Autumn Sage
Salvia greggii
Works hard for pollinators — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and butterflies right through when it blooms Apr through Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Apr–Oct
Nevada · Zones 4–9
Native Pollinator Plants in Nevada
Native plants that turn a yard into a season-long buffet for bees, butterflies, and the insects that keep the food web running. Every species here is genuinely native to Nevada and the wider flora of the Great Basin and hardy through zones 4–9 — proven performers for Nevada's arid, wide day-night swings climate across Great Basin sagebrush & Mojave, not a generic list. Local standouts include Autumn Sage and Apache Plume. 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
24 native species for Nevada
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 4–9 · see this collection in other states.
Apache Plume
Fallugia paradoxa
Keeps pollinators fed — it draws pollinators, native bees, and seed-eating birds as it blooms Apr through Sep.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 3–6 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Prairie Smoke
Geum triflorum
A reliable nectar stop — it draws pollinators, native bees, and specialist bees while it flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 6–16 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Desert Marigold
Baileya multiradiata
A reliable nectar stop — it draws pollinators, butterflies, and native bees right through when it blooms Mar through Oct.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 12–18 in
- Blooms Mar–Oct
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Works hard for pollinators — it draws pollinators, butterflies, and native bees right through when it blooms May through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
California Lilac
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus
A reliable nectar stop — it draws pollinators, butterflies, and native bees as it blooms Mar through May.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 6–20 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
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
Desert Willow
Chilopsis linearis
A reliable nectar stop — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and native bees right through when it blooms May through Sep.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms May–Sep
Gregg's Mistflower
Conoclinium greggii
Keeps pollinators fed — it draws pollinators, butterflies, and native bees while it blooms May through Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms May–Oct
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
Works hard for pollinators — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and butterflies right through when it blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
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
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
Flame Acanthus
Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii
Keeps pollinators fed — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and butterflies as it blooms Jun through Oct.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Oct
Blanketflower
Gaillardia aristata
Keeps pollinators fed — it draws pollinators, butterflies, and native bees right through when it blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Western Columbine
Aquilegia formosa
Nectar and pollen for the garden — 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
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
A reliable nectar stop — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and butterflies right through when it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
California Poppy
Eschscholzia californica
Keeps pollinators fed — it draws pollinators, native bees, and specialist bees while it blooms Mar through Jun.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 8–18 in
- Blooms Mar–Jun
Firecracker Penstemon
Penstemon eatonii
Works hard for pollinators — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and native bees while it blooms Mar through May.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
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
Bearberry
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Keeps pollinators fed — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and native bees while it flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Oregon Grape
Berberis aquifolium
Nectar and pollen for the garden — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and native bees while it flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 3–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Toyon
Heteromeles arbutifolia
Nectar and pollen for the garden — it draws pollinators, butterflies, and native bees right through when it flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 8–15 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Showy Milkweed
Asclepias speciosa
Keeps pollinators fed — it draws pollinators, butterflies, and native bees as it flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Hairy Manzanita
Arctostaphylos columbiana
Keeps pollinators fed — it draws pollinators, hummingbirds, and native bees while it blooms Mar through May.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 3–9 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Sourcing
Where to find these in Nevada
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.