Pasque Flower
Pulsatilla patens
Keeps pollinators fed — it draws pollinators, native bees, and specialist bees while it flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Idaho · Zones 4–6
Native Pollinator Plants in Idaho
Native plants that turn a yard into a season-long buffet for bees, butterflies, and the insects that keep the food web running. For Idaho, the right natives are shaped by Columbia Plateau & Northern Rockies and a semi-arid to montane climate. Every species below, from Pasque Flower and Blanketflower to the rest of the list, is genuinely native to Idaho and the wider flora of the Mountain West and hardy through zones 4–6. 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.
The plants
18 native species for Idaho
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 4–6 · see this collection in other states.
Blanketflower
Gaillardia aristata
A reliable nectar stop — it draws pollinators, butterflies, and native bees as it blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
A pollinator magnet — it draws pollinators, butterflies, and native bees as it blooms May through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Red-Flowering Currant
Ribes sanguineum
Works hard for pollinators — 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
Douglas Aster
Symphyotrichum subspicatum
Nectar and pollen for the garden — it draws pollinators, butterflies, and native bees as it blooms Aug through Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Aug–Oct
Western Columbine
Aquilegia formosa
Nectar and pollen for the garden — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and native bees while it blooms Apr through Jul.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jul
Anise Hyssop
Agastache foeniculum
A pollinator magnet — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and butterflies as it blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
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
Apache Plume
Fallugia paradoxa
A reliable nectar stop — it draws pollinators, native bees, and seed-eating birds while it blooms Apr through Sep.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 3–6 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Rocky Mountain Penstemon
Penstemon strictus
Keeps pollinators fed — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and native bees as it blooms May through Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
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
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
A reliable nectar stop — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and butterflies right through when it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Purple Prairie Clover
Dalea purpurea
Works hard for pollinators — it draws pollinators, native bees, and specialist bees while it flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Oregon Grape
Berberis aquifolium
Nectar and pollen for the garden — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and native bees right through when it flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 3–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Showy Milkweed
Asclepias speciosa
Keeps pollinators fed — it draws pollinators, butterflies, and native bees right through when it flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
Works hard for pollinators — it draws pollinators, native bees, and seed-eating birds right through when it flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Red-Twig Dogwood
Cornus sericea
Keeps pollinators fed — it draws pollinators, native bees, and songbirds while it flowers in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 6–9 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Bearberry
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Nectar and pollen for the garden — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and native bees right through when it flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Sourcing
Where to find these in Idaho
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome 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.