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Pollination Program

While many adult insects can feed on an assortment of flowers (generalists), many of the larval stages of these insects have specific feeding requirements (specialists). Citing studies from Sam Droege/Jarrod Fowler, Doug Tallamy, Penn State Extension and others, we selected plants (hosts) that serve as food sources for these specialist insects – such as pollen specialist bees and the larvae of certain butterflies and moths. 

The absence of host plants within the landscape adds to further decline of many insects. For example:

  • Monarch Butterfly – this has been a bit of a success story as the Monarch butterfly and caterpillar have become iconic symbols for pollinating insects. Monarch butterflies will only lay their eggs on a plant in the Milkweed genus (Asclepias sp.). Why? When the eggs hatch, the caterpillar (larva) that emerges can only eat Milkweed. They have a special relationship which has evolved over many years. 
  • Delightful Bird-Dropping Moth – have you ever heard of this insect before? Maybe you saw it, thinking it was something else – umm, a bird dropping? The name is unforgettable! This moth relies on native hibiscus as a larval food source. 
  • Heuchera Cellophane Bee (Colletes aestivalis) – this is a native specialist bee of Heuchera americana (Coral Bell). This bee was not documented in PA for 100 years, until one of our employees noticed it in her garden in the spring of 2020. Since then, it has been sighted elsewhere within the Mid-Atlantic. Without Heuchera americana plants and flowers, this bee could disappear forever.

Many times, we don’t notice these specialist insects in our gardens. Sometimes we don’t notice them because they aren’t there – they don’t have the host plants they require for survival. Adding these plants to your gardens and landscapes is a great start to increasing biodiversity right in your backyard! 

The Pollination Program includes the following plants:

  • Agastache foeniculum
  • Asclepias incarnata
  • Aster 
    • azureus
    • cordifolius
    • ericoides
    • laevis
    • laevis ‘Bluebird’
    • macrophyllus
    • novae-angliae
    • pilosus
    • puniceus
  • Coreopsis
    • lanceolata
    • rosea
    • tripteris
    • verticillata ‘Zagreb’
  • Echinacea
    • pallida
    • purpurea PowWow® White ‘Pas709018’
    • purpurea ‘Ruby Star’
  • Eryngium yuccifolium
  • Eupatorium
    • coelestinum
    • fistulosum
    • hyssopifolium
    • perfoliatum
    • pur. ssp. mac. ‘Gateway’
  • Helianthus angustifolius
  • Heliopsis
    • helianthoides
    • helianthoides ‘Summer Sun’
  • Heuchera americana
  • Liatris
    • microcephala
    • spicata
  • Monarda
    • bradburiana
    • fistulosa
    • ‘Jacob Cline’
    • punctata
    • ‘Raspberry Wine’
  • Parthenium integrifolium
  • Penstemon
    • calycosus
    • hirsutus
  • Pycnanthemum muticum
  • Rudbeckia
    • fulgida var. deamii
    • fulgida var. fulgida
    • hirta
    • laciniata
  • Salvia lyrata ‘Purple Knockout’
  • Senecio
    • aureus
    • obovatus
  • Solidago
    • nemoralis
    • rigida
  • Tiarella cordifolia
  • Verbena hastata
  • Vernonia
    • glauca
    • noveboracensis
  • Veronicastrum virginicum
  • Waldsteinia fragarioides

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