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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chamaecrista fasciculata var. fasciculata | Partridge pea, Prairie senna, Common partridge-pea | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Arnoglossum atriplicifolium | Pale indian-plantain | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Maianthemum racemosum | False solomon's plume, False solomon's seal, Eastern solomons-plume | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Trichostema dichotomum | Common blue curls, Forked blue curls | Bees | ||
| Crataegus phaenopyrum | Washington hawthorn | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Passiflora incarnata | Purple passionflower, Maypop | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Helenium autumnale | Common sneezeweed, Autumnale sneezeweed | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | 5 | |
| Gaylussacia baccata | Black huckleberry | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Aronia melanocarpa | Black chokeberry | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Impatiens capensis | Spotted jewelweed, Orange jewelweed | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Erigeron pulchellus var. pulchellus | Robin's plantain | Bees, Butterfiles | 12 | |
| Aronia arbutifolia | Red chokeberry | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Trillium sessile | Sessile trillium, Toadshade, Toad trillium | Bees | ||
| Dicentra cucullaria | Dutchman's breeches | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Cunila origanoides | Common dittany, Wild oregano, Stonemint | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Penstemon canescens | Eastern gray beard-tongue, Gray beard-tongue | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Geum canadense | White avens | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Rhododendron maximum | Great rhododendron, White rosebay, Great laurel | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Iris cristata | Dwarf crested iris | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Rhexia virginica | Virginia meadow beauty | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Aruncus dioicus var. dioicus | Goat's-beard, Goatsbeard | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Fragaria virginiana | Wild strawberry, Virginia strawberry | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Dicentra eximia | Wild bleeding heart | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Penstemon digitalis | Foxglove beardtongue | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds |