Athena Rayne Anderson

This content is based on a post originally published on June 9, 2011, on my blog “Pollinators Info” (no longer online).

I have trouble with this one. I prefer to grow native plants (or try to) in my pollinator garden, because research shows that pollinators do best with plants native to their area. But what if your garden won’t grow natives? If the soil or light isn’t right you could end up being unable to grow native plants on your property. If you limit yourself to only growing natives, you might end up feeding no pollinators at all!

So what about using non-natives in your garden? As long as the plant produces pollen and/or nectar, using non-natives could benefit pollinators by providing food where there would otherwise be none. This is great! During my doctoral research in Georgia (USA), there was a period during the summer when the only source of pollen and nectar for miles was a non-native plant called “chaste tree” (Vitex agnus-castus). Bees in my study area would have had to travel farther and some might not have survived without this food source. The featured image is from my study plot, showing a bumble bee drinking nectar from this plant.

If you decide to use non-natives to feed pollinators, be on the lookout for a couple of things:

• Make sure the plant produces pollen and/or nectar. You can usually figure this out with a quick internet search, if your plant nursery staff can’t tell you. Don’t rely on the flower appearance! I’ve been very disappointed with purchases of plants that had flowers that looked like bees would love them, only to discover that they didn’t contain enough pollen or nectar to attract pollinators. Doubled varieties of plants don’t do anything for pollinators because they produce little or no nectar or pollen. Roses and dahlias are commonly doubled or tripled.
• Be sure your non-native plant isn’t classified as an invasive. The last thing the world needs is more invasive plants taking habitat away from native species and destroying ecological communities. Kudzu was introduced to the American South by well-meaning but ignorant people trying to prevent soil erosion. It does have flowers that feed pollinators, but the damage it does to ecosystems is not worth the benefit.

Most non-native plants you’ll find at a greenhouse or nursery are safe to use for pollinators, but might not be as beneficial as natives. If you have trouble growing natives, consider looking into non-natives that are highly attractive for pollinators. Check for invasive status with your garden staff. There are many pollinator-friendly non-native plant species in the pea and mint families.

Have a non-native plant success story? We’d love to hear about it!

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