Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden®

Home of the world famous hippo Fiona. Family friendly Zoo committed to inspiring visitors with wildlife and saving species.

Choose the Best Plants

pollinator You might be tempted to rush to the garden center and pick the first plants that catch your eye. However, you, your garden, and pollinators will all benefit if you consider which plants perform best in our area for pollinators. Fortunately, through our plant trialing program, we have already done this work for you! For over 25 years, we have been trialing plants for their function and appearance in regional landscapes. There’s no better method of determining how a plant will look and function in a landscape than to plant it in typical soil conditions of the region and observe it.

As a result, we have created the following lists of plants that grow and look best and benefit pollinators most in the Cincinnati region. We have included plants that bloom in spring, summer, and fall. We encourage you to grow a diversity of plants from these lists from early spring until fall to help feed and host our pollinator friends throughout their life cycles. To have beautiful and beneficial blooms all season long, we suggest that you grow a variety of plants that flower at different times. And be sure to include host plants that support butterfly reproduction in addition to nectar-producing flowers. (Note: registered gardens should include at least one nectar and one host plant.)

More details on how our recommended plants were chosen

We are very careful when recommending plants. First, we determine how likely it is that a new gardener will succeed with the plant. We then consider pollinator activity that we have observed. Most importantly, we compare our research with that of highly respected entomologists, including Joe Boggs at Ohio State Extension, Dr. Daniel Potter at University of Kentucky, and Dr. David Smitley at Michigan State University.Monarch on clover (Photo: Kenneth Dwain Harrelson)

Our recommendations include both native and exotic plants. Research suggests that the nectar and pollen of any plant, whether exotic or native, is good food for pollinators. If your plants are providing these, you are feeding pollinators. Some exotic plants are heavily favored by pollinators, while others are not. Some native plants get heavy visitation, while other receive almost none. The primary indicator of whether a plant is providing pollen and nectar is heavy visitation to its flowers.

However, it’s important to note that almost all host plants for butterflies and moths are native plants. We suggest that any urban or suburban landscape consist of a rich diversity of plants that includes a strong percentage of native plants. The larger and more natural the landscape, such as in parks and preserves, the more natives it should contain.

Recommended Plants

Host Plants

Fennel caterpillar Host plants – Including plants in gardens to host insects is just as important as providing pollen and nectar. Without host plants in the landscape, butterflies and moths have nowhere to rear their young. Sometimes, a single plant species hosts a single insect species, as is the case with monarchs and milkweed. Other plants, however, can serve as host to multiple insect species, and vice versa.

These associations have evolved over millions of years, and almost always occur between native plants and butterflies. The  increased use of land for farming and development and the spread of invasive exotic plants have diminished the diversity and populations of native plants. This has put a tremendous amount of pressure on pollinators. By including host plants in your garden, you will provide the means for generations of butterflies and moths.

Perennials

Tall VerbenaPerennials – Flowering perennials that return year after year are great plants for pollinators. The primary importance of perennials is to provide nectar and pollen, though some are also good host plants. Most perennials bloom for short periods of time so it’s a good idea to include perennials that bloom at different times during the season in your garden.

Annuals

Pipeline swallowtail on zinniaAnnuals – The importance of continuous bloom is where annuals, which live for just one year, come in. Designing with perennials alone can leave a gardener struggling for constant bloom. Good nectar-providing annuals can assure food for pollinators from May to a hard frost, and they are heavy bloomers. Moreover, annuals can be planted in places other plants can’t go like containers, baskets, and window boxes. With annuals, any patio, balcony, windowsill, or courtyard can become pollinator habitat.

Trees and shrubs

Flowering cherryTrees and shrubs – Woody plants are the true multi-taskers of the garden. They provide great habitat for pollinators, particularly for early foragers as they tend to bloom in early spring.  Many trees and shrubs also host important butterfly and moth caterpillars.

Pollinator-friendly Plants

Spring-Blooming Plants
Spring-Blooming Plants pdf
Summer-Blooming Plants
Summer-Blooming Plants pdf
Fall-Blooming Plants
Fall-Blooming Plants pdf

For additional information on each recommended plant, including sun requirements, deer resistance, size, and more, check out this Detailed Plant Guide to choose what plants are best for your growing conditions.

Native Plant Sales

Native plant sale Bowyer FarmSponsored by the Klosterman Baking Company and located at the Zoo’s Bowyer Farm (2210 Mason Montgomery Road, Lebanon, OH), the Zoo’s native plant sales offer a wide selection of reasonably priced, well-grown, hard to find, and ecologically important native plants to add to your garden or landscape.

Bowyer Farm: 2210 N Mason Montgomery Rd

More information on native plant sales

Zoo’s Best Plants for Pollinators Brand

To make it even easier for people to choose the best pollinator plants, we have established a Zoo-approved and branded selection of plants. This Zoo’s Best Plants for Pollinators line is grown by two local growers and sold at many local, independent garden centers in our region. A portion of every sale comes back to the Zoo to support our plant trialing program. Access the current list of participating garden centers here.

Next step: register your garden

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