I'm planning to create a beautiful pollinator garden in my backyard here in southeast Texas, and I want to know about both native and non-native plants that can thrive in my zone (9a-b). I have a list of native plants already, but I'm eager to include other species that support pollinators and beneficial insects. I'm all in for any suggestions that can help these critters flourish!
2 Answers
Consider joining r/nativeplantgardening to find more keystone plants for your area. These are the plants that support the most pollinator species. Goldenrod is fantastic if you find a local native variety, followed by aster, rudbeckia, and sunflowers. Oaks are incredibly important too, even though they're not wildflowers. Just make sure they're native to your region; checking BONAP maps can be helpful!
You should definitely check out the Ladybird Wildflower Center's website at wildflower.org—they have an awesome database of native plants in the U.S. Personally, I've had great luck with black dahlias, mistflower, and various Salvia species—they're fantastic for attracting pollinators. Asters are also amazing; butterflies just adore them! I like to plant them close together to give little lizards and geckos a cozy spot too!
This is great advice! Thank you! (Imagining all the new plants I'm going to buy!)
Thank you for this information!