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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ilex verticillata | Winterberry | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Liriodendron tulipifera | Tulip-tree, Tulip-poplar, Yellow poplar | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Ageratina altissima | White snakeroot | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Eurybia divaricata | White wood aster | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Pontederia cordata var. cordata | Pickerelweed, Pickerel weed | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Hydrangea arborescens | Wild hydrangea, Smooth hydrangea | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Allium canadense var. canadense | Wild onion, Meadow onion | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Lobelia puberula | Downy lobelia | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Thaspium barbinode | Hairy-jointed meadow parsnip | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Sisyrinchium angustifolium | Narrow-leaved blue-eyed-grass, Narrow-leaved blue-eyed grass, Blue-eyed grass, Bermuda blue-eyed grass , Blue eyes , Grass flower , Narrowleaf blue-eyed grass , Narrow-leaf blue-eyed-grass , Sassy grass , Stout blue-eyed grass | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Chrysogonum virginianum | Green and gold | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Opuntia humifusa | Eastern prickly-pear, Eastern prickly-pear cactus | Bees | ||
| Chelone glabra | White turtlehead | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Eurybia macrophylla | Big-leaf aster, Large-leaved aster | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Potentilla canadensis | Canada cinquefoil, Dwarf cinquefoil | Bees | ||
| Hydrophyllum canadense | Canada waterleaf | Bees | ||
| Salvia lyrata | Lyre-leaf sage | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Allium cernuum | Nodding onion | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Lobelia siphilitica | Blue cardinal flower, Great blue lobelia | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Tiarella cordifolia | Heart-leaved foamflower | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Clematis ochroleuca | Curlyheads | Bees | ||
| Packera anonyma | Small's ragwort, Appalachian ragwort, Plain ragwort, Southern ragwort | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Euthamia caroliniana | Slender flat-top goldenrod | Bees, Butterfiles | 8 | |
| Vernonia noveboracensis | New york ironweed | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds, Monarchs | 12 | |
| Hypericum prolificum | Common st. john's-wort, Shrubby st. john's wort | Bees, Butterfiles |