Attracting Pollinators in the Dallas Area
by Roseann Ferguson, DCMG
Major pollinators: bees, butterflies, moths, birds, bats, beetles, other insects
Importance of pollinators: flowers, food, ecosystem, support wildlife
Challenges for Pollinators: loss of habitat, improper use of chemicals, invasive species, climate change
Steps to create a pollinator-friendly landscape: plant a wide variety of plants, avoid hybrid plants, eliminate chemicals, include larval host plants, create puddling and basking opportunities, leave some hiding places, support local groups
- Research what pollinators are in your area
- Plan or make a sketch of your garden area; remember that butterflies like sun.
- Use pollinator-friendly plants in your landscape (both nectar and host plants).
- Choose a mixture of plants for spring, summer, and fall. Different flower colors, shapes, and scents will attract a wide variety of pollinators. If you have limited space, you can plant flowers in containers on a patio, balcony, or even window boxes.
- Reduce or eliminate pesticide use in your landscape; incorporate plants that attract beneficial insects for pest control. If you must use pesticides, use them sparingly and responsibly.
- Accept some plant damage on plants meant to provide habitat for butterfly and moth larvae (host plants such as milkweed, fennel, pipevine, tomatoes, etc.).
- Provide water for pollinators with a shallow dish, bowl, or birdbath with half-submerged stones for perches.
- Provide some “basking” areas in the sunny spots (large rock or boulder).
- Leave dead tree trunks, also called “snags,” in your landscape for wood-nesting bees and beetles.
- Support land conservation in your community by helping to create and maintain community gardens and green spaces to ensure that pollinators have appropriate habitat.
Common Dallas area butterflies and their host plants:
| Buckeye – frogfruit, snapdragon | Texas Crescent – flame acanthus |
| Monarch/Queen – milkweed | Black Swallowtail – parsley, fennel, dill |
| Gulf Fritillary – passionvine | Giant Swallowtail – citrus, rue |
| Sulphurs – candlestick tree (Senna alata) | Pipevine Swallowtail – pipevine |
| Painted Lady — sunflowers, hollyhocks | Gray Hairstreak – candlestick tree |
Selected Pollinator-Friendly Plants for the Dallas Landscape:
SMALL TREES
Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) Sun, 12 to 36 ft tall, attracts hummingbirds; aromatic
Redbud (Cercis canadensis L. var. texensis) Sun, 20 to 25 ft tall, attracts pollinators
Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus) ) Sun, 10 to 20 ft tall, attracts pollinators
SHRUBS
Abelia (several varieties) Sun, 2 to 8 ft tall, attracts pollinators
Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii) Sun, 1 to 3 ft tall, attracts pollinators
Texas Sage (Leucophyllum frutescens ) Sun, 3 to 6 ft tall, attracts pollinators
PERENNIALS
Lantana (Lantana urticoides, camara, etc.) Sun, 3 to 6 ft tall, attracts pollinators
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea, etc.) Sun to part shade, 2 to 3 ft tall, attracts pollinators
Native Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa.) Sun, Sandy soil, 1 to 2 ft tall, nectar for monarch & queen butterflies
Gregg’s Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium greggii) Sun to part shade, 1 to 2 ft tall, attracts butterflies
Flame Acanthus (Anisacanthus quadrifidus) Sun to part shade, 3-5 ft tall, attracts hummingbirds/butterflies
Turk’s Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus) Sun or shade, 3 to 6 ft tall, attracts hummingbirds/butterflies
Salvias (many varieties) Sun, 1-3 ft tall, attracts pollinators
Zexmenia (Wedelia texana) Sun, 1 to 2 ft tall, attracts pollinators
Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha) Sun, 4 to 6 ft tall, attracts pollinators
ANNUALS
Pentas (Pentas lanceolata) Sun, 2 to 4 ft tall, attracts pollinators (host for Tersa Sphinx Moth)
Zinnia (heirloom varieties) Sun, 3 to 5 ft tall, attracts pollinators (reseeds)
Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia) Sun, 4 to 6 ft tall, attracts pollinators (reseeds)
Standing Cypress (Ipomopsis rubra) Sun, 2 to 3 ft tall, attracts hummingbirds (reseeding biennial)
Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) Sun, 2 to 3 ft tall, nectar and host for Monarchs/Queens
GROUNDCOVERS
Frogfruit (Phyla nodiflora) Sun to shade, Up to 1 ft tall and spreading groundcover, nectar and host
Dutchman’s Pipevine (Aristolochia fimbriota) Shade to part shade, slowly spreading groundcover, host
VINES
Woolly Pipevine (Aristolochia tomentosa) Part shade, vine, host for pipevine swallowtail butterfly
Passion Flower (Passiflora caerulea) Sun to part shade, 12 to 36 ft vine, host plant for fritillary butterflies
Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) Sun to part shade, 15 to 20 ft vine, nectar and host plant
Moonflower (Ipomoea alba) Morning sun, 8 to 10 ft vine, evening nectar and fragrance (annual)
SUCCULENTS
Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora) Sun, 2 to 3 ft tall, attracts hummingbirds
Autumn Joy Sedum (Sedum telephium) Sun, 2 to 3 ft tall, attracts pollinators
Cacti (Prickly Pear) Sun, 3 to 6 ft tall, attracts pollinators
INTERNET SITES
Native Plant Database http://www.wildflower.org/plants/
Native Plant Society of Texas http://npsot.org/wp/
Texas Discovery Gardens http://txdg.org/
Dallas County Lepidopterists’ Society http://www.dallasbutterflies.com/
Dallas County Master Gardeners http://www.dallascountymastergardeners.org/
Monarch Watch http://www.monarchwatch.org/garden/plant-list-tx-monarchwatch.pdf
BOOKS
Life Cycles of Butterflies by Judy Burris and Wayne Richards
Native Texas Plants by Sally and Andy Wasowski