Midwestern native plants for pollinators

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1 Midwestern native plants for pollinators

2 Prairie plants 500 plant species at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, about 250 prairie plant species Native plants are adapted to our soils Prairie species prefer sunny locations Native bees are adapted to native prairie plants Last year 70 species of bees were found on refuge Pollinators include bees, wasps, flies, ants, beetles, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds

3 Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) Blooms June- August Larval host plant for Monarch butterflies 14 genera of butterflies, bees, beetles, wasps, and ants pollinate

4 Wild white indigo (Baptisia lactea) Blooms June-July Bumblebees are primary pollinators Clouded sulphur butterfly host plant Smaller bees steal nectar and crawl through openings in flower to reach pollen

5 Purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea) Blooms June-July Attracts many bee species solitary and social Bright orange pollen Syrphid flies feed on nectar and pollen

6 Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida) Blooms June-July Preferred nectar plant of bees and butterflies Small and medium sized bees Female florets produce nectar, more nectar on florets closest to male florets

7 Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium) Blooms July-Sept. Majority of visitors are wasps Attract beetles that wasps eat

8 False sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides) July-September Attracts butterflies, bees, flies, wasps, moths So many visitors that pollen is depleted by mid-day Braconid wasp lays eggs in larvae of moth that feeds on plant, pollinates while laying eggs

9 Alum root (Heuchera richardsonii) Blooms June-July Small bee species Pollen is bright orange-red Bee has to crawl under anther to reach nectar

10 Prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya) Blooms July-Sept. Prefers wet places Majority of species come for the nectar, not pollen Butterflies, moths, flies, larger bees Florets require cross-pollination

11 Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) Blooms July-Sept. Favorite of bumblebees Constant nectar supply throughout day and between days Also used by other pollinators

12 Prairie phlox (Phlox pilosa) Blooms April-June Flowers have long corolla tubes, so only long-tongued insects can reach nectar Bees are primary pollinators

13 Obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana) Blooms August- October Grows in wet locations Small to medium sized bees are primary pollinators Two-spotted stinkbugs lay eggs in them and guard them, releasing an odor and preventing other insects from pollinating

14 Virginia mountain mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum) Blooms July-September Prefers wet locations Purple spots on white petals visually attract bees Nectar also preferred by wasps Some beetles lay eggs on flowers; larvae attach to bees and wasps and parasitize them

15 Prairie petunia (Ruellia humilis) Blooms June-August Purple lines on petals act as nectar guide for bees Larger bees are most efficient pollinators because of flower structure

16 Ohio spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis) Blooms May-July No nectar, only visited by pollen collectors Bumblebees are primary pollinators Butterflies and moths may search for nectar but leave empty-handed

17 Ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata) Blooms July- September Prefers wet areas Blooms July- September Provides pollen and nectar Most common visitors are bees, butterflies, skippers

18 Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea) Blooms May-July Small bees are primary pollinators Also attracts beetles, butterflies, bees, flies, wasps, crab spiders

19 Savanna and woodland plants Adapted to growing under oak trees Prefer shade or partial shade Often spring blooming Important for early pollinators

20 Wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) Blooms May-July Prefers partial shade Bumblebees or hummingbirds required for pollination During cold periods, can self-pollinate

21 Wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) Blooms April-June Prefers shady locations Develop flowers to encourage crosspollination Anthers surround stigma in middle Nectar is secreted below the stigma Bees collecting nectar will deposit more pollen than bees collecting pollen

22 Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum) Blooms May-June Prefers shade Large (longtongued bees) visit flowers for nectar Attracts bees, flies, ants, weevils

23 Blood root (Sanguinaria canadensis) Blooms March-May Prefers shade Don t offer nectar to conserve resources Blooms early so there is little competition for pollinators During cold periods, will self-pollinate around day 3

24 Resources Pollinators of Native Plants by Heather Holm Bringing Nature Home by Douglas Tallamy Attracting Native Pollinators by Eric Mader, Matthew Shepherd, Mace Vaughan, and Scott Black in collaboration with Gretchen LeBuhn Conserving Bumble Bees By Rich Hatfield, Sarina Jepsen, Eric Mader, Scott Hoffman Black, and Matthew Shepherd

25 Help Pollinators Plant a Garden! You can help pollinators like butterflies and bees by giving them a home and food in your yard! Planting a pollinator garden helps them AND you! Native plants are droughttolerant no watering necessary! Native plants grow tall and beautiful no mowing necessary! Choose plants that will bloom throughout the spring, summer and fall, for season-long beauty and wildlife watching. Plant Native Plants!

26 The How-To: Find a sunny spot in your yard, and give some of your lawn up to help our critical pollinators! You can plant: Golden Alexander Wild Petunia Prairie Phlox Spiderwort Purple Coneflower False Indigo Butterfly Milkweed Purple Prairie Clover False Sunflower Bee Balm Blazing Star Ironweed Stiff Goldenrod New England Aster You can buy these and other pollinator-friendly plants at: Allendan Seed Company, Winterset, IA Goode Greenhouse, Des Moines, IA Quilted Gardens, Des Moines Blooming Prairie Nursery, Carlisle, IA Ted Lare Garden Center, Cumming, IA Earl May, Southside Des Moines, IA Piney Ridge Greenhouse, Johnston, IA Call first to see if the plants you want are available not every store carries a wide variety of native plants. Learn more about native plants and pollinators by visiting Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge! Learn more at