Our researchers are poised to start taking data on pollinator visits to ornamental plants.
Across five states, our researchers established plant sites with a selection of annual and herbaceous perennial plants. All of the plants were selected from the list of top 25 annual and herbaceous perennials by wholesale value—a list generated by the USDA NASS Census of Horticulture from 2014.
Comparing pollinator visits between plant species is important, but a plant species can have numerous cultivars that may also vary in their pollinator attractiveness. Therefore, each research team is also including various cultivars of most plant species in their research sites.
The table below lists the plant species selected for each site.
| PLANT TYPE |
SITE | |||||
| California (North-Central) |
California (South) |
Connecticut | Michigan | Pennsylvania | South Carolina | |
| Annuals | Salvia (annual) Verbena sp. Zinnia elegans |
Tagetes patula Zinnia marylandica |
Celosia sp. Zinnia angustifolia Zinnia elegans Zinnia haagenana Zinnia sp. |
Begonia sp. Impatiens hawker Impatiens walleriana Pelargonium sp. Petunia sp. Viola tricolor |
Lobularia maritima Pentas sp. Salvia (annual) Tagetes sp. Zinnia elegans Zinnia sp. |
Antirrhinum majus Calabrachoa sp. Catharanthus roseus Portulaca sp. Solenostemon sp. Verbena sp. |
| Herbaceous Perennials | Achillea millefolium Echinacea sp. Lavandula sp. Penstemon sp. Perovskia atriplicifolia Salvia (perennial) |
Impatiens walleriana Begonia sp. Lobularia maritima Pelargonium x hortorum Salvia farinaceae Eschscholzia California Calibrachoa sp. Petunia hybrida |
Echinacea purpurea Phlox sp. Sedum sp. |
Chrysanthemum sp. Dianthus caryophyllus Dianthus chinensis Dianthus sp. Heuchera sanguinea Heuchera sp. |
Echinaea sp. Rudbeckia sp. Salvia (perennial) |
Astilbe sp. Coreopsis sp. Lavandula sp. Hibiscus sp. Iris sp. Veronica sp. |
| Species of Common Cultivars | Echinacea sp. Nepeta sp. Tagetes erecta Zinnia x marylandica |
Echinacea sp. Nepeta sp. Tagetes erecta Zinnia x marylandica |
Echinacea sp. Nepeta sp. Tagetes erecta Zinnia x marylandica |
Echinacea sp. Nepeta sp. Tagetes erecta Zinnia x marylandica |
Echinacea sp. Nepeta sp. Tagetes erecta Zinnia x marylandica |
|
Over two summer seasons, our research teams will make regular visits to these sites and record the number and types of pollinators that visit each plant species.
For more information about this particular research project, see the background information on Bees & Plants.
Researchers: Drs. Jim Bethke, Christine Casey, JC Chong, Christina Grozinger, Harland Patch, Dave Smitley, Kim Stoner
States: CA, CT, MI, PA, SC