19 Native Plants to Plant for Pollinators and Other Wildlife This Season

native wildflowers
Native wildflowers. Photo: Laura Shaskey, California Department of Fish and Wildlife

It’s planting season! November, December, and January are the best months of the year to plant native plants in the Diablo region (and much of California), so that the plants get their roots well established before the hot and dry months.

But not all native plants are equal—some provide incredible habitat for birds, butterflies, bees, and other wildlife. Which ones should you consider for your garden?

Here are 19 powerhouse plants (sometimes called keystone species) that would be a fantastic choice if you live near Mount Diablo or in the East Bay. (Some of these plants would also be excellent in other parts of California as well.)

Save Mount Diablo staff and volunteers have planted many of these plants at our pollinator gardens and other habitat restoration sites at Big Bend, Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve, Irish Canyon, Ang, and Marsh Creek 1, 4, 6, and 7.

1. Sunflower

California sunflower in Mount Diablo State Park

California sunflower. Photo: Dan Fitzgerald | CC BY-NC

Sunflowers (of the genus Helianthus) are the most important genus for native specialist bees in the Bay Area.

Some bees can feed their young on pollen from many types of plants, but others require specific plants: these are the specialist bees.

A scientist named Jarrod Fowler studied specialist bees across the western United States. Helianthus provides pollen to a whopping 100 species of specialist bees (60 in California), which is the largest number of species of specialist bees that rely on a native plant in the western US.

Mount Diablo is home to three native species of Helianthus:

  • Common sunflower (Helianthus annuus), which is an annual
  • California sunflower (Helianthus californicus), a perennial
  • Chaparral sunflower (Helianthus gracilentus), also a perennial

2. California Fuchsia (Epilobium canum)

California fuchsia

California fuchsia. Photo: Sairus Patel | CC BY-NC

Hummingbirds love this plant. It also blooms in the fall, when less nectar from other sources is available for them to eat.

3. Currant

Chaparral currant

Chaparral currant. Photo: Andrea Kreuzhage | CC BY-NC

Chaparral current (Ribes malvaceum) provides nectar to hummingbirds and bees in the fall and winter, when not much else is blooming. It is also a host plant for up to 76 species of butterflies and moths.

Closer to the coast in the Bay Area, pink-flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum var. glutinosum) is a similar excellent choice.

4. Silver Bush Lupine (Lupinus albifrons)

silver bush lupine

Silver bush lupine. Photo: LD Jaffe | CC BY-NC

This lupine is a host plant for up to 49 species of butterflies and moths; it also supports bees, birds, and even bats.

5. California Goldenrod (Solidago velutina californica)

gray hairstreak butterfly on California goldenrod

Butterflies love California goldenrod too. I think this butterfly is a gray hairstreak. Photo: Laura Kindsvater

This plant is beloved by small native bees. Plant it, and they will come! I have seen many different small native bees including green sweat bees on this plant in my garden. Its genus, Solidago, supports 59 types of specialist bees in the western US.

6. Manzanita

Mount Diablo manzanita

Mount Diablo manzanita. Photo: Dan Fitzgerald | CC BY-NC

Manzanitas bloom in the winter, providing a critical source of nectar for bees. Manzanitas are also the host plant for 68 species of butterflies and moths.

Mount Diablo is home to at least five species of manzanitas:

  • Contra Costa manzanita (Arctostaphylos manzanita laevigata)
  • Mount Diablo manzanita (Arctostaphylos auriculata)
  • Great-berried manzanita (Arctostaphylos glauca)
  • Eastwood manzanita (Arctostaphylos glandulosa glandulosa)
  • Arctostaphylos tomentosa crustacea

7. Oak

students sit under oak trees and journal

Students reflect on nature under the oak trees at our Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve. Photo by Mary Nagle

Oaks provide food and habitat for an unbelievable number of wildlife species. For North America, they are the best native to plant in support of butterflies and moths.

On Mount Diablo, we have more than eight types of native oaks, including

  • blue oak (Quercus douglasii),
  • valley oak (Quercus lobata),
  • coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia),
  • interior live oak (Quercus wislizeni),
  • canyon live oak (Quercus chrysolepis),
  • black oak (Quercus kelloggii),
  • leather oak (Quercus durata), and
  • scrub oak (Quercus berberidifolia).

8. Narrow-Leaved Goldenbush (Ericameria linearifolia)

narrow leaved goldenbush

Narrow-leaved goldenbush. Photo: Ashley D | CC BY-NC

The genus Ericameria supports 93 species of specialist bees that are native to the western US!

9. California Lilac

Jimbrush

Jimbrush (Ceanothus oliganthus var. sorediatus). Photo: Terry Gosliner | CC BY-NC-SA

California lilac (Ceanothus) species are the hosts for 117 species of butterflies and moths.

10. Black Sage

black sage in Mount Diablo State Park

Black sage. Photo: Kendall Oei | CC BY-NC

Black sage (Salvia mellifera) provides food for caterpillars, butterflies, bees, and bats. It is exceptionally well adapted to very dry conditions.

black sage with western tiger swallowtail

Black sage with a western tiger swallowtail butterfly. Photo: Richard BreischCC BY-NC

black sage with bumblebee

Black sage with bumblebee. Photo: Richard BreischCC BY-NC

11. Gumplant

Great Valley gumweed

Great Valley gumweed or gumplant. Photo: debattawayCC BY-NC

Gumplant blooms into the fall, which makes it essential for pollinators. Its genus, Grindelia, supports 84 species of specialist bees in the west.

12. Coyote Mint (Monardella villosa)

coyote mint

Coyote mint. Photo: Jasen LiuCC BY-NC

Bees and butterflies love coyote mint!

coyote mint with yellow faced bumble bee

Coyote mint with yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii). Photo: Irene | CC0

13. Blue Elderberry (Sambucus mexicana)

blue elderberry

Blue elderberry. Photo: Susan FawcettCC BY-NC

Blue elderberry supports 30 species of butterflies and moths, plus bees, birds, and bats.

14. Pink Honeysuckle (Lonicera hispidula)

pink honeysuckle

Pink honeysuckle. Photo: Keir Morse | CC BY-NC-ND

Looking for a native vine for your garden? This one provides food for 30 species of butterflies and moths, plus bees. Birds love the berries.

15. Buckwheat (Eriogonum)

California buckwheat

California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum) with a bee feeding on its nectar. Photo: Andrea Wuenschel | CC BY-NC

Buckwheat species support 56 species of moths and butterflies, plus native bees.

16. Penstemon

Penstemon heterophyllus

Penstemon heterophyllus. Photo: Eric Koberle | CC BY-NC

Thirty species of butterflies and moths can lay their eggs on foothill penstemon (Penstemon heterophyllus).

Mount Diablo is also home to scarlet bugler (Penstemon centranthifolius).

Scarlet bugler

Scarlet bugler. Photo: Amber Nichols | CC BY-NC

17. California Rose (Rosa californica)

California rose

California rose. Photo: lvlyfungi | CC BY-NC

California rose flowers attract bees and butterflies, and it is the host plant for 95 species of butterflies and moths. Birds and other animals eat rose hips, the plant’s fruit.

18. California Sagebrush (Artemisia californica)

California sagebrush

California sagebrush. Photo: Sarah LizetteCC BY-NC

This plant feeds birds, caterpillars, butterflies, and bats. It has a wonderful scent.

19. Willow

students plant willow trees at Curry Canyon Ranch

Students planting willow trees at our Curry Canyon Ranch property. Photo by Mary Nagle

If you have access to a wet area that is along a creek or pond, plant willows. In our region, they provide food and habitat for even more species of butterflies and moths than do oaks (willows are number 1, oaks are number 2), as well as for many other wildlife species.

Bonus: Milkweed

monarch on milkweed

Monarch caterpillar on milkweed. Photo by Haley Sutton

Milkweed isn’t a keystone species, but it is the famous host plant for the monarch butterfly, and it is also the host plant for another butterfly, the queen butterfly. Some bees also like the nectar, and the plants also support birds.

Mount Diablo has two native species of milkweed:

  • Narrowleaf milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis)
  • California milkweed (Asclepias californica)—this species is hard to find in nurseries, but check Mariposa Nursery for starts and seeds, which they can ship or mail to you. I ordered some seeds, and when they arrived, the packet said something like “Contra Costa seed source,” which I was happy to see because I live in Contra Costa County.

There are many other native plants that are important keystone species too. Check out the section on additional resources below for more information. Happy wildlife gardening!

Native Plant Nurseries

Additional Resources for Creating a Wildlife Garden

Top photo by Laura Shaskey, California Department of Fish and Wildlife | CC BY

Join us to save the remaining natural lands of Mount Diablo!

Make a Donation