Native Plants For Pollinators in Ontario Canada
Ontario, Canada, is home to many native plants that are excellent for attracting and supporting pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Planting native species helps sustain local ecosystems and provides essential resources for pollinators. Here’s a list of some great native plants for pollinators in Ontario:
1. Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
- Flowering Time: Summer to early fall
- Attracts: Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators
- Notes: This hardy perennial has vibrant purple flowers and is a favorite for pollinators, especially butterflies.
2. Common Milkweed (Asclepias Syriaca)
- Flowering Time: Late spring to early summer
- Attracts: Monarch butterflies, bees, and other pollinators
- Notes: Essential for monarchs, milkweed provides nectar and is the host plant for monarch caterpillars.
3. Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa)
- Flowering Time: Summer to early fall
- Attracts: Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds
- Notes: A fragrant plant with pink to purple flowers, bee balm is especially loved by bees.
4. Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
- Flowering Time: Summer to fall
- Attracts: Bees, butterflies, and birds
- Notes: This bright, yellow flower is a reliable nectar source for many pollinators.
5. Wild Lupine (Lupinus perennis)
- Flowering Time: Spring to early summer
- Attracts: Bees, butterflies
- Notes: A beautiful purple flower, wild lupine is an important plant for pollinators like bumblebees.
6. Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
- Flowering Time: Late summer to fall
- Attracts: Bees, butterflies, and other insects
- Notes: Goldenrod is an important late-season nectar source for pollinators.
7. Virginia Bluebell (Mertensia virginica)
- Flowering Time: Early spring
- Attracts: Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds
- Notes: These charming blue flowers bloom early, providing early spring nectar.
8. Spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis)
- Flowering Time: Late spring to early summer
- Attracts: Bees and butterflies
- Notes: Spiderwort has bright purple flowers that are an attractive nectar source for pollinators.
9. New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
- Flowering Time: Late summer to fall
- Attracts: Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators
- Notes: This plant provides late-season nectar and is especially important for bees.
10. Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum)
- Flowering Time: Late summer to fall
- Attracts: Butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds
- Notes: Joe-Pye Weed has large clusters of pink to purple flowers that are adored by pollinators.
11. Wild Bergamot (Monarda didyma)
- Flowering Time: Summer
- Attracts: Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds
- Notes: This native plant with fragrant, pinkish-red flowers is great for attracting a variety of pollinators.
12. Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)
- Flowering Time: Early spring
- Attracts: Bees and other early-season pollinators
- Notes: Serviceberries are early bloomers, attracting pollinators after the long winter.
13. Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
- Flowering Time: Early spring
- Attracts: Bees and other early-season pollinators
- Notes: The early blooming flowers of red maple are a valuable source of nectar for bees.
14. Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca)
- Flowering Time: Spring to summer
- Attracts: Bees and butterflies
- Notes: Wild strawberries produce small, white flowers that attract pollinators and later provide fruit.
Planting a variety of these native species throughout your garden will help create a pollinator-friendly environment, supporting a healthy ecosystem and contributing to local biodiversity. Would you like more information about any specific plant or how to incorporate these into a garden plan?