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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coreopsis verticillata | Whorled coreopsis, Thread-leaf coreopsis | Bees, Butterfiles | 22 | |
| Eurybia divaricata | White wood aster | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Potentilla canadensis | Canada cinquefoil, Dwarf cinquefoil | Bees | ||
| Viburnum dentatum | Arrow-wood, Arrow-wood viburnum, Arrowwood viburnum, Southern arrowwood | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Hydrangea arborescens | Wild hydrangea, Smooth hydrangea | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Salix sericea | Silky willow | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Sagittaria latifolia | Broad-leaved arrowhead, Duck potato, Wapato | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Amelanchier canadensis | Canadian serviceberry | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Lobelia puberula | Downy lobelia | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Thaspium barbinode | Hairy-jointed meadow parsnip | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Polemonium reptans var. reptans | Jacob's ladder, Greek valerian, Spreading jacob's ladder | 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 | ||
| Clematis ochroleuca | Curlyheads | Bees | ||
| Packera aurea | Golden ragwort, Heartleaf ragwort, Golden groundsel | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Liriodendron tulipifera | Tulip-tree, Tulip-poplar, Yellow poplar | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Ageratina altissima | White snakeroot | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Eurybia macrophylla | Big-leaf aster, Large-leaved aster | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Prunus angustifolia | Chickasaw plum | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Coreopsis tripteris | Tall coreopsis, Tall tickseed | Bees, Butterfiles | 22 | |
| Hydrophyllum canadense | Canada waterleaf | Bees | ||
| Salvia lyrata | Lyre-leaf sage | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Allium canadense var. canadense | Wild onion, Meadow onion | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Amelanchier laevis | Smooth serviceberry, Allegheny serviceberry | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Lobelia siphilitica | Blue cardinal flower, Great blue lobelia | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Tilia americana | American basswood, Basswood | Bees, Butterfiles |