Pollinator Plot - Zone 4-a-b - SUN

Create a Pollinator Plot in your backyard, at your school, workplace, or neighborhood!

Larger, more diverse populations of pollinators in your neighborhood can help everyone from backyard gardeners to local farms. Did you know that some fruit farmers now must pay to bring temporary colonies of bees to their land to pollinate their fruit trees? Unpollinated or under-pollinated flowers significantly reduce yield in both quantity and size of the fruit. But you can help your neighborhood recover, even if you only have an apartment balcony!

Some of these native plant species have all but disappeared from the natural environment. You can become a steward to pollinators and plants alike when working to bring important native species back to your neighborhood.

Additionally, some of these species provide fruit or seeds important to birds and small mammals, which can help strengthen the food chain for endangered predator species like owls, eagles, foxes, and more.

Native species can also attract food or provide habitat for beneficial insects such as ladybugs, praying mantis, parasitic wasps, dragonflies, and other species that will help keep pests in your landscape under control.

Each Pollinator Plot Guide comes specifically tailored to the USDA Growing Zone and sun requirements.

Inside, you’ll find:

• A list of 15 plants (generally perennial, generally native species) that have been identified as important to pollinators by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation and other sources;
• Sorted three ways on the same page so you have all the relevant information at your fingertips:
  • Sorted by mature height
  • Sorted by bloom season (color swatches included)
  • Sorted by water requirements
• A brief description of each with an artistic rendering indicating general shape and habit;
• Sample landscape layouts for both large and small spaces, including balconies;
• Notes and tips to consider before planting;
• A wish-list/checklist to give to your local nursery if they are willing to grow or obtain these plants for resale. Includes a space for them to provide similar substitutions instead;
• This list has been checked against invasive species lists as well as livestock toxicity lists to exclude as many harmful species as possible; always check with your local experts for more information.

This curated and organized list can save you hours of searching, head-scratching, and note-scribbling, to help you purchase and grow beneficial species that will thrive in your landscape.