Sustainability at ESF
Recommended Native Plants
All the resources in this page are compiled by Molly Jacobson, RSC Pollinator Ecologist
Native Plant Suppliers for Central New York Homeowners
This list can help you find which native pollinator-supporting plants are best suited for your individual property, and where you can purchase them, either as seeds, plugs, or potted plants. There are also additional resources to help you learn more about our native pollinators, and how to plan your garden based on the specific plants that specialized or imperiled pollinators need. Note that many small nurseries carry a selection of native plants subject to customer demand, but are rarely advertised and can be harder to locate online.
Business Name | Town | County | Miles from Syracuse |
Faverolles Gardens | Lafayette | Onondaga | 14 |
Go Native! Perennials | Skaneateles | Onondaga | 20 |
The Plantsmen | Groton | Tompkins | 48 |
Butterfly Effect | Geneva | Ontario | 52 |
Grow Wild! | Brooktondale | Tompkins | 55 |
Wild Ginger Farm | West Winfield | Herkimer | 65 |
White Oak Nursery | Canandaigua | Ontario | 71 |
The Fernery | Hartwick | Otsego | 75 |
Amanda's Native Garden | Dansville | Livingston | 107 |
CW Native Plant Farm | Akron | Erie | 135 |
Catskill Native Nursery | Kerhonkson | Ulster | 185 |
Royal Fern Nursery | Fredonia | Chautauqua | 194 |
One Nature | Beacon | Dutchess | 214 |
Native Landscapes Garden Center | Pawling | Dutchess | 233 |
Wild Ones (annual CNY plant sale) | Westvale | Onondaga | 5 |
If you know a native nursery not listed here, contact us and we will add it to our directory!
Can be requested at your local nursery OR for use by agencies, companies, schools, and institutions
Business Name
- American Native Beauties
- Van Berkum Nursery (New England)
- Greenbelt Native Plant Center
- New Moon Nursery
- American Native Plants
- North Creek Nurseries
- Pinelands Direct
- New England Wetland Plants
- Long Island Natives
Business Name
- Habitat Gardening in Central New York (Wild Ones)
- Xerces Society Pollinator Conservation Resource Center
- Pollinator Pathway
- Cornell Danforth Lab - Creating a Pollinator Garden for Native Specialist Bees
- Empire State Native Pollinator Survey - Final Report
- Wild Bees of New York
- Specialist Bees of the Eastern United States
- UMass Dartmouth Gegear Lab - Plant list for at-risk pollinators
- NYS DEC Saratoga Tree Nursery annual seedling sale
- Vermont Center for Ecostudies - The Bees of Vermont guide (applicable to NY)
- Grow Native Massachusetts - Nursery and Seed Source List
- Native Plant Trust - Information and Nursery (MA)
Recommended Native Pollinator Plants for Central NY Homeowners
There are thousands of plants native to New York, each playing a unique ecological role. However, New York has many ecoregions and multiple climate zones, meaning a plant that grows wild, or grows well, on Long Island or in the Adirondacks may not be suited for a garden in Syracuse! In addition, most native plants are not yet available at nurseries - though the selection is growing by the year as public demand increases. Here we present a selection of easy to find, easy to grow, high value native pollinator plants well-suited for a CNY yard or garden. Included is information about preferred growing conditions and relationships with native pollinators. We highly recommend you consult other resources, like those online and in print listed in our Resources section, to explore the full variety of plant choices for our region, including grasses and ferns which are important host plants, nesting material, and habitat structure for pollinators.
Common Name | Scientific Name | Sun | Moisture | Bloom Season | Common Pollinators | Host Plant For | Notes |
New England aster | Symphyotrichum novae-angliae | full | average-moist | Late | bumble bees, sweat bees, mining bees, small carpenter bees, butterflies, flies, moths | Asters host half a dozen specialist bees, such as Andrena canadensis, and 100+ caterpillar species including the pearl crescent butterfly | Can get semi-woody, with a coarser appearance than other asters. Best used in a mixed planting, such as with goldenrods. |
smooth aster | Symphyotrichum laeve | full | dry-moist | Late | bumble bees, sweat bees, mining bees, small carpenter bees, butterflies, flies, moths | Asters host half a dozen specialist bees, such as Andrena canadensis, and 100+ caterpillar species including the pearl crescent butterfly | There are countless similar asters that work nicely in gardens such as sky blue aster (Symphyotrichum oolentangiense), aromatic aster (S. oblongifolium) and New York aster (Symphyotrichum novi-belgii) |
white wood aster | Eurybia divericata | part-shade | dry-average | Late | bumble bees, sweat bees, mining bees, small carpenter bees, butterflies, flies, moths | Asters host half a dozen specialist bees, such as Andrena canadensis, and 100+ caterpillar species including the pearl crescent butterfly | A good choice for a tough shady dry spot. Low-growing, spreads over time. |
showy goldenrod | Solidago speciosa | full | dry-average | late | mining bees, sweat bees, cellophane bees, bumble bees, carpenter bees, cuckoo bees, sand wasps, potter wasps, butterflies, longhorn beetles | Goldenrods host nearly a dozen specialist bees in the northeast, such as Andrena hirticincta and Colletes simulans, plus 130+ caterpillar species | The species shown here are among those which do not spread aggressively in the garden. The idea that goldenrods cause hay fever is a misconception; ragweed is the true culprit. Goldenrods are keystone species that support countless insects. Early goldenrod, S. juncea, is another great choice. |
grass-level goldenrod |
Euthamia graminifolia |
full | average-wet | Late | mining bees, sweat bees, cellophane bees, bumble bees, carpenter bees, cuckoo bees, sand wasps, potter wasps, butterflies, longhorn beetles | Goldenrods host nearly a dozen specialist bees in the northeast, such as Andrena hirticincta and Colletes simulans, plus 130+ caterpillar species | Good for swales or sunny moist areas like pondsides. |
blue-stemmed goldenrod | Solidago caesia | part-shade | dry-average | Late | mining bees, sweat bees, cellophane bees, bumble bees, carpenter bees, cuckoo bees, sand wasps, potter wasps, butterflies, longhorn beetles | Goldenrods host nearly a dozen specialist bees in the northeast, such as Andrena hirticincta and Colletes simulans, plus 130+ caterpillar species | A good choice for a tough shady dry spot. Zigzag goldenrod, S. flexicaulis, grows in similar conditions and has wider leaves. |
seaside goldenrod | Solidago sempervirens | full | dry-average | Late | mining bees, sweat bees, cellophane bees, bumble bees, carpenter bees, cuckoo bees, sand wasps, potter wasps, butterflies, longhorn beetles | Goldenrods host nearly a dozen specialist bees in the northeast, such as Andrena hirticincta and Colletes simulans, plus 130+ caterpillar species | A coastal species, it is salt, drought, and wind tolerant, making it ideal for urban plantings. It is among our latest-blooming plants, flowering into November. |
common milkweed | Asclepias syriaca | full | dry-average | Mid | bumble bees, leafcutter bees, cuckoo bees, resin bees, butterflies, moths | Milkweeds are the sole host plant for the imperiled monarch butterfly, as well as milkweed tussock moths | Spreads via rhizome to form large patches, so allow it space. Hosts a unique ecosystem of specialized, brightly patterned insects! Use this instead of tropical milkweed, which can harm monarchs through fatal virus transmission. |
butterfly milkweed | Asclepias tuberosa | full | dry-average | Mid | bumble bees, leafcutter bees, cuckoo bees, sweat bees, butterflies, moths | Monarch butterflies | Showy orange flowers add unique color to the garden. Prefers poor or gravelly soils but will tolerate average garden conditions. |
swamp milkweed | Asclepias incarnata | full | dry-average | Mid | bumble bees, leafcutter bees, resin bees, sweat bees, masked bees, butterflies, moths | Monarch butterflies | Flowers later than the other milkweeds, providing a bloom turnover - plant multiple milkweed species for best effect! |
spotted Joe-Pye weed | Eutrochium maculatum | full | average-wet | Late | butterflies, bumble bees, sweat bees, longhorned bees | clymene moth, ruby tiger moth, Eupatorium plume moth, Eupatorium clearwing moth | Highly important nectar source for monarch butterflies. Grows tall - best used as a backdrop for shorter plants. |
wild geranium | Geranium maculatum | part-shade | average-moist | Early | mining bees, mason bees, sweat bees, cuckoo bees | geranium mining bee Andrena distans, white-marked tussock moth, geranium clearwing moth | Makes an excellent border plant when massed. |
Virginia mountain mint | Pycnanthemum virginianum | full | average-moist | Early | bumble bees, sweat bees, leafcutter bees, cuckoo bees, butterflies, potter wasps, thread-waisted wasps, yellowjackets, moths, beetles | hermit sphinx moth | A veritable powerhouse of pollinator activity - all mountain mint species are highly popular with countless insects including many solitary and parasitic wasps, which provide beneficial pest control services for your yard. |
wild bergamot (bee balm) | Monarda fistulosa | full-part | dry-average | Mid | bumble bees, sweat bees, resin bees, butterflies, moths, potter wasps, beetles | Bee balm shortface bee, Dufourea monardae, hermit sphinx moth | Highly attractive to two-spotted bumble bees, and its showy lavender blooms are a must-have for any garden. |
oxeye sunflower | Heliopsis helianthoides | full | dry-average | Mid | leafcutter bees, sweat bees, cuckoo bees, bumble bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies | Ithaca clearwing moth | Can grow tall and flop over if not supported by other plants or staked. |
hairy beardtongue | Penstemon hirsutus | full-part | dry-moist | Early | bumble bees, mason bees, small mason bees, digger bees, leafcutter bees, sweat bees, hummingbirds | breadtongue scraper bee Osmia distincta, confused haploa moth, Baltimore checkerspot | Usually found on dry or rocky sites in the wild but adaptable to a wide range of conditions |
wild columbine | Aquilegia canadensis | part | dry-average | Early | hummingbirds, bumble bees, sweat bees | columbine duskywing butterfly, columbine borer moth | Important early nectar source for ruby-throated hummingbirds - adding scarlet bee balm (Monarda didyma), trumpet honeysuckle vine (Lonicera sempervirens), and cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) will keep them around all season! |
harebell | Campanula rotundifolia | full | dry-average | Mid | leafcutter bees, digger bees, sweat bees, small carpenter bees, mason bees, moths | bellflower resin bee Megachile campanulae | A short-statured delicate purple flower. Grows best between rocks or along sidewalks. |
yellow false indigo | Baptisia tinctoria | full | dry-average | Mid | leafcutter bees, small mason bees, sweat bees, bumble bees, cuckoo bees | frosted elfin butterfly, wild indigo duskywing butterfly, Io moth | Shrub-like, with yellow pea-like flowers and interesting seed pods. |
golden alexanders | Zizia aurea | full-part | dry-moist | Early | mining bees, sweat bees, masked bees, mason bees, flies, potter wasps, butterflies, beetles | Golden alexanders mining bee Andrena ziziae, black swallowtail butterfly | A member of the carrot family, it has bright yellow umbels of flowers that are an important food source for spring insects. |
Culver's root | Veronicastrum virginicum | full-part | average-wet | Mid | bumble bees, masked bees, leafcutter bees, sweat bees, butterflies, thread-waisted wasps | none in NY | Tall, vertical plant with narrow white flower plumes resembling candelabras |
American trout lily | Erythronium americanum | part-shade | moist | Early | mining bees, sweat bees, butterflies, beetles | trout lily mining bee Andrena erythronii | One of many showy 'woodland ephemerals' that flower in early spring before canopy leafout and disappear come summer. The mottled leaves are just as pleasing as the flower, and it will spread to form a colony that makes a good groundcover. |
common violet | Viola sororia | part-shade | average-moist | Early | mining bees, sweat bees, small carpenter bees | violet mining bee Andrena violae, fritillary butterflies | Can spread to form a good woodland ground cover or shaded border |
woodland phlox | Phlox divericata | part-shade | average-moist | Early | butterflies, moths, hummingbirds | olive arches moth, hitched arches moth | Spreads to form a good woodland ground cover. A great substitute for invasive myrtle (vinca). |
swamp vervain | Verbena hastata | full | moist-wet | Mid | sweat bees, longhorned bees, bumble bees, leafcutter bees, small carpenter bees, cuckoo bees, butterflies, flies | verbena moth, verbena bud moth | Provides vertical structure and purple color to a rain garden. |
nodding onion | Allium cernuum | full | dry-average | Mid | bumble bees, cellophane bees, leafcutter bees, sweat bees, resin bees | none in NY | A good alternative to ornamental onion. Pink, bell-shaped flower clusters and onion-scented foliage work well in massed plantings or borders. |
wild strawberry | Fragaria virginiana | full-part | dry-moist | Early | sweat bees, mining bees, cuckoo bees, mason bees, small carpenter bees, flies, wasps, butterflies | 82 caterpillar species, including purple-lined sallow moth and blackberry looper moth | An excellent lawn replacement, handling high foot traffic, filling in spaces over time, and with excellent fall color. Produces edible berries, and an important spring resource for pollinators. |
spotted jewelweed | Impatiens capensis | part | moist-wet | Late | bumble bees, sweat bees, leafcutter bees, digger bees, flies, wasps, hummingbirds | white-striped black moth, Virginian tiger moth | An annual, rarely available in nurseries, but seeds can be purchased online or easily collected from wild plants. Also called 'touch-me-not' for its exploding seed pods - fun for kids! |
**Note: Many woody plants not listed here do not have insect-pollinated flowers, but they still have high value to the caterpillars of pollinating butterflies and moths!
Common Name | Scientific Name | Sun | Moisture | Bloom Season | Common Pollinators | Host Plant For | Notes |
oaks (such as white oak, red oak) | Quercus spp. (Quercus alba, Quercus rubra) | full | varies | Early | wind-pollinated, but visited by mason bees and potentially mining bees | 500+ caterpillar species, including silkmoths like the polyphemus moth, cecropia moth, and luna moth | Perhaps the most ecologically important trees in North America. Extremely high value to countless wildlife, birds, and caterpillars. Many grow on the driest, poorest soils, while others are found in rich forests or lowlands. |
red maple | Acer rubrum | full-part | average-wet | Early | mining bees, cellophane bees, sweat bees, mason bees | 300+ caterpillar species, including the rosy maple moth, imperial moth, and Io moth | All native maples have high caterpillar value, but red maple also has insect-visited flowers. Its bold red fall color is unparalleled. Avoid the invasive Norway maple which is a staple yard and street tree and has no ecological value. |
black cherry | Prunus serotina | full-part | dry-moist | Early | mining bees, sweat bees, bumble bees, small carpenter bees, mason bees, cuckoo bees, flies, butterflies | 400+ caterpillar species, including the red-spotted purple butterfly and eastern tiger swallowtail | High bird value. Ornamental cherry trees have much lower value to pollinators, caterpillars, and wildlife, so choose a native species. |
chokecherry | Prunus virginiana | full-shade | dry-moist | Early | mining bees, sweat bees, bumble bees, small carpenter bees, mason bees, cuckoo bees, flies, butterflies | 400+ caterpillar species, including the red-spotted purple butterfly and eastern tiger swallowtail | High bird value. While black cherry is a tree, chokecherry is a large suckering shrub which will form colonies. Good for a wooded edge on a larger property. |
shadbush | Amelanchier canadensis | full-part | average-moist | Early | mining bees, sweat bees | 120+ caterpillar species | High bird value. Smaller in stature than downy serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea). |
staghorn sumac | Rhus typhina | full-part | dry-average | Mid | mining bees, bumble bees, sweat bees, small carpenter bees | short-tongued mining bee Andrena brevipalpis, plus 50+ caterpillar species | High bird and wildlife value, especially in winter. Small carpenter bees nest in the stems. Will form clonal thickets, good as a border. |
red osier dogwood | Cornus (Swida) sericea | full-part | moist-wet | Mid | mining bees, sweat bees, small carpenter bees, cuckoo bees, flies, beetles | 4 specialist mining bees, plus 110+ caterpillar species | All species of shrubby dogwoods (red-osier, gray, silky) are similar in pollinator and wildlife value, but tolerate different moisture conditions. Red-osier is the most showy due to its bright red stems, and is best sited in a rain garden or low-lying area, or as a screen. |
pagoda dogwood | Cornus alternifolia | part-shade | average-moist | Mid | mining bees, sweat bees, flies, beetles | 4 specialist mining bees, plus 110+ caterpillar species | High bird value. Has a unique tiered growth form lending a stately architecture to a shady yard. |
American basswood (linden) | Tilia americana | full-part | average-moist | Mid | bumble bees, sweat bees, moths, flies | 150 caterpillar species | Highly attractive to bumble bees and honeybees. |
black chokeberry | Aronia melanocarpa | full-part | average-wet | Early | mining bees, sweat bees, bumble bees, cuckoo bees | 6 caterpillar species, including striped hairstreak butterfly and large lace-border moth | High bird value. Suckering habit that works well in a massed planting or hedge. |
New Jersey tea | Ceanothus americanus | full-part | dry-average | Mid | sweat bees, bumble bees, resin bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds | spring azure butterfly, mottled duskywing butterfly | Does well in sandy or rocky soils. Needs protecting from deer and rabbits which have caused the decline of this plant in the wild, but worth growing for its value to rare butterfly species. |
buttonbush | Cephalanthus occidentalis | full-part | moist-wet | Mid | bumble bees, sweat bees, masked bees, small carpenter bees, carpenter bees, flies, wasps, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds | 19 species of caterpillar, including hydrangea sphinx moth, beautiful wood-nymph moth, connubial underwing moth | The globe-like flowers and seedheads provide seasonal interest. Good for rain gardens or low-lying areas. |
northern bush honeysuckle | Diervilla lonicera | sun-shade | dry-average | Mid | bumble bees, sweat bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds | snowberry clearwing moth, laurel sphinx moth | Not to be confused with the invasive bush honeysuckles (Lonicera spp.), which should be avoided at all costs. Searching plants online by their scientific names will reduce mixups - always check tags in the store to know what you're buying. |
witch-hazel | Hamamelis virginiana | sun-shade | average - moist | Late | flies, moths, beetles, wasps, occasionally sweat bees | 60+ caterpillar species, including the witch hazel dagger moth and hickory tussock moth | Our latest-blooming native, flowers persist into December, providing a crucial nectar and pollen source for the last flying insects. Adds color to the landscape when all else is slowing down. |
winterberry holly | Ilex verticillata | full-part | moist - wet | Early | mining bees, bumble bees, sweat bees, flies | 39 caterpillar species, including pawpaw sphinx moth and Harris's three spot moth | High bird value, with bright red persistent berries. Prefers acidic soils. To produce berries, both male and female plants are needed. Further south in NY, other native holly species can be planted which attract the holly specialist bee Colletes banksi. |
pussy willow | Salix discolor | full | moist - wet | Early | mining bees, cellophane bees, sweat bees, mason bees, bumble bees, cuckoo bees, flies, wasps, butterflies | Willows support 9 specialist bees in the northeast, including Andrena salictaria and Andrena erythrogaster, plus 400+ caterpillar species | All native willows have high pollinator and caterpillar value. Other species commercially available include black willow (Salix nigra) and Bebb willow (Salix bebbiana). Avoid the exotic weeping willow. |
Virginia rose | Rosa virginiana | full - part | dry - average | Mid | bumble bees, mining bees, sweat bees | 135 caterpillar species, including apple sphinx moth and blinded sphinx moth | All native roses have high wildlife and pollinator value. Avoid the invasive beach rose (Rosa rugosa) which has become a staple of coastal yard plantings. |
black elderberry | Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis | full | moist - wet | Mid | mining bees, sweat bees, small carpenter bees, flies, beetles | 42 caterpillar species, including the ruby quaker moth and elder shoot borer moth | High bird value. Bees nest in the pithy stems. |
meadowsweet | Spiraea alba | full - part | moist - wet | Mid | bumble bees, mining bees, masked bees, sweat bees, beetles, wasps, flies, butterflies | 90+ caterpillar species, including spring azure butterfly and great brocade moth | This and its pink-flowered relative steeplebush (Spiraea tomentosa) are good alternatives to Japanese spiraea. In northern New England this is the primary host plant for the rare New England buck moth. |
highbush blueberry | Vaccinium corymbosum | full - part | moist - wet | Early | bumble bees, mining bees, mason bees, sweat bees, cuckoo bees, cellophane bees, digger bees, carpenter bees, masked bees | half a dozen specialist bees, including blueberry digger bee Habropoda laboriosa and blueberry cellophane bee Colletes validus, plus 290+ caterpillar species | Blueberries need acidic soils. If you wish to grow these in other conditions, soil amendments are necessary. High bird and wildlife value. Lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) is of shorter stature and is good as a shrubby groundcover in drier, sandy areas. |
mapleleaf viburnum | Viburnum acerifolium | part | dry - average | Early | mining bees, sweat bees, flies, beetles, butterflies | 100+ caterpillar species, including hummingbird clearwing moth and azalea sphinx moth | High bird value. Good for tough shady dry spots or as woodland understory plant. Rosy pink fall color. All native viburnums have high wildlife value. |
eastern ninebark | Physocarpus opulifolius | full - part | dry- moist | Early | mining bees, sweat bees, flies, wasps, butterflies | blinded sphinx moth, raspberry leafroller moth, white slant-line moth | Exfoliating bark makes for winter interest. |
spicebush | Lindera benzoin | sun - shade | average - moist | Early | mining bees, mason bees, flies, wasps, butterflies | 11 caterpillar species, including spicebush swallowtail butterfly, promethea moth, eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly | High bird value. Both female and male plants needed for berry production. Leaves and twigs have a spicy, citrusy aroma when crushed. A good alternative to exotic forsythia. |
shrubby St. John's wort | Hypericum prolificum | full-part | average - moist | Mid | bumble bees | 20 species of caterpillars, including wavy-lined emerald moth and gray hairstreak butterfly | Large yellow blooms are a bumble bee magnet. |
black raspberry | Rubus occidentalis | full-part | dry - moist | Early | bumble bees, mining bees, mason bees, cuckoo bees, sweat bees, carpenter bees, small carpenter bees, flies, wasps | 160+ caterpillar species, including striped hairstreak butterfly and Isabella tiger moth (woolly bear) | High bird value. Cultivated varieties are available, but commonly grows wild, and so may not need to be planted. Smaller thorns than blackberry. Small carpenter bees nest in the canes. |
Many vines used in horticulture are invasive, like English ivy and oriental bittersweet. Native vines perform important roles in ecosystems.
Common Name | Scientific Name | Sun | Moisture | Bloom Season | Common Pollinators | Host Plant For | Notes |
Virginia creeper | Parthenocissus quinquefolia | sun - shade | average - moist | Mid | sweat bees, masked bees, small carpenter bees, leafcutter bees | 32 caterpillar species, including Virginia creeper sphinx moth and Abbott's sphinx moth | High bird value, with berries that are poisonous to humans but an important resource for birds in autumn. One of the most adaptable vines. Striking fall color. |
virgin's bower | Clematis virginiana | full - part | moist - wet | Late | sweat bees, masked bees, flies, wasps | 6 caterpillar species | Spreads via twining stems, not adhesive discs. A good replacement for invasive Japanese clematis or sweet autumn clematis. Has unique feathery seedheads. |
trumpet honeysuckle | Lonicera sempervirens | full - part | moist | Mid | hummingbirds, butterflies | 37 caterpillar species, including snowberry sphinx moth and spring azure butterfly | The bright red tubular flowers are irresistable to hummingbirds. |
wild cucumber | Echinocystis lobata | full - part | moist | Late | bumble bees, sweat bees, wasps, flies | melonworm moth | An annual, making it less of an investment than other vines. Produces spiky, hollow inedible fruits. Rarely available at nurseries, but seed can be purchased online from Prairie Moon Nursery or the Wild Seed Project, or collected easily from wild plants. |