Pollinator Habitat Project 2018

Started planting seeds and put up signs for a display garden of native plants for Pollinator Habitat along our county road.  And it's already working - our neighbor saw the signs and wanted to know how to make a Habitat on their place up the road!

Already in place:

Texas Persimmon
Agarita
Prickly Ash
Prairie Verbena
Antelope Horns Milkweed
Various grasses

Planted:

Buffalo Gourd
Turk's Cap
Corona de Cristo
Lantana
Native American Seed's "Bee Happy" Mix
"                           "      "Butterfly Retreat" Mix
"                           "      "Deer Resistant" Mix
"                           "      "Native Texas" Mix
Texas Bluebonnets


Habitat sign from https://xerces.org/

Bluebonnets sprouting in the Pollinator Habitat:

Tyler,

I am thinking about adding some plants to attract pollinators and predators.  I live in Southern Illinois.  What types of flowers/plants would you suggest & could you explain some of the basic thinking that goes into your planning?  You appear knowledgeable in this area and I am trying to branch out from rot & decay.  

Thanks,

Eric

Eric, the Butterfly Retreat that Tyler mentioned is a good choice.  Native American Seed also has some other good choices:

http://www.seedsource.com/catalog/detail.asp?product_id=4501

Host a party for butterflies at your place! Select a sunny area. These native annuals and perennials will do the rest. Next spring your Butterfly Retreat will invite your guests to feast on nectar and color throughout the season. Butterflies bring you dances of life that continue for years to come.
Contains a beautiful mix of species that will host butterflies in each phase of their life cycle.

These would be good choices also. Each link gives a list of the seeds in the mix:

Hummer & Singers Mix  http://www.seedsource.com/catalog/detail.asp?product_id=4503

Lady Bird's Legacy Wildflower Mix http://www.seedsource.com/catalog/detail.asp?product_id=1814

Wildflower seeds are put out in October for a spring bloom.  There are a few that can be planted in the spring.  The ones I have done with success for a spring planting are:

Blue Sage, Indian Blanket aka Fire Wheels, and Purple Coneflower aka Echinacea purpurea.

I would not buy Texas seeds for Illinois, they might not be adapted to that very different climate.

Here are some seed sources I found for Illinois:

https://www.ufseeds.com/product/illinois-wildflower-seeds/  (seems to include naturalized species also)

https://www.americanmeadows.com/wildflower-seeds/midwest

http://www.wildflowermix.com/info/regionalmix/midwest.html

Tyler is right that buying seeds for your locale is best.

I mainly gave the links for the list of seeds that they give.
"Each link gives a list of the seeds in the mix:" I could not find a list of the seeds that are in the mix for the link Tyler listed. Though I see that the Indian Blanket and the purple coneflower are in their picture.  I feel the blue sage would work also.

The mixes listed below have worked very well for me. Can't seem to walk through the local co-op without picking some more up. I also throw a lot of buckwheat seed around. It blooms quick & grows easily. It fills in the gaps when not many other plants are blooming. Borage is another honey bee favorite.

https://www.botanicalinterests.com/product/Bring-Home-the-Butterflies-Flower-Mix-Seeds

https://www.botanicalinterests.com/product/Hummingbird-Haven-Flower-Mix-Seeds

https://www.botanicalinterests.com/product/Precious-Pollinators-Flower-Mix-Seeds

https://www.botanicalinterests.com/product/Save-the-Bees-Flower-Mix-Seeds

All this talk of bluebonnets & Indian paint brushes & Lady Bird's wildflowers is making me home sick. Now I want an enchilada.