Grow Native Plants

Native plants support life near the bottom of the food web. Without native plants the insects, whose lives depend on them, can't survive.
  • That means fewer pollinators helping to produce food for both animals and humans.
  • That means fewer insects being a food source for birds and small animals. Which in turn, means fewer birds and small animals for others to eat. This ripples through the food web all the way up to us.

Whether you have space for a flower box or a big garden, YOU can make a difference. 

Learn how you can choose the best plants to help pollinators.

Plan Your Garden

​Plan and Care for Your Garden
A successful pollinator garden will not only provide for pollinators and lots of other wildlife, but it will also provide you with the beauty of plants and flowers, healthy activity, connection with nature, and the joy and satisfaction of making a difference. But none of that happens without an honest assessment of your site, adequate bed preparation, wise plant choices, and proper care. Read More
(images from Xerces Society/Jessica Kay Cruz)
​How to Maximize Benefits to Pollinators in Cities and Towns
By Sara Morris and Sarah Foltz Jordan on 24 April 2020
​​Here at the Xerces Society, we recently created an Urban Habitat Assessment tool, designed to help you see your yard through the eyes of a pollinator, identify areas for improvement, and prioritize actions you can take to promote these insects in your yard and community. This guide is intended for assessing an average urban/suburban lot, but can be used for larger or smaller sites. Read More

Choose the Right Plants

Our partners at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden have created the following free guides for plants that grow and look best and benefit pollinators most in the Cincinnati region. Read More

Download the following plant guides
To Help You Grow
An extensive resource list for native and invasive plants in the Cincinnati area.
Ohio Native Plant List
A very detailed list of 231 native plants found in Ohio.

Where to Buy Native Plants in Ohio
​A list compiled in January 2020 from garden club members across Ohio.
Native Plant Finder
Comprehensive native plant lists for the United States, ranked by the number of butterfly and moth species that use them as host plants for their caterpillars. You can search by zip code to find plants in your area.
​ Pollinator-Friendly Native Plant Lists
Lists of recommended native plants for various regions of the United States. You can search by state to find the free list for your regional plants. 
Selecting Plants for Pollinators Guides
Detailed free plant guides for specific regions of the United States and Canada. You can search by zip or postal code to find your regional guide.
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