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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Symphyotrichum laeve | Smooth blue aster, Smooth aster | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Mertensia virginica | Virginia bluebell, Virginia cowslip | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Baptisia tinctoria | Yellow wild indigo, Horsefly weed | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Nelumbo lutea | American lotus, American lotus-lily, Yellow lotus | Bees | ||
| Viola pedata ssp. pedata | Bird's foot violet, Bird's-foot violet, Birdfoot violet | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Campsis radicans | Trumpet-creeper, Trumpet creeper, Trumpet vine, Hellvine, Cow-itch, Foxglove vine, Devil's shoestring | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Eupatorium altissimum | Tall thoroughwort, Tall boneset | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Phlox subulata | Moss phlox, Moss-pink | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Viburnum prunifolium | Black haw, Blackhaw, Blackhaw viburnum, Nannyberry, Plum leaf viburnum | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Helianthus occidentalis | Western sunflower, Fewleaf sunflower, Naked-stem sunflower | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Rosa carolina | Carolina rose, Pasture rose | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Actaea racemosa | Common black cohosh, Bugbane | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Lespedeza capitata | Round-headed lespedeza, Round-headed bush-clover | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Symphyotrichum novae-angliae | New england aster | Bees, Butterfiles, Monarchs | ||
| Polygonatum biflorum | Giant solomon's seal, Large solomon's-seal | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Caltha palustris var. palustris | Cowslip, Marsh marigold | Bees, Hummingbirds | ||
| Nyssa sylvatica | Black gum, Sour gum, Sourgum | Bees | ||
| Viola striata | Cream violet, Striped violet | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Parthenocissus quinquefolia | Virginia-creeper, Virginia creeper | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Eupatorium capillifolium | Dog-fennel | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Physocarpus opulifolius var. opulifolius | Ninebark, Common ninebark, Eastern ninebark | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Amorpha fruticosa | False indigo-bush, Tall indigo-bush | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Pycnanthemum incanum | Hoary mountain mint | Bees, Butterfiles | ||
| Heliopsis helianthoides var. helianthoides | Oxeye, Smooth oxeye | Bees, Butterfiles, Hummingbirds | ||
| Rubus flagellaris | Common dewberry | Bees, Butterfiles |