NRCS – Texas

Technical Note: TX-PM-10-02

United States Department of Agriculture

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Technical Note No: TX-PM-10-02

Revised May 2010

Pollinator Plants for Texas Conservation Practices

Plant Materials Technical Note

Eastern purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) Photo by Rob Ziehr Goliad Germplasm orange zexmenia

(Wedelia texana) Photo by: Shelly Maher

Background

Pollinators, (insects, birds, bats and other animals), are a valuable resource to 

agriculture and to the flora of the North America. Pollination by bees and other species 

contributes an estimated $3 billion dollars of fruits and vegetables production, and $1.6 

billion to $8.3 billion for agricultural crops. Texas crops that benefit from pollinators 

include: sunflowers, tomatoes, berries, alfalfa, fruit orchards, soybeans, rice and 

vegetables. 

There is evidence that many pollinator species are on the decline due to disease, 

habitat loss, fragmentation, and deterioration. NRCS can help develop and enhance 

pollinator habitat through technical and financial assistance. Habitat development and 

enhancement can be planned and implemented adjacent to cropland fields and within 

pastureland, and rangeland using buffer strips, filter strips, strip cropping and riparian 

buffers. Habitat requirements of pollinators should include season-long food, shelter 

and water, space, a place to reproduce, and materials for nesting in order to survive and 

flourish. Native plant materials can provide these needs.

Purpose

The purpose of this technical note is to provide a list of pollinator friendly plants for use 

in conservation practices in Texas and suggested seeding mix compositions that 

promote site stability while enhancing pollinator habitat.

The following list from Appendix 1 of the eFOTG. This list is not all inclusive as many 

other species can provide excellent habitat for pollinators. Conservationist should 

contact their Zone Specialist for information about seeding plants not listed below. 
NRCS – Texas

Technical Note: TX-PM-10-02

Recommended Plant Materials for Pollinator Habitat

May 2010

Herbaceous Species Variety Season Origin Life Span Bloom Period Flower Color

Alfalfa Cool Introduced Perennial April - October Purple to Pink

Awnless bush sunflower Plateau Warm Native Perennial April - October Yellow

Clover: arrowleaf

Meechee, Yuchi, Amclo, 

Apache Cool Introduced Annual March - May White with Pinkish Cast

Clover: ball Cool Introduced Annual March - May White

Clover: berseem Bigbee Cool Introduced Annual March - May White

Clover: crimson Dixie, Tibbee, Chief Cool Introduced Annual March - May Scarlet or Deep Red

Clover: persian Cool Introduced Annual March - May White

Clover: red Kenland, Cherokee Cool Introduced Annual March - May Red, Pink

Clover: rose Overton R18 Cool Introduced Annual March - May Red, Pink, White

Clover: subterranean

Karridale, Denmark, Clare, 

Nuba Cool Introduced Annual

January -

February White

Cowpea Iron, Clay Wam Introduced Annual June - August White

Dotted Gayfeather Wam Native Perennial

August -

December Purple

Englemann Daisy Eldorado Cool Native Perennial April - October Yellow, Brown

Herbaceous mimosa Crockett Germplasm Warm Native Perennial May - August Purple

Illinois bundleflower Sabine Warm Native Perennial May - September White

Leadplant Warm Native Perennial June - July Purple

Lespedeza Kobe, Korea Warm Introduced Annual March - April Pink

Maximilian sunflower Aztec Warm Native Perennial July - October Yellow, Brown

Medic Jemalong Cool Introduced Annual March - May Yellow

Medic: Black Cool Introduced Annual March - May Yellow

Medic: Bur Armadillo Cool Introduced Annual March - May Yellow

Orange zexmenia Goliad Germplasm Warm Native Perennial May - November Orange, Yellow

Partridge Pea Comanche Warm Native Annual June - October Yellow

Prairie acacia Plains Germplasm Warm Native Perennial June - November White

Purple prairie clover Cuero Germplasm Warm Native Perennial

June -

September Purple

Showy Menodora Warm Native Perennial March - October Yellow

Singletary pea Cool Introduced Annual March - May Red to Blue
NRCS – Texas

Technical Note: TX-PM-10-02

Herbaceous Species Variety Season Origin Life Span Bloom Period Flower Color

Soybean Tyrone Introduced July Yellow

Sunflower, common Warm Native Annual July - October Yellow

Sunflower Perodovic Warm Introduced Annual

June -

September Yellow

Sweetclover: White Hubam Cool Introduced Annual March -May White

Sweetclover: Yellow Madrid Cool Introduced Annual March -May Yellow

Texas Swampmallow Kerr Germplasm Warm Native Perennial April - November Pink, Yellow

Velvet bundleflower Hondo Germplasm Warm Native Perennial April - June White

Vetch: Hairy Cool Introduced Annual

January -

February Purple

white prairieclover Warm Native Perennial May - September White

Winter pea, Austrian Cool Introduced Annual White to Pink

Clover: white LA S-1, Osceola, Regal Cool Introduced Perennial Indeterminate White

Clover: button Cool Introduced Annual March - May Yellow

Woody Species

Yaupon Warm Native Perennial April - May White

Willow: Black Warm Native Perennial April - May Yellow

Willow: Sandbar Warm Native Perennial April - May Yellow, Green, Brown

Hickory/Pecan: Bitternut Warm Native Perennial April - May Yellow, Green, Brown

Hickory/Pecan: Pignut Warm Native Perennial April Green, Brown

Hickory/Pecan: Mockernut Warm Native Perennial April Yellow

Hickory/Pecan: Black Warm Native Perennial March Red

Hickory/Pecan: Shagbark Warm Native Perennial March - June Green, Brown

Hickory/Pecan: Bitter pecan Warm Native Perennial April Yellow

Hickory/Pecan: Sweet pecan Warm Native Perennial May Yellow

Hickory/Pecan: Black Walnut Warm Native Perennial April - May Yellow, Green, Brown

Hickory/Pecan: Little walnut Warm Native Perennial March - April White, Green

Littleleaf lead tree Yellowpuff Germplasm Warm Native Perennial April - October Yellow

Locust: Black Warm Native Perennial April - June White

Locust: Honey Warm Native Perennial April - June White

Leucaena Popinac, Tepequaje Warm Native Perennial March - July White

Dogwood: Flowering Warm Native Perennial March - May Pink

Dogwood: Roughleaf Warm Native Perennial April - June White
NRCS – Texas

Technical Note: TX-PM-10-02

Woody Species Variety Season Origin Life Span Bloom Period Flower Color

Plum: American Warm Native Perennial April - May White

Plum: Chickasaw Rainbow Germplasm Warm Native Perennial February - May White

Plum: Creek Warm Native Perennial March White

Plum: Mexican Warm Native Perennial February - April White, Pink

Plum: Oklahoma Warm Native Perennial March - May White

Pawpaw Warm Native Perennial April - May White, Yellow, Red, Purple

Sumac: Evergreen Warm Native Perennial July - August White, Yellow

Sumac: Flameleaf Warm Native Perennial July - August Green, Yellow

Sumac: Skunkbush Warm Native Perennial March - April White, Yellow

Sumac: Smooth Warm Native Perennial May - August

White, Yellow, Green, 

Brown

Boxelder Warm Native Perennial March - April Yellow, Green, Brown

Elderberry Warm Native Perennial May - June White

Redbud: Eastern Warm Native Perennial March - May Pink

Redbud: Texas Warm Native Perennial March - April Pink, Purple

Anaqua Warm Native Perennial April White

Texas madrone Warm Native Perennial February - April White

Texas mountain laurel Warm Native Perennial February - March Blue, Purple

Texas wild-olive Warm Native Perennial Year Long White

Texas honeysuckle Warm Native Perennial March - May White
NRCS – Texas

Technical Note: TX-PM-10-02

Pollinator Habitat Planning Considerations

Pollinator diversity and abundance is influenced by two main factors: suitable habitat 

and pesticide use. Pollinator species are intolerant of pesticides. The basic habitat 

needs of native pollinators include: nesting or egg-laying sites, flowers for foraging, 

overwintering cover and refuge from pesticides. Pollinator habitat enhancement begins 

by knowing the habitat in the area followed with protecting and enhancing flowering 

plants and nest sites to ensure maximum forb diversity that flower from spring through 

fall.

Pollinator Seedmix by Land Use

Land Use

% Forb in 

Seedmix

Conservation 

Practice Special Considerations 

Cropland At least 85%

Field Border ( 386)

Conservation Cover 

(327)

Forb percentage determined by 

climatic factors at planting site; 

the highest percentage of forbs 

attainable for that planting site 

should be used. When seeding 

grasses, use lower succession 

type species such as sand 

dropseed, hairy grama, red 

grama, slender grama and 

Texas grama. 

Rangeland At least 85%

Range Seeding (550) Plant a mixture of at least 4 

forbs and 5 native grasses. 

Grazing Management will be 

planned to ensure flowering 

forbs recover from grazing 

pressure. 

Wildlife

50%-80%

At least 85%

Riparian Forest 

Buffer (391)

Conservation Cover 

(327)

Plant a diversity of woody plant 

species to spread blooming 

periods from spring through fall. 
NRCS – Texas

Technical Note: TX-PM-10-02

References:

Stubbendieck, J., Hatch, S., and Butterfield, C.H., 1997, North American Range Plants, 

the University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln. 

Ball, D.M., Hoveland, C.S., and Lacefield, G.D., 2002, Southern Forages, Potash and 

Phosphate Institute and the Foundation fro Agronomic Research, Norcross. 

Parsons, J. and Lineberg, D., Wildflowers in Bloom, http://aggiehorticulture.tamu.edu/wildseed/index.html (September 2008.)

Smith, G.R., AggieClover Website, http://aggieclover.tamu.edu/ (September 2008.)

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, www.wildflower.org/plants/ (September 2008.)

The Xerces Society, www.xerces.org/pollinator_insect_conservation/index.html

Pollinator Partnership, www.pollinator.org