Quick Start - Annuals and Native Edibles

Annuals for Sun

Common annuals that pack a wallop for pollinators:

• Alyssum

• Petunias

• Lantana

• Annual daisies

• Pansies

• Marigolds - not the pom poms - the old fashioned single flower

• African or Cape Daisies

• Ageratum

• Lavender

• Nicotiana

• Balsam (needs moisture)

• Ageratum/Ageratum houstonianum

• Anise-scented sage/Salvia guaranitica

• Aster/Callistephus chinensis

• Black-eyed susan or gloriosa daisy/Rudbeckia hirta

• Blue salvia (mealycup sage)/Salvia farinacea

• Borage or starflower/Borago officinalis

• Calendula/Calendula officinalis

• Clary sage/Salvia sclarea (biennial)

• Common lantana/Lantana camara

• Common sunflower/Helianthus annuus

• Cornflower/Centaurea cyanus

• Cosmos/Cosmos bipinnatus

• Dahlia (open types)/Dahlia cv.

• Garden heliotrope/Heliotrope arborescens

• Mignonette/Resedaodorata

• Pentas/Pentas spp.

• Pineapple sage/Salvia elegans

• Popcorn plant/Cassia didymobotrya

• Snapdragon/Antirrhinum majus

• Spider flower/Cleome spp.

• Sweet William (biennial in southern parts of north central region)/Dianthus barbatus

• Sweet alyssum/Lobularia maritima

• Tithonia/Tithonia rotundifolia

• Vervain/Verbena bonariensis

• Zinnia/Zinnia elegans

The following annuals are pollinator powerhouses. This link has more info on each.

• Envy Zinnia (Zinnia elegans ‘Envy’) - 24 inches

• Dakota Gold Sneezeweed (Helenium amarum ‘Dakota Gold) - 12 inches

• Showstar Butter Daisy (Melampodium paludosum ‘Showstar®’) - 24 inches

• Prairie Sun Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta ‘Prairie Sun’) - 24 inches

• Orange Fudge Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta ‘Orange Fudge’) - 24 inches

• Purple Fairy Tale Salvia (Salvia verticilliata ‘Purple Fairy Tale’) - 12 inches

• Lemon Queen sunflower (Helianthus annuus ‘Lemon Queen’) - 7 to 8 feet tall

• Music Box Mix sunflower (Helianthus annuus ‘Music Box Mix’) - 4 to 5 feet tall

Edible Native Pollinator Plants

Why not also enjoy the fruits of your investment and labor? These natives will supply you with delicious food! Check out this complete list for more options.

CAUTION: Always check online for safe preparation/cooking instructions as some need special care to eat safely.

Herbs and plants

• Ramps (Allium tricoccum)

• Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)

• Creeping Snowberry (Gaultheria hispidula)

• Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) - tea/berries

• Ostrich Fern (Mattuecia struthiopteris) - Fiddleheads - must be cooked to be safe

• Beebalm (Monarda didyma + fistulosa) - tea/seasoning

• Currants/Gooseberries (Ribes triste and other spp.) - fruit

• Raspberry/Blackberry (Rubus spp.) - fruit

• Common Violet (Viola sororia) - salad & more

• Fox Grape (Vitis labrusca) - fruit

• Sweet Cicely (Osmorrhiza longystylis) - plant is like licorice

• Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum spp.) - tea/salads

• Sweet Goldenrod (Solidago odora) - leaves and flowers taste like licorice

• Bog Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) - berries

Trees

• Hickory (Carya ovata) - nuts

• PawPaw (Asimina triloba) - fruit

• Sugar maple (Acer saccharum ) - maple syrup!

• Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis) - tea

• Black Birch (Betula lenta) - tea

• Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) - berries/seeds

• Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) - fruit

• Mulberry (Morus) - fruit

• Native Cherry (Prunus spp.) - fruit

• Beech (Fagus grandifolia) - nuts

• Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) - nuts

• Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) - tea

Bushes

• Bluberries/Deerberries (Vaccinium spp.) - berries

• Juneberry (Amelanchier spp.) - berries

• Hazelnut (Corylus americana) - nuts

• Huckleberry (Gaylussacia spp.) - berries

• Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) - tea & pepper-like spice

• Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) - spice

• Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) - fruit

• Native Viburnums (viburnum spp.) - fruit

• Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) - berries (do not eat seeds)/tea