Why Plant for Pollinators?

What is a pollinator?

Any bug or bird that helps to spread pollen from one plant to another, thus creating fertilization (seeds). Some common ones in CT are the ruby-throated hummingbird, butterflies such as the tiger swallowtail, painted lady, monarch, black swallowtail and over 300 native bees.

Why should we plant for them?

They need us and we need them! Pollinators are responsible for over 80% of the food we eat. Yet their numbers are declining rapidly due to loss of habitat and pesticide use. In the United States there are over 40 million acres of turf lawn. Turf lawn is nonnative and does not support any of our important pollinators. If we decreased this number by just half, we would create more than 20 million acres of habitat for pollinators! This is more land than all the national parks combined.

Besides helping the butterflies and birds, how are pollinator plants beneficial?

• Adds beauty to your yard

• Invites beautiful birds and butterflies

• Little to no maintenance once established- native plants often have long roots, so they don't need to be watered like many nonnatives

• Many native plants are deer resistant

• Nitrogen fixing

• You can plant for pollinators so that you have something beautiful blooming from March until late November.

• The garden becomes a place for daily discoveries!

• You can find better things to do with your time than mow your lawn!