Hi Mary – Pollinators are the insects or animals who carry pollen from one plant to another in order so the plant can make fruit or seeds. Many plants cannot reproduce without pollen brought to them by foraging pollinators. Insects do the bulk of pollination although birds, bats and other creatures can also be considered pollinators. Familiar insect pollinators include bees, butterflies, ants, flies, beetles, and wasps. Three quarters of flowering plants rely on animal pollinators to reproduce as do about one-third of food crops. Hope that helps!

Thanks so much for your email. Yes, I mistakenly missed a word in my question. I was wondering what defines a flower/plant as a pollinator plant, not as a pollinator. Places advertise plants as pollinator plants, but aren't most flowers good for pollinators?

Thanks so much for your email. Yes, I mistakenly missed a word in my question. I was wondering what defines a flower/plant as a pollinator plant, not as a pollinator. Places advertise plants as pollinator plants, but aren't most flowers good for pollinators?

Hi Mary – Pollinators do like flowering plants although some plants are a better food source than others. Generally, your best bet is to choose a wide variety of native pollen and nectar-producing plants that bloom at different times in your garden. Look for flowering plants with a ring of petals around a central disc. Plant flowers with a variety of shapes, tubular, bowl-shaped and flat-topped appeal to a variety of pollinators. In addition to flower shape, diversity in color, size and bloom time support the most types of pollinators. Coneflowers, annise hyssop, milkweed, bee balm, chives and nasturtiums are a few pollinator favorites. Annuals can also be attractive to pollinators. This article from UM Extension lists nine  varieties of annual flowers to attract pollinators. Pollinators also like the flowers of herbs including basil, cilantro, mint, and thyme. While most flowering plants provide some use to pollinators there are a few caveats. For example, hybrid double-flowered plants with dense petals make it difficult for insects to reach the pollen and some hybrid plants do not produce pollen at all rendering them useless to pollinators. Here area few additional resources that provide info on creating a pollinator-friendly landscape and favorite plants – bumble bees, butterflies, yard tips, MN resources . Have fun planting a wide array of plants to attract pollinators to your yard!