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Native Plants & Pollinators
Milkweed, monarchs, bees, fireflies. What to plant so it actually helps, and what is a waste of dirt.
Natives do the work
Native plants support pollinators better than imports do, and that difference runs through almost everything on this page. Oaks are keystone trees, which means they matter to wildlife far out of proportion to their size.
Pollinators follow the same logic. Most bees never travel more than half a mile from their nest, so your yard is part of a larger corridor whether you planned it that way or not. Fireflies are declining, and the articles here cover what the science says and what you can change. Dragonflies need water more than flowers.
Butterflies make the point sharply. Nectar plants attract them, and host plants make them stay. Milkweed alone is not enough for monarchs, deer will eat milkweed, and growing it is legal almost everywhere in the U.S.
Growing natives is also easier than its reputation. The care articles cover when to cut plants back, whether they spread, how much fertilizer they need, why they might not bloom, and how to grow them in pots if you have no yard. A few of them dismantle gardening habits that sound sensible and are not, like the eggshell tip.
Start with the group that matches what you have, whether that is a bare lawn, a shady corner, or a balcony.
Start a wildlife garden
How to Start a Native Plant Garden From ScratchHow to begin a native plant garden when you are starting with nothing.→10 Native Flowers to Plant This Fall (And Why Fall Is the Right Time)Ten native flowers to plant this fall, and why fall is the right time.→What Is a Keystone Plant? (And 10 You Can Plant Right Now)What makes a plant a keystone for wildlife, plus ten to plant now.→Why Are Native Plants So Much Better for Pollinators?Why native plants support pollinators better than imports do.→Why Oak Trees Are Essential for BiodiversityOaks are keystone trees, so they matter far more to wildlife than their size alone suggests.→The Many Benefits Of Growing Serviceberry TreesA native tree that supports wildlife, with a list of what else it does for a yard.→How to Build a Pollinator HighwayMost bees never travel more than half a mile from their nest, so your yard is part of a larger corridor.→How to Plant Maple Trees From Seed: A Step-by-Step GuideA step-by-step guide to growing maples from seed.→Which Weeds Are Actually Good for Your Yard?A weed is just a plant growing where you do not want it, and some of them are doing useful work.→Plant One Native Tree This Fall. You’ll Feed Wildlife for Decades.A single oak can host hundreds of kinds of caterpillars and a Bradford pear almost none, so make your one tree a native.→Meet the pollinators
Meet the Blue Orchard Mason Bee: The Pollinator Your Food Depends OnWhy this small native bee matters for the food you eat.→A Bee Makes 80 Water Trips a Day. Here’s How To Build A Drown-Proof Bee WatererBees need water to cool the hive and prepare food, and this builds a waterer they cannot drown in.→What Plants Attract Dragonflies? (Water Matters More Than Flowers)Plants alone will not bring dragonflies. Water does.→Why Are Fireflies Disappearing? The Science Behind the Decline + What You Can DoWhat the science says about the firefly decline, and what you can do about it.→How To Get More Fireflies In Your Yard (What Actually Works)What actually works to bring more fireflies to your yard.→7 Steps To Turn Your Yard Into A Firefly SanctuarySeven steps for turning a yard into a firefly sanctuary.→Help butterflies and moths
How To Support Declining Butterfly Populations In The FallFall is not the end of the season for helping butterflies, because many species still need support.→Nectar Plants Attract Butterflies. Host Plants Make Them StayNectar plants attract butterflies, and host plants give them a reason to stay.→Native Plants That Attract Monarch Butterflies (Milkweed Alone Isn’t Enough)Milkweed alone is not enough for monarchs, and this covers what else to plant.→Milkweed Laws Explained: When Growing It Breaks The LawGrowing milkweed is legal almost everywhere in the U.S., and the exceptions are local rules.→Swamp Milkweed: The Milkweed That Actually Belongs in Most GardensThe milkweed that fits most gardens.→Deer and Milkweed: Why Deer-Resistant Doesn’t Mean Deer-ProofDeer do eat milkweed, so deer-resistant does not mean deer-proof.→What Is Eating My Milkweed? A Guide to Who’s Who on the PlantWho is who on your milkweed, and whether to step in.→Can You Grow Milkweed In Pots?Whether milkweed grows in a container, and what to know before you try.→Choose the right plants
Best Native Plants for Shade Gardens, And Why They Outperform the Usual ChoicesNative plants for shade that outperform the usual choices.→Native Plants That Bloom All SummerNative plants that keep blooming through the summer.→Native Plants That Keep Deer Away (And Why Your Garden Keeps Getting Eaten)Why deer keep eating your garden, and which natives they tend to leave alone.→Will Deer Eat Coneflowers? Tips to Keep Them SafeWhether deer eat coneflowers, and how to protect them.→Cardinal Flower: The Native Hummingbird Plant Every Eastern Garden NeedsA native hummingbird plant for eastern gardens.→Borage: Is It Actually Worth Growing? (Here’s What the Evidence Says)Borage gets called a near-magical companion plant. This checks what the evidence says.→Can You Grow Native Plants In Pots?You do not need a yard, because native plants work on a balcony or porch too.→Find These Invasive Plants in Your Yard Before Birds Spread Their SeedsBirds eat the fruit and plant the seeds, and late fall is the best time to spot four of the worst offenders.→Why Fall Is Actually the Best Time to Plant StrawberriesFall planting lets strawberries build roots over winter and often gives a real harvest the first year.→Keep them growing
Are Native Plants Hard to Grow? The Real AnswerThe real answer on how much work native plants take.→Do Native Plants Spread and Take Over? Here’s What Actually HappensWhat actually happens when native plants spread.→How Much Fertilizer Do Native Plants Need?A direct answer on whether native plants need fertilizer.→When Should You Cut Back Native Plants? (Fall Is The Wrong Answer)The old fall cleanup advice has changed. This covers when to cut back.→Why Are My Native Plants Not Blooming? Common Reasons and Easy FixesCommon reasons native plants do not bloom, with easy fixes.→Black-Eyed Susan Dying? Here Are the Most Likely Causes and FixesThe most likely causes when a black-eyed Susan is dying, and how to fix them.→Stop Putting Eggshells in Your GardenThe calcium tip sounds sensible, and this explains why to stop.→We email when there’s something worth knowing.
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