When we think about helping pollinators, we usually think about flowers. But some of the most important host plants in our landscapes are towering above us.
Native trees are the foundation of the food web. Their leaves feed hundreds of species of butterfly and moth caterpillars, which in turn become essential food for birds raising their young.
If you’re planting for pollinators, don’t stop at flowers, plant trees too!!
Some native tree powerhouses include:
Red Oak (Quercus rubra) — 521 larval host species
Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) — 455 larval host species
Black Willow (Salix nigra)— 399 larval host species
Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) — 137 larval host species
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) — 117 Lepidoptera species supported
American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) — 43 larval host species
The flowers may catch our eye and provide nectar, but the trees are doing some of the heaviest lifting.
Every native tree you plant helps support an entire ecosystem.