2020 Pollinator Planting Guide Expanded Plant List

In the April 2020 issue of The Gateway Gardener we included the St. Louis County Park’s “2020 Planting Guide for a Successful 3-Season Pollinator Pantry Garden.” Because of limited space the guide suggests only a few plants per pollinator per season. Below is an expanded list of plants to broaden your pollinator plant palette and attract each of the 9 most common pollinator categories!

Butterflies and Skippers

A picture of a monarch butterfly

Monarch butterfly, photo by Robert Weaver

SPRING
Willow (Salix spp.)
Old Fashioned Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
Crabapple (Malus spp.)
Pussytoes (Antennaria spp.)
Wild Black Cherry (Prunus spp.)
Blackberries (Rubus spp.)
New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)
Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
Blue false indigo (Baptisia australis)
Eastern Bee Balm (Monarda bradburiana)
Lanceleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
American linden (Tilia americana)
Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius)
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
Wild geranium (Geranium maculatum)
Wild petunia (Ruellia spp.)

SUMMER
Blazing star (Liatris spicata)
Mountain mint (Pycnanthemum spp.)
Sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia)
Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Orange milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Yarrow (Achillia millefolium)
Rose Mallow (Hibiscus spp.)
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Glossy abelia (Abelia x grandiflora)
Blue star (Amsonia spp.)
Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
Fennel (Foeniculum spp.)

FALL
Smooth aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)
Orange coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida)
Garden mum-single flower type (Chrysanthemum spp.)
Joe pye weed (Eutrochium spp.)
Garden phlox (Phlox paniculata)
Ironweed (Vernonia spp.)
Upright sedum (Hylotelephium spp.)
Seven-Son Flower (Heptacodium miconiodes)

ANNUALS
Garden verbena (Verbena spp.)
Button flower (Gomphrena spp.)
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Penta star flower (Pentas spp.)
Zinnia (Zinnia spp.)
Lantana (Lantana camara)
Bloodflower (Asclepias curassavica)
Dill (Anethum graveolens)
Partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata)

 

A photo of a nectar moth, by Ken Slade

Nectar moth, photo by Ken Slade

Nectar Moths

SPRING
Pussytoes (Antennaria spp.)
Old fashioned Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
Blackberries (Rubus spp.)
Columbine (Aquiligia canadensis)
Eastern Bee Balm (Monarda bradburiana)
Lanceleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
Basswood (Tilia americana)
Bugle (Ajuga reptans)
Wild petunia (Ruellia humilis)

SUMMER
Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)
Mountain mint (Pycnanthemum spp.)
Sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia)
Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Orange Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Glossy Abelia (Abelia x grandiflora)
Blue star (Amsonia spp.)
Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
Fennel (Foeniculum spp.)
Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)
Indian pink (Spigelia marlandica)

FALL
Garden phlox (Phlox paniculata)
Smooth aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)
Garden mum-single flower type (Chrysanthemum spp.)
Joe pye weed (Eutrochium spp.)
Ironweed (Vernonia spp.)

ANNUALS
Garden verbena (Verbena spp.)
Button flower (Gomphrena spp.)
Penta star flower (Pentas spp.)
Zinnia (Zinnia spp.)
Lantana (Lantana spp.)
Dill (Anethum graveolens)
Partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata)
Bougainvilea (Bougainvilea spp.)
Texas sage (Salvia coccinea)

A photo of a ruby-throated hummingbird, by Larry Master

Ruby-throated Hummingbird , photo by Larry Master

Hummingbirds

SPRING
Indian pink (Spigelia marilandica)
Old fashion Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
Wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
Bee balm (Monarda bradburiana)
Virginia bluebells (Mertensis virginiana)

SUMMER
Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)
Sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia)
Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Rose mallow (Hibiscus spp.)
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Glossy abelia (Abelia x grandiflora)
Bluestar (Amsonia spp.)
Orange milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
Garden phlox (Phlox paniculata)

FALL
Joe pye weed (Eutrochium spp.)
Blue sage (Salvia azurea)
Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)

ANNUALS
Globe amaranth (Gomphrena globose-red)
Penta star flower (Pentas spp.)
Zinnia (Zinnia spp. Single type)
Bougainvillea (Bougainvillia spp.)
Blood flower (Asclepias curassavica)
Lantana (Lantana spp.)
Hummingbird sage (Salvia coccinea)
Mexican sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia)
Bee flower (Peritoma serrulata)

A photo of Bumble Bee, Bombus impatiens, by Ed Spevak

Bumble Bee, Bombus impatiens, by Ed Spevak

Bumble Bees and Large Carpenter Bees

SPRING
Dutchman’s breeches (Dicentra spp.)
Virginia bluebells (Mertensis virginica)
Wild black cherry (Prunus spp.)
Blackberries (Rubus spp.)
Wild columbine (Aquiligia canadensis)
Blue false indigo (Baptisia australis)
Bee balm (Monarda bradburiana)
Blazing star (i)
American basswood (Tilia americana)
Blueberries (Vaccinium spp.)
Willow (Salix spp.)

SUMMER
Downy skullcap (Scutellaria incana)
Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)
Sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia)
Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata )
Rose mallow (Hibiscus spp.)
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Bluestar (Amsonia spp.)
Orange milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
Mountain mint (Pycnanthemum spp.)
Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Blazing star (Liatris spicata)
Catmint (Nepeta spp.)
Wild petunia (Ruellia spp.)
Prairie onion (Allium stellatum)

FALL
Smooth aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)
Joe pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum)
Ironweed (Vernonia spp.)
Upright sedum (Hylotelephium spectabilis)
Blue sage (Salvia azurea)
Seven-Son Flower (Heptacodium miconiodes)

ANNUALS
Blood flower (Asclepias curassavica)
Lantana (Lantana spp.)
Hummingbird sage (Salvia coccinea)
Mexican sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia)
Bee flower (Peritoma serrulata)
Verbena (Verbena spp.)
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata)
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

A photo of a ground nesting bee by Ed Spevak

Ground nesting bee, photo by Ed Spevak

Ground-nesting Bees

SPRING
Bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora)
Pussytoes (Antennaria spp.)
Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida)
New jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus)
Violets (Viola spp.)
Blueberries (Vaccinium spp.)
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
Wild geranium (Geranium maculatum)
Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
Blue false indigo (Baptisia australis)

SUMMER
Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)
Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata )
Orange milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
Mountain mint (Pycnanthemum spp.)
Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Blazing star (Liatris spicata)
Catmint (Nepeta spp.)
Prairie onion (Allium stellatum)
Lanceleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
Garden phlox (Phlox paniculata)
Bee balm (Monarda bradburiana)

FALL
Smooth aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)
Joe pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum)
Orange coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida)
Ironweed (Vernonia spp.)
Willow-leafed Sunflower (Helianthus spp.)
Oxeye sunflower (Heliopsis spp.)

ANNUALS
Lantana (Lantana spp.)
Bee flower (Peritoma serrulata)
Verbena (Verbena spp.)
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata)
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Dill (Anethum graveolens)
Penta star flower (Pentas spp.)

A photo of Blue orchard bee, a cavity -nesting bee, photo by Ed Spevak

Blue orchard bee, a cavity -nesting bee, photo by Ed Spevak

Cavity-nesting Bees

SPRING
Common bugle (Ajuga reptans)
Basswood (Tilia americana)Lanceleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
Ninebark (Physocarpus oplifolius)
Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)
Blazing star (Liatris spicata)

SUMMER
Fennel (Foeniculum spp.)
Downy skullcap (Scutellaria incana)
Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Orange milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Bee balm (Monarda bradburiana)
Wild petunia (Ruellia spp.)
Prairie onion (Allium stellatum)

FALL
Smooth aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)
Joe pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum)
Orange coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida)
Ironweed (Vernonia spp.)
Willow-leafed Sunflower (Helianthus spp.)
Oxeye sunflower (Heliopsis spp.)

ANNUALS
Bee flower (Peritoma serrulata)
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata)
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata)
Dill (Anethum graveolens)

A photo of a honeybee on winterberry blossoms, photo by Robert Weaver

Honey Bee, photo by Robert Weaver

Honey Bees

SPRING
Willow (Salix spp.)
Eastern Bee Balm (Monarda bradburiana)
Lanceleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
American linden (Tilia americana)

SUMMER
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Mountain mint (Pycnanthemum spp.)
Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Orange milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Catmint (Nepeta spp.)
Prairie onion (Allium stellatum)

FALL
Smooth aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)
Joe pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum)
Orange coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida)
Upright sedum (Hylotelephium spectabilis)
Garden mum-single flower type (Chrysanthemum spp.)
Seven-Son Flower (Heptacodium miconiodes)

ANNUALS
Bee flower (Peritoma serrulata)
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata)
Dill (Anethum graveolens)
Bloodflower (Asclepias curassavica)
Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia)
Zinnia (Zinnia spp.)
Lantana (Lantana spp.)

A photo of Pink ladybird beetle, photo by Monique von Someren.

Pink ladybird beetle, photo by Monique von Someren.

Flower Beetles

SPRING
Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida)
New jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus)
Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)
Lanceleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)

SUMMER
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
Mountain mint (Pycnanthemum spp.)
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Rose mallow (Hibiscus spp.)
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Bluestar (Amsonia spp.)
Orange milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Purple cone flower (Echinacea purpurea)
Sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)

FALL
Garden phlox (Phlox paniculata)
Garden mum-single flower type (Chrysanthemum spp.)
Orange coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida)
Upright sedum (Hylotelephium spectabilis)

ANNUALS
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Penta star flower (Pentas spp.)
Zinnia (Zinnia spp.)
Bloodflower (Asclepias curassavica)
Dill (Anethum graveolens)
Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Bougainvillea (Bougainvillia spp.)

Flower Flies (Bee Mimics)

SPRING
Bee balm (Monarda bradburiana)
Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
American basswood (Tilia Americana)
Blueberries (Vaccinium spp.)

SUMMER
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
Mountain mint (Pycnanthemum spp.)
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Orange milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
Purple cone flower (Echinacea purpurea)

FALL
Garden mum-single flower type (Chrysanthemum spp.)
Orange coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida)
Upright sedum (Hylotelephium spectabilis)
Joe pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum)
Smooth aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)

ANNUALS
Penta star flower (Pentas spp.)
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata)
Dill (Anethum graveolens)
Bloodflower (Asclepias curassavica)
Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia)
Zinnia (Zinnia spp.)
Lantana (Lantana spp.)