Early Blooms for Emerging Pollinators

Pollinator gardens often, at least initially, concentrate on the mid to late summer sunny meadow flowers, which service a great many bees and butterflies. These gardens are lovely projects that help many pollinators, but they do not provide for the full spectrum of pollinators. Adding spring blooms for emerging bees and specialist bees adds to effectiveness of pollinator gardens.

• Early Saxifrage
• Early Buttercup
• Hooked-spur or Early Violet
• Marsh Marigold
• Prairie Smoke
• Prairie Crocus
• Wild Strawberry
• Jacob’s Ladder
• Wild Geranium
• Golden Ragwort
• Golden Alexanders
• Virginia Waterleaf

Willows, species Blueberries, American Fly Honeysuckle, and Leatherwood are early blooming native shrubs, very important for emerging pollinators. They are seldom offered by garden centres but worth seeking at native plant nurseries.

For more information on specialist bees.