Planting for Pollinators

When it comes to pollinators, you can’t just plant a garden and expect them to come! You have to plant the right plants for your pollinator garden, here’s how:

• Keep it natural: Pollinators recognize friendly faces, so plant native when possible! Hybrids and ornamentals are cool, but pollinators may not know them just yet. Any native is better than none, and the more the better, but just start wherever you feel comfortable.
• Diversity for resiliency: Planting a wide assortment of flowers in your garden not only ensures there’s food for all kinds of pollinators – not just bees – but also gives you better insurance against unpredictable weather and harsh winters.
• Plant for four seasons: Without something to keep them around every month, they’ll get bored and move on. Plant blooms for all seasons.
• Avoid the use of chemicals whenever possible: All-natural soil and plants will never accidentally harm pollinators but insecticides will.
• Flowers, not just in your garden: Flowers in your lawn, like dandelion or clover are also a great food source for many pollinators! (Plus, who complains about pulling less weeds?!)
• Provide fresh water: We’re not the only ones who appreciate a tall glass of water after a long day. Give your pollinators somewhere to refresh themselves!

Not all Pollinators are Bees!

While bees are the most well-known pollinators in North America, there are many other types of animals that also play important roles in pollination. Here are some examples:

• Butterflies: Many species of butterflies are important pollinators, especially for flowers with long, narrow tubes that bees cannot access. Butterflies are attracted to brightly coloured flowers and feed on nectar, transferring pollen as they move from flower to flower.
• Moths: Like butterflies, many species of moths are also important pollinators. Moths are typically active at night, and they are attracted to flowers with strong scents that can be detected in the dark.
• Hummingbirds: These tiny birds are known for their ability to hover in place, which allows them to access nectar from deep within flowers. As they feed, hummingbirds transfer pollen from flower to flower on their feathers and bills.
• Bats: In some parts of North America, bats are important pollinators for plants such as agave and saguaro cactus. Bats feed on the nectar of these plants and transfer pollen as they move from flower to flower.
• Beetles: While beetles are not as efficient at pollination as some other animals, they are still important for certain types of flowers. Beetles are attracted to large, sweet-smelling flowers and may inadvertently transfer pollen as they crawl around inside the flower.
• Hoverflies: These insects look similar to bees and wasps but are actually flies. They are often attracted to flowers with a flat or shallow shape, such as daisies and sunflowers. As they feed on nectar, they inadvertently transfer pollen between flowers on their legs and bodies.
• Wasps: Some species of wasps are known to visit flowers for nectar, and in doing so, they can transfer pollen between plants. However, wasps are generally not as effective at pollination as bees or other animals.
• Ants: While ants are not typically considered major pollinators, they can play a role in the pollination of certain plants (such as native bloodroot). Some plants produce seeds with an elaiosome, which is a fleshy structure that is attractive to ants. The ants carry the seeds away from the parent plant and consume the elaiosome, but in doing so, they may also deposit pollen from one flower onto another.

These are just a few examples of the many types of pollinators in North America. Each plays a unique role in the ecosystem, and all are important for maintaining the health and diversity of plant communities.

It’s worth noting that not all insects that visit flowers are pollinators, some may simply be seeking nectar or pollen as a food source, or they may be predators of other insects that are visiting the flowers. However, many insects, including hoverflies, wasps, and ants, can inadvertently transfer pollen as they move from flower to flower, making them important contributors to the pollination process.

Pollinator Friendly Plants

Without pollinators, one third of all the food we eat would disappear! Not to mention, our gardens would be a little worse for the wear…

Keep your garden buzzing with these pollinator-friendly plants!

Trees & Shrubs

Edibles

Perennials

* Ontario native plant

Annuals

But wait, there’s more!

This is not an exhaustive list of all pollinator-friendly plants but a short list of some of our favourites. We find the Xerces Society to be a great resource with a wealth of other options and information.

This article is also available as a pamphlet pdf for download.