Pollinator Plants

Asclepias curassavica — scarlet milkweed (Mexican butterfly weed) Asclepias curassavica A tropical milkweed native to Central and South America, known for red-orange flower clusters, popularity with butterflies, widespread naturalization, and implications for cultivat…

Curtiss's milkweed (Asclepias curtissii) Asclepias curtissii Asclepias curtissii, or Curtiss's milkweed, is a Florida-native milkweed in the subfamily Asclepiadoideae noted for its clustered flowers, role for pollinators, and restricted coas…

Asclepias eriocarpa — woollypod (Indian) milkweed Asclepias eriocarpa Asclepias eriocarpa, the woollypod or Indian milkweed, is a perennial milkweed of the western United States; adapted to dry soils, with clustered flowers, woolly seed pods and ecol…

Asclepias erosa — desert milkweed Asclepias erosa Asclepias erosa, the desert milkweed, is a perennial milkweed native to the southwestern United States. It produces clusters of pale yellow flowers in late spring and grows on dry…

Asclepias humistrata — sandhill (pinewoods) milkweed Asclepias humistrata A southeastern U.S. perennial milkweed adapted to dry, sandy pinewoods. Noted for rose-pink umbels, drought tolerance, importance to pollinators (including monarchs), and use in re…

Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed): description, habitat and uses Asclepias incarnata Asclepias incarnata, commonly called swamp milkweed, is a North American wetland perennial with pink flower clusters. It supports pollinators and monarchs and thrives in moist, sun…

Asclepias purpurascens (Purple Milkweed) Asclepias purpurascens Asclepias purpurascens, the purple milkweed, is a North American perennial milkweed with pink‑purple umbels. It grows in prairies and savannas, supports pollinators, and prefers su…

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia): appearance, habitat, and uses Black-eyed Susan Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia) is a North American coneflower known for yellow rays and a dark central cone. Common in meadows and gardens, it supports pollinators and is easy to gro…

Blephilia: wood mints of eastern North America Blephilia Blephilia is a small genus of three perennial herbaceous plants in the mint family native to eastern North America, known for tubular, two-lipped flowers, aromatic foliage, pollina…

Clover (Trifolium): biology, distribution, uses and cultural notes Clover Clover (Trifolium) is a genus of about 300 trifoliate legumes in the pea family, valued for forage, soil nitrogen fixation, pollinator resources and cultural symbolism such as the…