Plant Science & Conservation
Garden Stories
Garden Stories
In recent years, the plight of pollinators has gotten a lot of press, and rightly so.
I spoke with the editorial board of the Chicago Tribune when they were investigating the well-intentioned distribution by General Mills of “one size fits all” wildflower seed packets to combat the declining populations of bees and other pollinators.
The decline of pollinator populations is well documented around the globe. Much attention has focused on honeybees, which are extremely important agricultural pollinators, but many of our native bees are vastly more imperiled. For example, the rusty patched bumblebee, native to the Upper Midwest, was just listed this month by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as endangered.
A rusty-patched bumblebee working on Culver’s root in the University of Wisconsin–Madison arboretum. Photo by Susan Day, UW-Madison Arboretum.
Many people are concerned about these losses and asking what they can do to help support bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. For a start, it’s more beneficial to pollinators to plant species that are native to your region, and perennial. Here are five more pollinator-friendly actions that everyone can take.
Help for pollinators begins in your own backyard. The native plants below are recommended to bring back pollinator populations. (Don’t overlook trees—native maples and willows can provide critical resources early in the season.)
Beebalm, or bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
Stiff goldenrod (Oligoneuron rigidum)
Prairie blazing star (Liatris spicata)
American pussy willow (Salix discolor)
Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Read more about the science behind this important topic in the Natural Areas Journal article, "The Importance of Phenological Diversity in Seed Mixes for Pollinator Restoration" by Kayri Havens and Pati Vitt, Chicago Botanic Garden.