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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| Scientific Name | Common Name(s) | Supports Pollinators | Number of Lepidotera Species Genus Supports Sort ascending | Number of Pollen Specialist Bees that Rely on this Genus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asclepias viridiflora | Green milkweed | Bees, Butterfiles, Monarchs | ||
| Matelea carolinensis | Carolina milkvine | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Eryngium aquaticum | Rattlesnake-master, Marsh eryngo | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Penstemon hirsutus | Hairy beard-tongue | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Rhus typhina | Staghorn sumac | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Liatris spicata | Dense blazing star, Dense gayfeather, Dense liatris, Marsh blazing star, Marsh gayfeather, Marsh liatris | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds, Monarchs | ||
| Goodyera pubescens | Downy rattlesnake plantain, Downy rattlesnake-plantain | Bees | ||
| Rhododendron viscosum var. viscosum | Swamp azalea, Clammy azalea | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Iris virginica | Virginia blue flag, Southern blue flag, Southern blue flag iris | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Swida amomum | Silky dogwood | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Tradescantia ohiensis | Ohio spiderwort, Smooth spiderwort | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Asimina triloba | Common pawpaw, Paw paw, Paw-paw, Pawpaw | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Menispermum canadense | Canada moonseed, Common moonseed | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Vernonia glauca | Upland ironweed, Broad-leaf ironweed | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | 12 | |
| Eryngium yuccifolium | Beargrass, Rattlesnake-master, Northern rattlesnake-master, Button eryngo | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Persicaria virginiana | Virginia knotweed, Jumpseed | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Morella cerifera | Wax myrtle, Southern bayberry | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Lilium superbum | Turk's-cap lily | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Helenium flexuosum | Southern sneezeweed, Purple-headed sneezeweed | Bees, Butterfiles | 5 | |
| Rhus aromatica | Fragrant sumac | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Teucrium canadense | Canada germander, American germander | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Itea virginica | Virginia sweetspire, Virginia-willow | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Baccharis halimifolia | Groundsel tree, High-tide bush, High tide bush | Bees, Butterfiles | 8 | |
| Micranthes virginiensis | Early saxifrage | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Viburnum acerifolium | Maple-leaf viburnum, Dockmackie | Bees, Butterfiles |