Selecting Plants
Selecting which plants to incorporate into your garden can be very overwhelming. After all, there are so many types of plants to choose from. But remember, you aren’t just planting for looks, you’re planting a home for pollinators!
Start by reviewing what you’ve previously learned:
- A diverse garden will attract diverse pollinator groups
- Native plants will thrive compared to non-native species
- Incorporate multiple groups of the same plants to make it easier for pollinators to collect and transfer pollen
- Choose plants that cover blooming periods from spring through fall
- Select plants adapted for your soil conditions and sun exposure
To give you a starting point, let’s look at some examples of spring, summer and autumn bloom period plants.
Hover over each card to learn more.
Spring
- Bloom period: March-May
- Includes: Alumroot, Canada Anemone, Large Flowered Beardtongue, Moist Ragwort and Prairie Phlox
Summer
- Bloom period: June-August
- Includes: Blanket Flower, Golden Aster, Harebell, Anise Hyssop, Oxeye Sunflower and Swamp Rose
Autumn
- Bloom period: September-November
- Includes: Bottle Gentian, Meadow Liatris, Showy Goldenrod, Sky Blue Aster and Sneezeweed
In the Native North Dakota Pollinator Plants lesson, you’ll be able to use an interactive tool to help select plants for your pollinator garden!