Pollinator Garden

What is pollination?

Pollination is the means by which plants produce seeds. It occurs when pollen grains from a flower’s male parts (anthers) are transported to the female part (stigma) of the same species. Most plants cannot set seed without being pollinated. While wind and water can also move pollen, most plants depend on pollinators to transport pollen.

Plants produce scents and/or nectar to attract pollinators. As pollinators collect nectar from one flower, some of the pollen grains attach to their legs, abdomen, and/or other body parts. When the pollinator moves to the next flower, the pollen grains are likewise transported, some of which are then deposited in that flower.

Who are our pollinators?

Pollinators are more than bees, butterflies and birds. They are all of the animals that move pollen between flowers, including moths, wasps, flies, beetles, and some bats.

What Can you Do for Pollinators?

- Provide a wildflower-rich habitat in a sunny spot
- Use native plants which are often the best sources of nectar and pollen for native pollinators and can serve also as larval host plants

Choose a variety of colors and shapes to attract a range of pollinators
Choose plants with bloom times from early spring to late fall
Plant in clumps rather than singly
Combine annuals and perennials

- Create habitat for nesting, resting, egg-laying and larval food

Keep some fallen branches and brush in places in your garden
Provide small patches of bare ground

- Avoid pesticides and herbicides. Herbicides, while normally not directly lethal to insects, can reduce plant diversity and thus essential pollen and nectar for pollinators.
- Provide a water source. Butterflies often congregate on wet sand or mud to drink water and extract minerals from the damp puddles. Many people are familiar with birdbaths, but remember to give birds, as well as bees and other insects, a landing pad so that they can drink the water from the bath.

Overview

The Pollinator Garden is planted with an assortment of both native and non-native shrubs and perennials. Plants chosen are known to be nectar and pollen sources for diversity of pollinators.

Why are pollinators important?

Pollinators are almost as important as sunlight, soil and water to the reproductive success of more than 75% of the world’s flowering plants. They play a key role in our ecosystem and are an essential link in agriculture. They also provide nutrition in the form of seeds and fruits for many wild animals, both large and small.

Where can you find additional information?

WSU's Creating a Hummingbird Garden

WNPS Birds, Bees and Wildlife

WNPS Chart on Pacific Northwest Plants and the Birds that Use Them

NWF Attracting Butterflies

Butterfly Identification in Washington State

OSU Encouraging Beneficial Insects in Your Garden (PNW Pub 550)

OSU Pollinator Garden Designs

WSU Beneficial Insects, Spiders, and Other Mini-Creatures in Your Garden: Who They Are and How to Get Them to Stay (EM067E)

XERCES Pollinator Plants: Maritime Northwest Region

Native plant resources for the Pacific Northwest

XERCES Farming for Pollinators

USDA Pollinator Activity Book for Children

USDA Native Pollinators

North American Pollinator Protection Campaign What is Pollination and What is a Pollinator?

USDA Why is Pollination Important?

USFWS Plant a Pollinator Garden

NPS Pollinators and Climate Change

Pollinator Garden Plant List

#	Botanical Name	Cultivar	Common Name	Native	Pollinators	Bloom Time
1	Achillea millefolium		common yarrow	N	bees, beetles	summer-fall
2	Allium giganteum		giant allium		bees, butterflies	late spring-summer
3	Allium spaerocephalon	'Drumsticks'	drumstick allium		hummingbirds, bees	late spring-summer
4	Anaphalis margaritacea		pearly everlasting	N	butterfiles, moths	mid-summer-fall
5	Anemone nemorosa		wood anemone		bees, hoverflies	early spring
6	Aquilegia formosa		columbine	N	hummingbirds, butterflies	late spring-summer
7	Aquilegia vulgaris		columbine		hummingbirds, butterflies	late spring-early summer
8	Aquilegia canadensis	'Pink Lanterns'	columbine		hummingbirds, butterflies, bees	spring-early summer
9	Asclepias tuberosa		butterfly weed		butterflies, hummingbirds	early summer-fall
10	Astilbe spp.		pink astilbe		bees	summer-fall
11	Borago officinalis		borage	N	bees, syrphid flies	summer
12	Calendula officinalis		calendula, pot marigold		butterflies, bees, hoverflies, beetles	spring-fall
13	Camassia quamash		camas	N	bees, hummingbirds	spring
14	Campenula rotundifolia		harebell	N	bees	summer-fall
15	Castilleja levisecta		golden paintbrush	N	bees	spring-early summer
16	Cosmos bipinnatus	'Rubenza'	cosmos		bees, butterflies	summer-fall
17	Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora	'George Davidson'	montbretia		hummingbirds, butterflies	late summer-fall
18	Crocosmia x curtonus	'Lucifer'	montbretia		hummingbirds	summer
19	Digitalis grandiflor		foxglove		bees, hummingbirds	spring-early summer
20	Digitalis purpurea		common foxglove		bees, hummingbirds	spring-early summer
21	Echinops bannaticus	'Blue Glow'	blue globe thistle		bees, butterflies, hoverflies	summer
22	Fragaria vesca		wood strawberry	N	bees	late spring-summer
23	Fuchsia magellanica var. gracilis	'Aurea'	golden leaved hardy fuchsia		hummingbirds, bees	summer-fall
24	Geranium x Rozanne		geranium Rozanne		bees	late spring-fall
25	Geum hybrid	'Fireball'	giant avens		bees, butterflies, beneficial insects	spring-fall
26	Hakonechloa macra	'All Gold'	Japanese forest grass			spring
27	Helleborus orientalis		lenten rose		bees, flies, hummingbirds	winter-early spring
28	Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus		yellow daylily		hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, flies	summer
29	Heuchera micrantha	'Palace Purple'	coral bells		hummingbirds, bees	late spring-early summer
30	Hylotelephium	'Autumn Joy'	autumn joy sedum		bees, flies	late summer-fall
31	Kniphofia uvaria		yellow-orange torch lily		hummingbirds, beetles	summer
32	Lavandula angustifolia		English lavender		bees, butterflies	summer
33	Lobularia maritima		sweet alyssum	N	bees, butterflies, hummingbirds	spring-late fall
34	Mahonia nervosa		dull oregon grape	N	bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, moths	spring
35	Meconopsis cambrica		yellow Welsh poppy		bees	late spring-fall
36	Monarda didyma	'Jacob Cline'	bee balm		hummingbirds, butterflies	mid-summer
37	Monarda fistulosa		bee balm	N	hummingbirds, bees, butterflies	mid-summer
38	Narcissus pseudonarcissus		daffodil	N	bees	early spring
39	Polemonium caeruleum		Jacob's ladder, Greek valerian		bees	spring-early summer
40	Polygonatum canaliculatum		giant Solomon's seal	N	bees	spring
41	Potentilla fruiticosa	'Pink Princess'	potentilla	N	bees	late spring-fall
42	Primula	'Sweetheart'	pink primrose		bees	spring
43	Primula	'Corporal Baxter'	double red primrose		bees	spring
44	Ribes sanguineum		red-flowering current	N	hummingbirds, bees	spring
45	Rudbeckia fulgida		coneflower		beneficial insects	summer-fall
46	Schizostylis coccinea		crimson flag lily		bees, butterflies	late summer-winter
47	Sedum album		white stonecrop		bees	summer
48	Sedum kamtschaticum		orange stonecrop		bees	summer
49	Sedum spathulifolium		broadleaf stonecrop	N	bees, butterflies	spring-summer
50	Solidago rugosa		goldenrod		bees, butterflies	late summer-fall
51	Spirea japonica	'Walbuma'	magic carpet spirea		butterflies	late spring-summer
52	Symphyotrichum chilense		common California aster	N	bees, butterflies	late summer-fall
53	Tulipa		tulip		hummingbirds, bees, butterflies	spring

Pollinator Dryscape Garden Plant List

#	Botanical Name	Cultivar	Common Name	Native	Pollinators	Bloom Time
1	Achillea millefolium		common yarrow	N	bees, beetles	summer-fall
2	Anaphalis margaritacea		pearly everlasting	N	butterfiles, moths	mid-summer-fall
3	Aquilegia canadensis	'Pink Lanterns'	columbine		hummingbirds, bees, butterflies	spring-early summer
4	Campenula rotundifolia		harebell	N	bees	summer-fall
5	Clematis integrifolia	'Roguchi'	solitary virgin's bower		hummingbirds, butterflies	late summer-fall
6	Clematis	'Zojapur'	purple clematis		butterflies, hummingbirds	summer
7	Hylotelephium	'Autumn Joy'	autumn joy sedum		bees, flies	late summer-fall
8	Lavendula angustifolia		English lavender		bees, butterflies	summer
9	Meconopsis cambrica		yellow Welsh poppy		bees	late spring-fall
10	Narcissus pseudonarcissus		daffodil	N	bees	early spring
11	Schizostylis coccinea		crimson flag lily		bees, butterflies	late summer-winter
12	Sedum kamtschaticum		orange stonecrop		bees	summer
13	Solidago rugosa		goldenrod		bees, butterflies	late summer-fall
14	Spiraea japonica	'Walbuma'	magic carpet spirea		butterflies	late spring-summer
15	Tulipa		tulip		hummingbirds, bees, butterflies	spring
16	Verbascum	'Sugar Plum'	mullein		hummingbirds, bees, butterflies	spring-summer