Native Plants for Pollinators and Wildlife
click this link below to download a printable chart
POLLINATOR PLANTS FOR GCKY
(from The Garden Club of Kentucky), gardenclubky.org
KEY: s = sunny, ps = part sun, wd = well drained, d = dry, m = moist
| Common Name | Botanical Name | Sun | Water | Ht | Attracts | Bloom Color |
| SPRING TO EARLY SUMMER BLOOMING | ||||||
| Beardtongue | Penstemon sp. | s, ps | d | 2-3 ft | hummingbird, butterflies, bees | purple, red, white |
| Bloodroot | Sanguinaria canadensis | shade | wd | 6 in. | Bees (important early) | White,ephemeral |
| Coneflowers | Echinacea sp. | s | d | 2-3 ft | butterflies (host), bees | pink, yellow |
| Golden Alexander | Zizia aurea | ps | d, m | 2 ft | butterflies (host), flies, wasps, bees | yellow |
| Purple Poppy Mallow | Callirhoe involucrata | s | m, wd | 1–2 ft | bees, hummers, rodents, beetles | bright pink |
| Red Honeysuckle | Lonicera sempervirens | s, d | d | 8 ft vine | Hummingbirds, bees | bright red |
| Serviceberry (shrub) | Amelanchier sp. | s, ps | m | 5-10 ft | bees, wasps, flies | white – blooms very early |
| Spicebush (shrub) | Lindera benzoin | ps, | d, wd | 6ft | butterflies (host) | yellow |
| Sweetspire (shrub) | Itea virginica | ps | m | 3-7ft | bees, butterflies/ moths, flies, wasps | white |
| Wild Columbine | Aquilegia canadensis | s, ps | wd | 2ft | hummingbirds, bees | red and yellow |
| SUMMER BLOOMING | ||||||
| Anise Hyssop | Agastache sp. and cultivars | s | d | 2-3 ft. | hummingbird, bees, butterflies | purple to pink, herb |
| Bee balm, Bergamot, etc. | Monarda sp | s | wd | 2-3 ft | hummingbird, bees, moths, butterflies, | purple, white, red |
| Buttonbush (shrub) | Cephalanthus occidentalis | s | m | 8 ft. | bees, butterflies, moths, wasps, flies | white |
| Garden Phlox | Phlox paniculata | s, ps | d | 2- 4 ft | butterflies, bees, moths | pink, white, purple |
| Gayfeather, Blazingstar | Liatris sp. | s | wd | 2-4 ft. | butterflies, bees, moths, wasps, flies | purple |
| Milkweed | Asclepias sp | s | d | 1 to 6 ft. | butterflies (host), bees | white, orange, purple, yellow |
| Rose Mallow | Hibiscus moscheutos | s | d, m | 3-8 ft | hummingbirds, bees, beetles | white, pink with red throat |
| Royal Catchfly | Silene regia | s | wd | 3 ft | hummingbirds | bright red |
| Black-eyed Susan | Rudbeckia sp | s | wd | 2-5 ft | bees, butterflies (esp. laciniata) | yellow |
| St. John’s Wort | Hypericum sp. | s, ps | wd | 1-3 ft | bees | yellow |
| Sunflowers | Helianthus sp. | s | d, wd | 3-8 ft | butterflies, bees, wasps, beetle | yellow, orange |
| LATE SUMMER AND FALL BLOOMING | ||||||
| Aster | Aster, sp. | s, ps | wd | 1-4 ft | all pollinators, butterfly host | purple, pink white |
| Cardinal Flower | Lobelia cardinalis | ps | m | 1-3 ft | hummingbirds | red |
| Goldenrod | Solidago sp | s, ps | d | 1-3 ft | bees, butterflies, moths, flies, wasps | yellow |
| Great Blue Lobelia | Lobelia siphilitica | ps, m | m | 1-3 ft | bees, hummingbirds | purple |
| Joe Pye Weed
(and cultivars) |
Eutrochium purpureum | s, ps | m | 3-5 ft | butterflies (host) moths, bees | light purple to pink |
| Mist Plant | Conoclinium coelestinum | s, ps | m | 1-3 ft | Butterflies, bees | purple |
