While spring season means we are on the lookout for noxious weeds, it’s all the time of year to supplement or add back in native plants that are beneficial to our pollinators.
“Three-fourths of the world’s flowering plants and about 35 percent of the world’s food crops depend on animal pollinators to reproduce. More than 3,500 species of native bees help increase crop yields. Some scientists estimate that one out of every three bites of food we eat exists because of animal pollinators like bees, butterflies and moths, birds and bats, and beetles and other insects. These and other animal pollinators face many challenges in the modern world. Habitat loss, disease, parasites, and environmental contaminants have all contributed to the decline of many species of pollinators.” – NRCS Insects & Pollinators
Beneficial Plants for Conservation, Diversity and Pollinators
There are many Colorado native plants that increase bio-diversity, are beneficial to pollinators and many, are drought tolerant. The short list includes:
- Rocky Mountain Penstemon
- Silver Lupine
- Colorado Columbine
- Prairie Zinnia
- Butterfly weed
- Purple Prairie Clover
- Prairie Coneflower
- Blanket Flower
- Wild Bergamot, Bee Balm
- Blue Flax
- Sulphur flower
- Flowering fruit trees including apples, cherries, peaches and plums
- Flowering berry shrubs, including serviceberry, chockecherry, golden currant, buffalo berry and sand cherry.
Contact Us for more information on how to attract beneficial pollinators to your farm, ranch or home.
