pollinator resources

If you’re interested in learning more about pollinators and how to support them, below is our ever-growing list of favorite resources. And if you have suggestions for additions or have questions on something you can’t find, let us know!

introduction

Pollinators play an essential role in our ecosystems. Pollination occurs when a pollen grain from the anther (male part) of a flower transfers to the stigma (female part). This is what leads to the production of seeds, fruits, and the next generation of plants. Sometimes a plant can pollinate itself on its own while other times it needs the help of wind, water, or animals (a.k.a. pollinators). Pollinators include birds, bats, flies, wasps, butterflies, moths, beetles, small mammals, and of course, bees—of which there are over 20,000 known species worldwide (beyond the commonly known honey bee)! We think that pollinators are fascinating to learn about and can be a great introduction to the complex and beautiful relationships that make up our world. Pollinators are incredibly diverse and allow us to not only enjoy delicious foods but also maintain and support the health of plants, people, the land, and the Earth on which we exist. However, it’s important to note that the value of pollinators also exists beyond the ways in which they benefit us.

This list of “Top 10 Things You Can Do for Bees” from Common Native Bees of the Eastern United States by Heather Holm can be a great starting point to thinking about what and how much there even is to learn about pollinators and their ecosystems. Although the list may be specifically for bees, they’re great for other pollinators and native wildlife as well!

Feed Bees
1. Plant a diversity of flowering plants (trees, shrubs, and perennials) that are native to your region. Instead of cultivars, use straight native species and include host plants for specialist bees.
2. Provide flowers with a variety of colors and forms—both simple (open) and complex.
3. Ensure that your garden provides a continuous succession of flowers for the entire growing season.

House Bees
4. Provide areas of bare soil for ground-nesting bees.
5. Avoid landscape fabric, plastic, or other soil coverings that inhibit nesting opportunities for ground-nesting bees.
6. Leave standing dead trees (if they don’t pose a hazard), as well as logs lying on the ground and dead perennial plant stem stubble, all of which provide nesting opportunities for cavity-nesting bees.
7. Do not disturb existing bee nesting sites.

Protect Bees
8. Refrain from using pesticides of any kind or synthetic fertilizers.
9. Remove invasive plant species that outcompete native plant species that native bees depend upon. Avoid introducing non-native bee species that may compete for food and transmit diseases to native bees.

Celebrate Bees
10. Place a pollinator habitat sign in your garden and talk to your neighbors about the importance of native bees and other pollinating and beneficial insects.

online learning resources

Pollinator Partnership: The largest nonprofit organization in the world dedicated exclusively to the protection and promotion of pollinators and their ecosystems, based in North America. Their website includes a plethora of free resources like their learning center, ecoregional planting guides, brochures, and posters. Their work also includes the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign, a program for Bee Friendly Farming, offering a school garden kit, managing National Pollinator Week, and much more.

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation: An international nonprofit science-based organization that protects the natural world through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats. They both conduct their own research and rely upon the most up-to-date information to guide their conservation work—the key areas in which they work being pollinator conservation, endangered species conservation, and reducing pesticide use and impacts. Their website includes tons of free webinars, resources for creating pollinator habitat, a directory for where to get native plants and seeds, a library of their publications from brochures and fact sheets to books, and more!

Tribal Alliance for Pollinators & The Learning Center at the Euchee Butterfly Farm: Native-led non-profit organizations that help improve the lives of Native people, plants, and pollinators, especially on the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation in rural Oklahoma. The Learning Center has several programs and initiatives, the Tribal Alliance for Pollinators (TAP) being one of them. TAP combines traditional ecological knowledge with cutting edge technical resources to create an innovative model for conservation and restoration of tribal lands. They provide training, support, and resources (including a seed bank and equipment lending library) for tribes and tribal members.

Native Land Digital: A digital map to help you learn about the Indigenous people of the land where you reside and around the world. Clicking on an area of the map will not only tell you the names of the Indigenous communities of that area but will also direct you to resources written by those Indigenous peoples where they can represent themselves and tell their own stories. As we celebrate and support the native pollinators and plants of our home, it is vital that we remember the Indigenous people who have always been and continue to be their original stewards. We encourage you to learn about and from the people native to where you reside!

North American Native Plant Society: A volunteer-operated charitable organization committed to preserving native plant habitat in wild areas and restoring indigenous flora to developed areas. Their website includes gardening tips, a native plant database, free webinars, a list of local native plant societies in Canada and the United States, and more. We highly suggest checking out your local native plant society’s website as well which will likely have a native plant database specific to their locale!

Native Plant Finder: A tool for finding what plants are native to your zip code, ranked by the number of butterfly and moth species that use them as host plants for their caterpillars, based on the scientific research of Dr. Douglas Tallamy. You can also find what butterflies and moths are native to your zip code and learn what host plant(s) each species utilizes.

iNaturalist: A nonprofit organization and citizen science initiative that helps people identify plants and animals around them while contributing data for science and conservation through their website and mobile app. You can upload your own photos of a plant or animal you find and either input information that you know yourself or wait for other users to help you identify what you’ve observed. The observations you submit can greatly contribute to scientific research and you can learn about the nature around you at the same time!

Bumble Bee Watch: A community science project aiming to track and conserve North America’s bumble bees. Similar to iNaturalist but specifically for bumble bees in North America, you can upload photos of bumble bees you find, their identity will be verified by experts, and the information you provide will help researchers determine the status and conservation needs of bumble bees.

More coming soon.

print learning resources

100 Plants to Feed the Bees by The Xerces Society

100 Plants to Feed the Monarch by The Xerces Society

Attracting Native Pollinators by The Xerces Society

Bees: An Identification and Native Plant Forage Guide by Heather Holm

The Bees in Your Backyard by Joseph S. Wilson & Olivia Messinger Carril

Bees of the World: A Guide to Every Family by Laurence Packer

Bringing Nature Home by Douglas W. Tallamy

Bumble Bees of North America: An Identification Guide by Paul H. Williams, Robbin W. Thorp, Leif L. Richardson, & Sheila R. Colla

Common Bees of Eastern North America by Olivia Messinger Carril & Joseph S. Wilson

Common Bees of Western North America by Olivia Messinger Carril & Joseph S. Wilson

Common Native Bees of the Eastern United States by Heather Holm

The Northeast Native Plant Primer by Uli Lorimer

A Northern Gardener’s Guide to Native Plants and Pollinators by Lorraine Johnson & Sheila Colla

Pollination: The Enduring Relationship between Plant and Pollinator by Timothy Walker

The Pollinator Victory Garden by Kim Eierman

Pollinators of Native Plants by Heather Holm

Wasps by Heather Holm

More coming soon.

notes about native plants

We highly encourage adding native plants to your space! Below are some notes and recommendations to consider.

  • Why native plants? Native plants are vital to local ecology. Native plants have evolved and adapted over time to a region’s local climate, soil, and other environmental conditions. When plants grow in the area that they are native to, they can support native pollinators, birds, insects, and other wildlife as the base of the food web and as habitat resources, promoting biodiversity as part of the coevolutionary process. They are more resilient to disease and climate and require fewer resources (water, soil amendments, fertilizer) compared to non-native plants. They also provide services in carbon sequestration, storm water absorption, soil health, erosion control, and more. And along with all these incredible functions that native plants perform, they’re also beautiful to look at and enjoy!

  • Do all my plants need to be native? While we encourage having as much native plant material as possible, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing! Some experts recommend aiming for 80% native plants and 20% accent plants. Some natives are definitely better than none, and many non-native plants can have their own benefits. However, we HIGHLY discourage the use of plant species that are considered invasive (non-native to the ecosystem under consideration and likely to cause environmental harm).

  • To find out what plant species are native to where you live, you might find a list from your local Native Plant Society or similar organization. The Native Plant Society of New Jersey, for instance, has lists of native plants by county. While for New York, the New York Flora Atlas collects information on the distribution of plants (native or not) within the state, and they have a database which you can browse by county and filter for native species. You might also find expertise and advice from your local native plant nursery.

  • While many of the nurseries we list below do specialize in native plants and have helpful experts who you can ask for advice when purchasing, some are more general garden centers/nurseries that have a selection of native plants available and therefore may not be experts on the subject.

  • If there is a plant you are considering purchasing but are unsure of its native range, you can look it up on the USDA PLANTS Database which will give you a map up to county level.

  • Don’t forget to check that the plants are suitable for the area in which they will be placed and consider factors like the amount of sun/shade they will be exposed to, type of soil, if water tends to pool in that area of your garden, the size the plant might grow to, etc.

  • Try to provide a variety of flowering plants with different colors and forms and during different times of the year, from early Spring to late Fall. Different pollinators have different preferences and are active at different times of the year.

  • Opt for straight species whenever possible rather than cultivars. A cultivar is a plant that has been cultivated for specific desired properties such as a certain flower color, shape, or size. This genetic variation of the plant can sometimes make it undesirable or confusing for native insects and pollinators to use–some cultivars are even bred to have no pollen! You can recognize that something is a cultivar on its plant tag if there is a name in single quotations following its scientific Latin name, e.g. Echinacea purpurea ‘Ruby Giant.’ Cultivars are not necessarily “bad,” but we advise prioritizing straight species.

  • Refrain from using pesticides of any kind or synthetic fertilizers. Pesticides are not selective with which “pests” they affect and even fungicides, herbicides, and synthetic fertilizers can cause harm to insects and other wildlife.

  • Our below list is mostly focused on native plant sources in our local area of New York/New Jersey. If you reside outside this area, we also have a list following of online sources that may be able to ship to you. However, be sure to check that the plants you are interested in purchasing are native to your area. You may also be able to find nearby nursery suggestions via your local Native Plant Society, local Wild Ones chapter, or on the Plant Native website or Homegrown National Park’s directory.

  • Pollen Basket LLC does not endorse or sponsor any of the businesses or organizations on the below lists. These lists were created to share information on local or accessible vendors that can supply native plants or seeds to create habitat in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area and beyond.

ny/nj nurseries

In-person shopping and pick-up options for native plants in New York and New Jersey. Some also offer local delivery.

  • Under the K Bridge / North Brooklyn Parks Alliance (Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY)
    Public park with a native plant nursery. Their nursery provides plants for parks, schools, community gardens, etc. but they also open up their nursery each season to give away FREE native plants to the public. Follow @nbkparkson Instagram to find out when.

  • Newtown Native Nursery (Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY)
    Run by Newtown Creek Alliance and located on the roof of Kingsland Wildflowers. The native plants they grow are primarily used within the greenspaces surrounding Newtown Creek but are also sold to the public online for pick-up at Kingsland Wildflowers.

  • Gowanus Lowlands Nursery (Gowanus, Brooklyn, NY)
    Not-for-profit nursery run by Gowanus Canal Conservancy centering on native urban-adapted plants. Proceeds support their mission-based education and environmental stewardship programs.

  • Queens NY Native Plants (South Richmond Hill, Queens & Bushwick, Brooklyn, NY)
    Backyard part-time nursery based in Queens, selling a large variety of native plants grown locally from seed. Reserve for pick-up in Richmond Hill or at the Riseboro Farmer’s Market in Bushwick.

  • New York Restoration Project (New York, NY)
    Every Spring, NYRP gives away FREE native trees to be planted on private property within the 5 boroughs. They partner with various organizations to distribute in multiple locations in each borough. Registration to reserve your tree beforehand is recommended, although there may be some available for walk-ins.

  • Dropseed Native Landscapes (Malverne, NY)
    Long Island’s largest retail native plant nursery that specializes in hard-to-find, rare, and ecotypic native plants to Long Island and the surrounding region.

  • KMS Native Plants (Lake Grove, NY)
    Backyard native plant garden center in Suffolk County with 100+ varieties of native plants. No appointment needed.

  • Long Island Native Plant Initiative (Brentwood, NY)
    LINPI is a volunteer-run co-op that strives to preserve Long Island’s biodiversity by cultivating ethically sourced ecotypic plants to ensure commercial availability of native plants for nurseries, communities, and habitat restoration. Plants are available for direct public sale on volunteer days (check website for schedule) and during their bi-annual plant sale events in the Spring and Fall.

  • Long Island Natives (Eastport, NY)
    Wholesale native plant nursery focused on the production of biologically diverse seedling grown plants for use in environmental restoration. Visits are by appointment only, but delivery is available in Suffolk County, Nassau County, Brooklyn, and Queens with a minimum order of $250.

  • NYC Parks Plant Ecology Center and Nursery (Staten Island, NY)
    PECAN’s mission is to support the restoration and enhancement of NYC’s natural areas and green spaces and has become the city’s hub for seed conservation and native plant distribution. Their plants are available for order for ecological restoration projects, community gardens, street tree beds, and other such projects (not a retailer for public sales).

  • Cottage Creek Gardens (Valley Cottage, NY)
    Home-based nursery open on designated sale days and by appointment. Specializing in native plants, deer resistant plants, and cottage garden favorites. Availability list can be found online and appointments can be made for consultation, browsing, purchase, and pick-up.

  • Wild Gardens Nursery (Cortlandt Manor, NY)
    Seasonal retail nursery selling locally grown perennial native plants. They are open for public browsing and in-person sales once in the Spring and once in the Fall. Otherwise, plants can be purchased online for prescheduled pick-up. Sales schedule can be found on their website.

  • Wild Ridge Plants (Alpha, NJ)
    Native plant nursery with options for in-person shopping and online shopping for pick-up or shipping.

  • Wildflower City (Jersey City, NJ)
    Native plant sellers and landscape designers. They strive to make native plants more accessible through pop-up plant sales (such as at the Riverview Farmers Market) and services where they curate native plant options unique to each client, procure the plants themselves, and arrange delivery.

  • Bountiful Gardens (Hillsborough, Ewing, & Lawrenceville, NJ)
    Garden center carrying a wide variety of plants, including many native species. They also offer pre-selected native plant packages, landscape design, and consultation services.

  • East Coast Natives (see Bountiful Gardens)
    Growers based in Central Jersey selling a variety of native plants for purchase online for pick-up at either Bountiful Gardens location. Wholesale pricing is also available upon request.

  • Glenwild Gardens (Bloomingdale, NJ)
    Garden center & nursery with a large selection of plants, including native species.

  • Cicconi Farms (Jackson, NJ)
    Wholesale & retail nursery with a selection of native plant species.

  • Metropolitan Farm (Closter, NJ)
    Farm and garden center that focuses on perennials. While they don’t specialize in native plants they do carry some species.

  • Pinelands Direct Native Plants (Columbus, NJ)
    Nursery selling exclusively straight native species. Currently not offering in-person retail shopping. Orders can be placed online for prescheduled pick-up or shipping.

  • Summersweet Native Plants (Mays Landing, NJ)
    Backyard nursery specializing in Mid-Atlantic and Northeast native plants. Visit is by appointment only for prescheduled pick-ups or occasionally for in-person shopping/browsing.

  • Toadshade Wildflower Farm (Flemington & Frenchtown, NJ)
    Primarily mail-order nursery that also sells as a vendor at Hunterdon Community Farmers Market in Flemington, NJ. Pick-ups are also available in Frenchtown, NJ. All plants are perennials native to eastern North America.

  • Additional nurseries around and near NY state compiled by Pollinator Partnership (updated April 2024): Native Plant Nurseries for New York State

elsewhere/online nurseries

Nurseries that ship to you and/or are based elsewhere around the US. Let us know if you want help finding something close to you!

  • Plant Native
    Search their database by state or zip code for native plant nurseries near you if you don’t find something below that works for you.

  • The Pollen Nation (based in NJ)
    Mail-order nursery carrying a wide selection of perennials and grasses native to the Eastern United States. All species are sold and shipped as landscape plugs, minimum purchase of 5 plugs per species and 25 plugs per order.

  • Izel Native Plants (based in DC)
    Consolidating inventories of several native plant nurseries for mail-order via a user-friendly website. They offer plants native to the East Coast and Mid West as either pots or plugs. You can find a map of which states they ship to on their website. Minimums are sometimes applied.

  • Prairie Moon Nursery (based in MN)
    Over 700 plant species native to North America available to ship as seeds, plugs, or small pots. Check the “Range Map” on each product listing to see if the species is native to your area.

  • My Home Park (based in OH)
    Choose your state to browse plants native to your region. Plants are sold as seed mixes, individual species plugs, or as pre-designed packages with a planting guide.

  • Prairie Nursery (based in WI)
    Mail-order native plants shipping within most of the contiguous US. Species can be filtered by state and are sold as either seeds or live plants. They also offer pre-planned garden packages.

  • Native Flora Seeds (based in TX)
    Seed packets of individual native species that can be filtered by state.

  • Rare Roots (based in VA)
    Mail-order perennial plants sold as one-quart pots (sometimes smaller when noted). They carry a selection of plants native to the eastern US that you can filter by state.

  • Theodore Payne Foundation (based in CA)
    Non-profit dedicated to the understanding, preserving, and use of California native wild flowers and plants. Seeds are available for shipping or in-person pick-up at either their Sun Valley Nursery or the Los Nogales Nursery in LA. Live plants are only available for pick-up. In-person shopping/browsing is also available. The foundation also offers classes and workshops and maintains a California native plant database.

  • Wild Seed Project (based in ME)
    Non-profit seed supplier of over 50 Northeast native species of wildflowers, grasses, ferns, and shrubs. Profits go towards community seed gardens, hands-on workshops, and more.

  • Ernst Conservation Seeds (based in PA)
    Largest native seed producer and supplier in the eastern US. Seeds are sold as both individual species and as mixes, and some naturalized species are available as well. Individual species are sold in increments of 0.1lbs and mixes in 1lb increments. Product descriptions may tell you the species’ native range but filtering by state is not available.

  • Roundstone Native Seed (based in KY)
    Mixes and individual species packets of native wildflower, grass, legume, tree, and shrub seeds. Find more details about native range in each product’s listing.

  • OPN Seed (based in OH)
    Native seed mixes and individual species of wildflowers, grasses, cover crops, and other awn alternatives. Seeds are native to their region, but they do not specify how far that region extends.

  • SFinBloom (based in CA)
    Native wildflower seed mixes by region, sold in refillable shakers to encourage guerilla gardening.

  • American Meadows (based in VT)
    Mail-order seeds and live plants (as pots, trays, or bareroots in bags) shipping to all over the US. They sell a variety of native and non-native wildflower seeds, grass and cover crop seeds, perennials, and flower bulbs.

  • Hudson Valley Seed Company (based in NY)
    Mail-order seed packets, both individual species and mixes. Search “native” to find some native species but double check to make sure they are native to your area. Known for the art on their seed packets which they continually hire a variety of artists to create each year.