Native Pollinator Plants

Sara Katz recommends native perennials to take your garden through the seasons

Pollinators are essential in our gardens throughout the gardening season, says landscape designer Sara Katz, owner of Wild at Heart Design.

“The combination of these native perennials will attract and feed pollinators from early spring to frost. Early and late flowers are especially important to help pollinators gain strength before and after migration and hibernation.”

Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) zone 3 Clusters of pink buds, 30 to 60 centimetres tall, open to nodding trumpet-shaped sky blue blooms for several weeks. They prefer moist loamy soil in part to full shade. Butterflies, moths and large bees are frequent visitors. As bluebells gradually die back and go dormant in summer, you can fill in the space with foamflower.

Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) zone 3 Short (15 to 30 centimetres) spikes of frothy white flowers that bloom just after bluebells, last for three weeks and thrive in the same conditions. The maple-shaped leaves last all season providing an attractive groundcover.

Wild Columbine (Aquilegia Canadensis) zone 3 This 50 centimetre tall, airy and delicate looking plant with nodding tubular pinky-red and yellow flowers is tough. It thrives in average to dry soils in sun to part shade. It will self-seed and mingles well with other plants. It is a magnet for moths, bees and hummingbirds.

Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) zone 4 Flat-topped umbels of bright orange flowers on 60 centimetre tall plants grow in full sun in well drained soil. The seed pods are slender and attractive. This milkweed is not invasive. Plants are slow to establish and emerge late in the spring. New plants should not dry out, but once established, are drought tolerant.

Culver’s Root (Veronicastrum virginicum) zone 3 This tall (175 centimetres), fast growing plant has dense spikes of tubular white flowers above whorls of dark green leaves from late summer through fall. Grow it in full sun in moist to average garden soil. Cutting the stems back by half in mid-June will increase branching and flowering and help prevent flopping. Butterflies and bees love this plant.

New York Aster ( Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ) zone 3 Slightly shorter at 90 to 100 centimetres than New England Asters, these small but profuse daisy-shaped flowers are long lasting in shades of purple and pink. They need full sun and average to dry soil for optimum bloom and good air circulation to prevent mildew. Pinching stems will increase flowering from August to late fall.