What To Plant In Delaware For Pollinator-Friendly Landscaping

Delaware sits in the mid-Atlantic transition zone where coastal plain and piedmont influences meet. That makes it a rewarding place to design landscapes for pollinators: a variety of native bees, butterflies (including monarchs), hummingbirds and other beneficial insects will use the right mix of trees, shrubs, perennials and grasses. This article gives practical, site-specific recommendations for Delaware yards and properties, plus planting and maintenance guidance you can use this season.
Understanding local conditions, providing season-long blooms, and including host plants for caterpillars are the three hallmarks of an effective pollinator landscape. Read on for a prioritized plant list, planting timing, and concrete steps you can follow for a small yard or larger property.

Understanding Delaware’s Growing Conditions

Delaware generally falls within USDA hardiness zones 6b through 7b, with milder winters along the coast and slightly cooler inland. Soils range from sandy and well-drained near the coast to heavier loams inland. Rainfall is moderate, but summer droughts are possible, so choose plants that match your soil moisture and sun exposure.

Sun, Soil, and Microclimates

Assess your site before selecting plants. Full sun (6+ hours) suits many nectar-rich perennials like coneflower and milkweed. Part shade (3-6 hours) works for serviceberry and some native asters. Moist low spots can host swamp milkweed or buttonbush, while well-drained sandy soils favor butterfly weed and little bluestem. Salt spray and wind near the coast reduce your options; choose salt-tolerant species for those sites.

Design Principles for Pollinator-Friendly Landscapes

A few design principles will make your planting efforts much more effective and easier to maintain.

• Plant groups of the same species rather than single specimens. Pollinators find large patches more easily.
• Provide continuous bloom from early spring through late fall by mixing species with staggered flowering times.
• Include host plants (for caterpillars) and nectar plants (for adult pollinators).
• Reduce or eliminate pesticide use; if needed, use targeted, least-toxic options at times when pollinators are not active.
• Provide shelter and water: small brush piles, bare soil patches for ground-nesting bees, and shallow water sources.

Season-Long Bloom and Plant Diversity

Aim to have at least one or two species in bloom in every month from March through October. Early spring trees and shrubs (serviceberry, redbud) feed early-emerging bees. Midsummer perennials (monarda, coneflower) feed body-building pollinators. Late-blooming goldenrods and asters are essential for fall migrants and overwintering energy stores.

Host Plants vs. Nectar Plants

Host plants support egg-laying and caterpillar development (for example, milkweeds for monarch caterpillars). Nectar plants provide food for adult butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Both types are needed for a complete pollinator habitat.

Trees and Large Shrubs That Support Pollinators

Large plants provide early-season nectar, pollen, and structural habitat. Plant several of these if you have the space.

• Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)
• Bloom: March-April
• Benefits: Early pollen and nectar for bees; fruit for birds.
• Site: Full sun to part shade; well-drained soils.
• Size: 15-25 ft.
• Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
• Bloom: March-April
• Benefits: Early nectar for bees; attractive understory tree.
• Site: Part shade to full sun; adaptable to many soils.
• Size: 20-30 ft.
• Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)
• Bloom: April-May
• Benefits: Rich nectar source for bees and butterflies; fruit for wildlife.
• Site: Full sun to part shade; tolerates many soils.
• Size: 30-60 ft.
• Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
• Bloom: June-August
• Benefits: Excellent for butterflies and bees; good in wet sites or rain gardens.
• Site: Moist to wet soils; full sun to part shade.
• Size: 6-12 ft.
• Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
• Bloom: May-June
• Benefits: Spring flowers for pollinators and winter fruit for birds; good wetland shrub.
• Site: Moist soils; full sun to part shade.
• Size: 6-12 ft.

Perennials and Biennials for Nectar and Host Needs

Choose a mix of heights and bloom times. Plant in groups of five to fifteen to attract bees and butterflies.

• Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
• Bloom: June-September
• Site: Full sun; well-drained soil.
• Notes: Attracts bees, butterflies; long bloom and low maintenance.
• Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida/hirta)
• Bloom: June-September
• Site: Full sun; tolerates a wide range of soils.
• Notes: Nectar and pollen source; seeds feed birds in fall.
• Bee Balm / Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
• Bloom: June-August
• Site: Full sun to part shade; well-drained soils.
• Notes: Attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds; watch for powdery mildew in humid spots.
• Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
• Bloom: May-August
• Site: Full sun; dry to medium, well-drained soils.
• Notes: Host plant for monarch caterpillars; bright orange flowers attract many pollinators.
• Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
• Bloom: June-July
• Site: Full sun; tolerates many soils; spreads by rhizomes.
• Notes: Strong monarch host plant, large nectar production.
• Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
• Bloom: June-August
• Site: Moist to wet soils; full sun to part shade.
• Notes: Useful in rain gardens and wet edges.
• New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
• Bloom: September-October
• Site: Full sun to part shade; tolerates clay soils.
• Notes: Critical fall nectar source for migrating insects.
• Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
• Bloom: August-October
• Site: Full sun; well-drained soils.
• Notes: Late-season nectar; often unfairly blamed for allergies.
• Liatris (Liatris spicata)
• Bloom: July-September
• Site: Full sun; well-drained soils.
• Notes: Excellent for bees and butterflies; vertical interest.
• Baptisia (Baptisia australis)
• Bloom: April-May
• Site: Full sun; well-drained soils.
• Notes: Early-season nectar, strong long-lived perennial.

Native Grasses and Groundcovers

Grasses provide nesting sites, structure, and fall seeds. They also reduce maintenance.

• Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
• Benefits: Attracts insects; durable in dry soils.
• Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
• Benefits: Great vertical structure and winter habitat.
• Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)
• Benefits: Fine-textured grass that combines well with forbs.
• Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata)
• Bloom: April-May
• Benefits: Low spring nectar source for bees in sunny rock gardens and slopes.

Annuals, Herbs, and Container Options

Annuals and herbs fill gaps, provide quick blooms, and work well in containers or window boxes.

• Zinnia, Cosmos, Sunflower
• Benefits: High nectar and pollen; easy to reseed or replant.
• Lavender and Catmint (Nepeta)
• Benefits: Long-blooming, fragrant plants that bees love; good in containers and borders.
• Borage and Calendula
• Benefits: Fast-growing nectar sources and companion plants that attract pollinators.
• Salvia and Nepeta cultivars
• Benefits: Repeated bloom with deadheading; attract bees and hummingbirds.

Planting and Maintenance Best Practices

Follow these practical steps for a successful pollinator garden in Delaware.

• Prepare soil lightly: remove invasive grasses, loosen soil, and amend with compost if soil is poor. Avoid deep, aggressive tilling that destroys soil life.
• Plant in groups: clusters of the same species (5-15 plants) create visual signals for pollinators.
• Match plants to site: use swamp milkweed in wet depressions, butterfly weed on sunny dry slopes, and buttonbush at pond edges.
• Mulch judiciously: use 1-2 inches of organic mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds but leave some bare ground for ground-nesting bees.
• Water during establishment: water new plants regularly for the first season; many natives need little supplemental water after that.
• Minimize pesticides: use integrated pest management (IPM). Spot-treat only when necessary and apply treatments in the evening when pollinators are inactive.
• Leave stems and seedheads: in fall and winter, leave hollow stems and seedheads for nesting insects and winter food for birds. Cut back in early spring.
• Provide nesting and water: keep a shallow water source and leave some bare patches of soil and dead wood for nesting bees.

How to Deal with Problem Pests Without Harming Pollinators

1. Identify pests and beneficial insects before taking action. Many insects you see are predators or pollinators.
2. Use mechanical controls first: hand-pick caterpillars or hose off aphids.
3. Use targeted biological controls, like Bacillus thuringiensis for specific caterpillars, and avoid broad-spectrum insecticides.
4. If chemical controls are required, choose products with the lowest pollinator risk and apply late in the day.

Creating Specific Features

Here are three focused features you can build, with suggested plants.

• Monarch Waystation (small 10×10 bed)
• Milkweeds: 6-10 Butterfly weed or common milkweed.
• Nectar plants: 6 Echinacea, 6 Liatris, 6 Asters.
• Add a shallow water dish and a small patch of bare soil.
• Pollinator Border (linear 3-4 ft wide)
• Layer foundation shrubs (serviceberry, winterberry) with mid-height perennials (monarda, rudbeckia) and edging groundcovers (creeping phlox).
• Repeat 3-4 species in drifts for visibility.
• Rain Garden
• Use: Swamp milkweed, buttonbush, cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), and sedges to handle runoff and provide coral nectar sources.

Practical Takeaways and a Sample Small-Yard Planting Plan

If you have a 20 ft by 20 ft sunny bed, consider this simple, balanced plan to provide season-long blooms and host plants.

• 3 Serviceberry or 1 small Redbud as a spring canopy (if space allows).
• 5 Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) for monarchs and summer nectar.
• 6 Purple coneflower (Echinacea) for midsummer nectar.
• 6 Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia) for midsummer to fall bloom.
• 6 Bee balm (Monarda) for summer nectar and hummingbirds.
• 8 New England asters and goldenrod mixed along the back for fall nectar.
• Interplant 3 clumps of little bluestem and a few creeping phlox for spring and structure.

Stagger plant heights (taller at the back) and group species in sets of 5 or more. Plant in early spring or fall for best establishment. Use 1-2 gallon containers or plugs for perennials and 2-3 inch bare-root or plug sizes for milkweed depending on availability.

Final Notes

Creating a pollinator-friendly landscape in Delaware is both practical and rewarding. Focus on native species whenever possible, provide continuous bloom, include host plants, and reduce or eliminate pesticide use. Even small changes — replacing a lawn strip with a pollinator border or adding a few milkweeds — can make a measurable difference for local pollinator populations.
Start with a single bed or border, observe what arrives, and expand over time. Your landscape can become a vital corridor that supports bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and the broader ecosystem in Delaware.