You may have heard that the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recently added the North American migratory populations of the monarch butterfly to its Red List of Threatened Species. Climate change and loss of habitat, especially milkweed, are top reasons they’ve become endangered. Milkweed is the only plant on which monarch caterpillars can develop.
Monarchs and other pollinators provide a vital service to humans as part of our natural ecosystem and food supply. IUCN reports that monarch populations have declined from 22 to 72 percent over the past 10 years.
Helping restore habitat by planting for pollinators is vital to wellbeing – theirs and ours. Consider adding more pollinator plants to your garden and landscape designs. In addition to butterfly weed, Loma Vista Nursery grows a variety of plants for pollinators, including yarrow, butterfly bush and goldenrod.
Butterfly Weed
Butterfly Weed
Bright orange butterfly weed is beautiful in both color and function. This perennial wildflower attracts butterflies, birds, bees and hummingbirds. Fragrant clusters bloom all summer long, from June through August. Stalks produce pods that provide winter interest. While a variety of pollinators love this plant, butterfly milkweed is an important source of nectar for monarch butterflies. It’s oval-shaped leaves also provide essential food for monarch caterpillars.
Butterfly Weed naturalizes if allowed to go to seed, making it an excellent choice for pollinator gardens and wildflower landscapes. Control the plant population by removing seed pods before they split open. Butterfly weed is deer resistant and requires very little care, performing well in poor and dry soils. Mature height is 3 feet. Width is 2 feet. Plant in full sun, in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 9.
Sombrero® Sangrita Coneflower (Echinacea hybrid)
Sombrero® Sangrita Coneflower (Echinacea hybrid)
This perfect perennial coneflower produces long-lasting blooms from early to late summer, providing a treat to pollinators and people for months. Orange flowers mature to bright, warm red with dark center cones. Blooms sit atop stems rising from dark green leaves. Sombrero® Sangrita Coneflower attracts bees and butterflies, and resists deer.
Plant in part sun to sun. Sombrero® Sangrita Coneflower is easy-care, performing well in a range of soils, and is drought tolerant once established. It holds its own in hot, windy conditions. Garden height and width average about 2 feet. This coneflower is a treat in perennial and pollinator gardens. Plant in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 9.
Solidago ‘Dansolitlem’ Little Lemon Goldenrod (Asteriscus asteraceae)
Solidago ‘Dansolitlem’ Little Lemon Goldenrod (Asteriscus asteraceae)
Extend the summer with this late bloomer. Solidago ‘Dansolitlem’ Little Lemon Goldenrod complements fall colors with its namesake color. This pollinator plant attracts bees and butterflies and resists deer. Cut back flowers after their first bloom to encourage a second bloom in fall.
Solidago ‘Dansolitlem’ Little Lemon Goldenrod has an upright habit and is a good choice as a border and landscape plant. It provides a stunning color show when planted en masse. It is easy to care for and requires only an average amount of water. This goldenrod is short at slightly over 1 foot tall at maturity. It spreads to 2 feet. Plant in sun, in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 9.
Lo & Behold® ‘Blue Chip Jr.’ Butterfly Bush (Buddleia x)
Lo & Behold® ‘Blue Chip Jr.’ Butterfly Bush (Buddleia x)
All summer long, Lo & Behold® ‘Blue Chip Jr.’ Butterfly Bush blooms showy purple-blue flowers that attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Silver-blue foliage is subtle, allowing the flowers to star on this small, compact shrub. It blooms earlier than others, attracting longer-lasting beauty and more pollinators to the garden and landscape.
Lo & Behold® ‘Blue Chip Jr.’ Butterfly Bush is drought tolerant and fragrant. Deadheading is not necessary on this repeat bloomer. Mature height is near 3 feet; width is about 2 feet. Habit is mounded, providing for many uses as a border plant, groundcover and in containers. Use it in perennial gardens and mixed borders. Plant in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9.
Moonshine Yarrow (Achillea x ‘Moonshine’)
Moonshine Yarrow (Achillea x ‘Moonshine’)
Planted en masse, Moonshine Yarrow is stunning for its bold, yellow flower clusters atop fern-like, light green foliage. Water-wise, yarrow attracts bees and butterflies in border gardens and containers. It is cold hardy; it loves heat and tolerates poor soils. Plant this yarrow with maiden grass, coneflower and Russian sage.
Moonshine Yarrow is an herbaceous perennial with clumping foliage that rises up to 2 feet tall and wide at maturity. It has a moderate growth rate and prefers full sun. Plant in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 9.
Penstemon Quartz® Red (Beardtongue)
Penstemon Quartz® Red (Beardtongue)
Pollinators cannot resist the bold red trumpets on Penstemon Quartz® Red. This early- to late-summer perennial has large, bell-shaped flowers that attract butterflies. Blossoms also provide nectar to hummingbirds and songbirds enjoy its seed in fall and winter.
Long blooming, this beardtongue has bright green foliage with a waxy appearance. It is drought tolerant once established. Penstemon Quartz® Red likes loose soil with good drainage. It self-sows and matures from rhizomes that can be divided every three or four years. This penstemon is about 2 feet tall and wide at maturity. Plant in sun, in USDA Hardiness Zones 6 to 9.
Learn More About Pollinator Plants from Loma Vista Nursery!
Loma Vista Nursery’s staff members are experts in the field. We love helping people learn and understand more about healthy plants that perform well in Midwest landscapes. For more information, visit our plant catalog. Feel free to email us at sales@lomavistanursery.com or call us at (785) 229-7200 to get answers to your plant-related questions.
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