sun
  • Dry
  • 6–20 ft
  • Blooms Mar–May
Perennial

California Poppy

Eschscholzia californica

Works hard for pollinators — it draws pollinators, native bees, and specialist bees while it blooms Mar through Jun.

  • Full sun
  • Dry
  • 8–18 in
  • Blooms Mar–Jun
Perennial

Desert Marigold

Baileya multiradiata

Keeps pollinators fed — it draws pollinators, butterflies, and native bees while it blooms Mar through Oct.

  • Full sun
  • Dry
  • 12–18 in
  • Blooms Mar–Oct
Small tree

Eastern Redbud

Cercis canadensis

Works hard for pollinators — it draws pollinators, butterflies, and native bees as it flowers in Mar and Apr.

  • Full–part sun
  • Dry–average
  • 20–30 ft
  • Blooms Mar–Apr
Perennial wildflower

Firecracker Penstemon

Penstemon eatonii

Nectar and pollen for the garden — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and native bees while it blooms Mar through May.

  • Full sun
  • Dry
  • 1.5–3 ft
  • Blooms Mar–May
Perennial wildflower

Pasque Flower

Pulsatilla patens

Nectar and pollen for the garden — it draws pollinators, native bees, and specialist bees right through when it flowers in Mar and Apr.

  • Full sun
  • Dry
  • 6–12 in
  • Blooms Mar–Apr
Shrub

Red-Flowering Currant

Ribes sanguineum

Nectar and pollen for the garden — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and native bees while it flowers in Mar and Apr.

  • Full–part sun
  • Dry–average
  • 5–9 ft
  • Blooms Mar–Apr
Spring ephemeral

Virginia Bluebells

Mertensia virginica

Keeps pollinators fed — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and native bees while it blooms Mar through May.

  • Part shade
  • Average–wet
  • 1–2 ft
  • Blooms Mar–May
Shrub

Apache Plume

Fallugia paradoxa

Keeps pollinators fed — it draws pollinators, native bees, and seed-eating birds right through when it blooms Apr through Sep.

  • Full sun
  • Dry
  • 3–6 ft
  • Blooms Apr–Sep
Subshrub

Autumn Sage

Salvia greggii

A reliable nectar stop — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and butterflies right through when it blooms Apr through Oct.

  • Full–part sun
  • Dry
  • 2–3 ft
  • Blooms Apr–Oct
Vine

Crossvine

Bignonia capreolata

Works hard for pollinators — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and native bees while it flowers in Apr and May.

  • Full–part sun
  • Dry–average
  • 25–50 ft
  • Blooms Apr–May
Small tree

Flowering Dogwood

Cornus florida

A reliable nectar stop — it draws pollinators, butterflies, and native bees as it flowers in Apr and May.

  • Part shade
  • Average
  • 15–25 ft
  • Blooms Apr–May
Perennial wildflower

Foamflower

Tiarella cordifolia

A reliable nectar stop — it draws pollinators and native bees as it flowers in Apr and May.

  • Part shade
  • Average
  • 6–12 in
  • Blooms Apr–May
Perennial wildflower

Golden Alexanders

Zizia aurea

Nectar and pollen for the garden — it draws pollinators, butterflies, and native bees as it blooms Apr through Jun.

  • Full–part sun
  • Average–wet
  • 1.5–2.5 ft
  • Blooms Apr–Jun
Perennial wildflower

Prairie Smoke

Geum triflorum

Nectar and pollen for the garden — it draws pollinators, native bees, and specialist bees right through when it flowers in Apr and May.

  • Full–part sun
  • Dry
  • 6–16 in
  • Blooms Apr–May
Small tree

Serviceberry

Amelanchier canadensis

Keeps pollinators fed — it draws pollinators, butterflies, and native bees while it flowers in Apr and May.

  • Full–part sun
  • Average–wet
  • 15–25 ft
  • Blooms Apr–May
Vine

Trumpet Honeysuckle

Lonicera sempervirens

A reliable nectar stop — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and butterflies as it blooms Apr through Sep.

  • Full–part sun
  • Dry–average
  • 8–15 ft
  • Blooms Apr–Sep
Perennial wildflower

Western Columbine

Aquilegia formosa

Keeps pollinators fed — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and native bees right through when it blooms Apr through Jul.

  • Part shade
  • Average
  • 1.5–3 ft
  • Blooms Apr–Jul
Perennial wildflower

Wild Bleeding Heart

Dicentra eximia

A reliable nectar stop — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and native bees while it blooms Apr through Aug.

  • Part shade
  • Average
  • 12–18 in
  • Blooms Apr–Aug
Perennial wildflower

Wild Columbine

Aquilegia canadensis

Keeps pollinators fed — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and native bees as it blooms Apr through Jun.

  • Part shade
  • Dry–average
  • 1–2.5 ft
  • Blooms Apr–Jun
Perennial wildflower

Wild Geranium

Geranium maculatum

Nectar and pollen for the garden — it draws pollinators, native bees, and specialist bees while it blooms Apr through Jun.

  • Part shade
  • Average
  • 1.5–2 ft
  • Blooms Apr–Jun
Perennial wildflower

Woodland Phlox

Phlox divaricata

Works hard for pollinators — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and butterflies as it flowers in Apr and May.

  • Part shade
  • Average
  • 10–15 in
  • Blooms Apr–May
Shrub

Arrowwood Viburnum

Viburnum dentatum

Works hard for pollinators — it draws pollinators, butterflies, and native bees right through when it flowers in May and Jun.

  • Sun to shade
  • Average–wet
  • 6–10 ft
  • Blooms May–Jun
Perennial wildflower

Chocolate Flower

Berlandiera lyrata

A pollinator magnet — it draws pollinators, butterflies, and native bees while it blooms May through Sep.

  • Full sun
  • Dry
  • 1–2 ft
  • Blooms May–Sep
Browse by state

Pollinators, near you.

Native ranges differ across the country — open your state for the list that actually applies to your yard.

AlabamaALArizonaAZArkansasARCaliforniaCAColoradoCOConnecticutCTDelawareDEFloridaFLGeorgiaGAIdahoIDIllinoisILIndianaINIowaIAKansasKSKentuckyKYLouisianaLAMaineMEMarylandMDMassachusettsMAMichiganMIMinnesotaMNMississippiMSMissouriMOMontanaMTNebraskaNENevadaNVNew HampshireNHNew JerseyNJNew MexicoNMNew YorkNYNorth CarolinaNCNorth DakotaNDOhioOHOklahomaOKOregonORPennsylvaniaPARhode IslandRISouth CarolinaSCSouth DakotaSDTennesseeTNTexasTXUtahUTVermontVTVirginiaVAWashingtonWAWashington, D.C.DCWest VirginiaWVWisconsinWIWyomingWY
Sourcing

Where to find pollinators plants

Seeds & live plants on Amazon

Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.

Browse on Amazon

Some links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.