Keystone Species

What is a keystone native plant?

The term “keystone” plant, popularized by noted entomologist Douglas W. Tallamy, refers to the critical piece of a stone arch that holds it together. Without it, the arch collapses.

Keystone plants are native plant species that play an outsized role in supporting the local food web. Although all native plants can contribute to biodiversity, a comparatively small number host especially large numbers of native insects—particularly moth and butterfly caterpillars. Those insects turn plant leaves into food for spiders, amphibians, reptiles, and birds, including many songbirds that rely on caterpillars to feed their young. In this way, keystone plants help move energy from the sun and vegetation into the broader community of wildlife.

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Plant Form
Light Requirements
Moisture Requirements
Soil Texture:
Bloom Time
Scientific Name Common Name(s) Supports Pollinators Number of Lepidotera Species Genus Supports Number of Pollen Specialist Bees that Rely on this Genus
Solidago juncea Early goldenrod Bees, Butterfiles 104 42
Solidago rugosa Rough-stemmed goldenrod, Wrinkle-leaf goldenrod Bees, Butterfiles 104 42
Solidago odora Sweet goldenrod, Anise-scented goldenrod Bees, Butterfiles 104 42
Solidago altissima var. altissima Tall goldenrod Bees, Butterfiles 104 42
Solidago speciosa Showy goldenrod Bees, Butterfiles 104 42
Solidago bicolor Silverrod, White goldenrod Bees, Butterfiles 104 42
Rosa carolina ssp. carolina Carolina rose, Pasture rose Bees, Butterfiles 102
Rosa palustris Swamp rose Bees, Butterfiles 102
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum Calico aster, Starved aster Bees, Butterfiles 100 33
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium Aromatic aster Bees, Butterfiles 100 33
Symphyotrichum prenanthoides Crooked-stem aster Bees, Butterfiles 100 33
Symphyotrichum cordifolium Blue wood aster, Heart-leaved aster Bees, Butterfiles 100 33
Symphyotrichum laeve Smooth blue aster, Smooth aster Bees, Butterfiles 100 33
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae New england aster Bees, Butterfiles, Monarchs 100 33
Symphyotrichum novi-belgii New york aster Bees, Butterfiles 100 33
Symphyotrichum pilosum Frost aster, Awl-aster Bees, Butterfiles 100 33
Symphyotrichum puniceum var. puniceum Purple-stem aster, Swamp aster Bees, Butterfiles 100 33
Cornus racemosa Gray dogwood Bees, Butterfiles 98 4
Cornus florida Flowering dogwood Bees, Butterfiles 98 4
Amelanchier arborea Downy serviceberry, Shadbush Bees, Butterfiles 92
Amelanchier canadensis Canadian serviceberry Bees, Butterfiles 92
Amelanchier laevis Smooth serviceberry, Allegheny serviceberry Bees, Butterfiles 92
Helianthus decapetalus Thin-leaved sunflower, Ten-petaled sunflower, Thinleaf sunflower Bees, Butterfiles 66 50
Helianthus occidentalis Western sunflower, Fewleaf sunflower, Naked-stem sunflower Bees, Butterfiles 66 50
Helianthus divaricatus Woodland sunflower Bees, Butterfiles 66 50

*References:

Keystone Native Plants: Eastern Temperate Forests – Ecoregion 8

Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia: Keystone Species of Native Plants