Pollinator Charts

Pollinator-Friendly Perennials for Mostly Sunny Gardens

Latin NameCommon NameHeightBloom / FruitBeesButterfliesHumming birdsMoths/Other InsectsSoil Type
Amsonia tabernaemontanaWillow leaf bluestar2-3′Late springâś“ âś“ Avg
Aquilegia canadensisRed columbine8-24″Late springâś“âś“âś“ Dry/Avg
Geranium maculatumSpotted cranesbill12-18″Late springâś“âś“âś“âś“Avg/Wet
Penstemon digitalisFoxglove beardtongue1-3′Late springâś“âś“âś“âś“Dry/Avg
Asclepias tuberosaButterfly milkweed2-3′Summerâś“âś“âś“âś“Dry/Avg
Asclepias incarnataSwamp milkweed3-5′Summerâś“âś“ âś“Avg/Wet
Asclepias syriacaCommon milkweed4-6′Summerâś“âś“ âś“Dry/Avg
Pycnathemum muticumMountain mint2-3′Late summerâś“âś“âś“âś“All
Veronicastrum virginicumCulver’s root3-6′Late summerâś“âś“ âś“Avg/Wet
Liatris spicataBlazing star2-3′Summer-Fallâś“âś“  Avg
Eutrochium maculatumSpotted Joe-Pye weed4-6′Summer-Fall âś“ âś“Avg/Wet
Monarda didymaBee balm2-3′Summer-Fallâś“âś“âś“âś“Avg
Vernonia noveboracensisNew York ironweed2-4′Summer-Fallâś“âś“  Avg/Wet
Solidago bicolorWhite goldenrod1-3′Late summer-Fallâś“âś“  Avg/Wet
Symphyotrichum novae-angliaeNew England aster12-30″Late summer-Fallâś“âś“âś“âś“Avg/Wet

Pollinator-Friendly Perennials for Part Sun/Part Shade Gardens

Latin NameCommon NameHeightBloom / FruitBeesButterfliesHumming birdsMoths/Other InsectsSoil Type
Viola pedata or sororiaBird’s foot or common violet4-8″Springâś“  âś“Dry
Fragaria virginianaWild strawberry2-5″Springâś“âś“ âś“Dry/Avg
Polygonatum pubescensDowny solomon’s seal8-16″Springâś“  âś“Avg
Zizia apteraHeartleaf alexander1-2′Late springâś“âś“ âś“Avg
Penstemon hirsutisHairy beardtongue12-18″Late springâś“âś“âś“âś“All
Baptisia tinctoriaYellow wild indigo3-4′Early summerâś“âś“  Dry/Avg
Spiraea tomentosaRosy meadowsweet2-5′Summerâś“âś“ âś“Avg/Wet
Verbena hastataBlue vervain2-4′Summerâś“  âś“Avg/Wet
Solidago flexicaulisZigzag goldenrod2-3′Summer-Fallâś“âś“âś“âś“Dry/Avg
Rudbeckia laciniataCutleaf coneflower3-4′Summer-Fallâś“âś“  Avg/Wet
Agastache foeniculumAnise hyssop3-5′Summer-Fallâś“âś“  Dry/Avg
Lobelia cardinalisCardinal flower2-3′Mid-summer-Early fallâś“âś“âś“âś“Wet
Monarda fistulosaWild bergamot24-42″Late summerâś“âś“âś“ Avg
Chelone glabraWhite turtlehead18-30″Late summer-Fallâś“ âś“ Wet
Symphyotrichum cordifoliumBlue wood aster2-3′Late summer-Fallâś“âś“âś“âś“Dry/Avg

Pollinator-Friendly Perennials for Mostly Shady Gardens

Latin NameCommon NameHeightBloom / FruitBeesButterfliesHumming birdsMoths/Other InsectsSoil Type
Erythronium americanumAmerican trout lily4-6″Early springâś“   Avg/Wet
Aruncus doiicusGoatsbeard3-6′Springâś“âś“  Avg/Wet
Caltha palustrisMarsh marigold12-18″Springâś“   Avg/Wet
Carex pensylvanicaPennsylvania sedge6-8″Spring âś“ âś“Dry/Avg
Maianthemum racemosumFalse solomon’s seal1-3′Springâś“  âś“Avg
Tiarella cordifoliaRunning foam flower3-12″Springâś“  âś“Avg
Actaea rubraRed baneberry2-3′Late springâś“  âś“Avg/Wet
Phlox divaricataWoodland phlox10-14″Spring-Summerâś“âś“ âś“Avg
Heuchera americanaCommon alum-root12-24″Spring-Summerâś“  âś“Dry/Avg
Gillenia trifoliataBowman’s root2-3′Summerâś“âś“ âś“Dry/Avg
Anenome virginianaTall thimbleweed12-30″Summer   âś“Dry/Avg
Actaea racemosaBlack cohosh3-6′Summerâś“  âś“Dry/Avg
Tradescantia ohiensisOhio spiderwort18-36″Summerâś“  âś“Dry/Avg
Solidago caesiaAxillary goldenrood18-30″Late summer-Early fallâś“âś“âś“âś“Dry/Avg
Eurybia divaricataWhite wood aster12-24″Late summer-Fallâś“âś“ âś“Dry/Avg

Pollinator-Friendly Shrubs

Latin NameCommon NameHeightBloom / FruitBeesButterfliesHumming birdsMoths/Other InsectsSoil Type
Mostly Sunny Gardens        
Salix discolorPussy willow6-15′Springâś“   Avg/Wet
Morella caroliniensisSmall bayberry2-6′Spring/Summerâś“  âś“Dry/Avg
Swida sericeaRed-twig dogwood4-6′Spring/Fallâś“âś“ âś“Avg/Wet
Hypericum kalmianumSt. John’s wort2-3′Summerâś“   Dry/Avg
Rosa virginianaVirginia rose2-4′Summer/Fallâś“âś“ âś“Dry/Avg
Aronia arbutifoliaRed chokeberry5-10′Spring/Summer/Fallâś“   All
Vaccinium angustifoliumLowbush blueberry1-2′Spring/Summerâś“  âś“Dry/Avg
Part Sun/Part Shade Gardens        
Lindera benzoinNorthern spicebush6-12′Spring/Summer/Fallâś“  âś“Avg/Wet
Ilex verticillataCommon winterberry4-8′Spring/Fallâś“  âś“Avg/Wet
Ceanothus americanusNew Jersey Tea2-3′Summerâś“âś“  Dry
Clethra alnifoliaSummersweet4-8′Summerâś“âś“  Avg/Wet
Mostly Shady Gardens        
Viburnum opulusHighbush cranberry5-12′Spring/Summer/Fallâś“âś“ âś“Avg/Wet
Cephalanthus occidentalisButtonbush3-8′Summerâś“âś“ âś“Wet
Diervilla loniceraNorthern bush honeysuckle2-4′Summer/Fallâś“âś“âś“ Dry/Avg
Kalmia latifoliaMountain laurel4-10′Summerâś“  âś“Avg/Wet

Pollinator-Friendly Vines

Latin NameCommon NameHeightBloom / FruitBeesButterfliesHumming birdsMoths/Other InsectsSoil Type
Mostly Sunny Gardens        
Lonicera sempervirensAlabama crimson trumpet honeysuckle3-15′Spring/Summerâś“âś“âś“âś“Avg
Mostly Sunny/Part Shade Gardens        
Vitis labruscaFox grape4-40′Spring/Summerâś“  âś“Avg
Clematis virginianaVirgin’s bower3-8′Summerâś“âś“  Avg/Wet
Mostly Sunny/Part Shade/Shade Gardens        
Isotrema macrophyllumDutchman’s pipe5-25′Spring âś“ âś“Avg
Parthenocissus quinquefoliaVirginia creeper4-40′Spring/Summer/Fallâś“   Dry/Avg

Pollinator-Friendly Trees

Latin NameCommon NameHeightBloom / FruitBeesButterfliesHumming birdsMoths/Other InsectsSoil Type
Mostly Sunny/Part Shade Gardens        
Amelanchier canadensisCanada serviceberry10-18′Early spring –
Summer fruit		âś“âś“âś“âś“All
Benthamidia floridaFlowering dogwood12-20′Spring –
Summer fruit		âś“âś“ âś“Avg
Prunus serotinaBlack cherry30-60′Spring –
Summer fruit		âś“âś“  Avg
Cercis canadensisRedbud12-25′Spring – good understoryâś“âś“âś“âś“Avg/Wet
Ostrya virginianaIronwood, Hop hornbeam20-30′Spring – good understory âś“ âś“Avg/Dry
Betula papyriferaPaper birch25-45′Super host âś“ âś“Dry/Avg
Quercus bicolorSwamp white oak60-80′Super hostâś“âś“ âś“Wet/Avg