United States Department of Agriculture 

Natural Resources Conservation Service 

Technical Note No: TX-PM-08-02 

September 2008 

Pollinator Plants for Texas Conservation Practices 

Plant Materials Technical Note 

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, 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. Habitat requirements of pollinators should include 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. 

NRCS – Texas 

Technical Note: TX-PM-08-02 
Recommended Plant Materials for Pollinator Habitat 

September 2008 

Herbaceous Species Variety Season Origin Life Span Bloom Period FlowAlfalfa Cool Introduced Perennial April - October PurAwnless bush sunflower Plateau Warm Native Perennial April - October YellClover: arrowleaf Meechee, Uychi, Amclo Cool Introduced Annual March - May WhiClover: ball Cool Introduced Annual March - May WhiClover: berseem Bigbee Cool Introduced Annual March - May WhiClover: crimson Dixie, Tibbee, Chief Cool Introduced Annual March - May ScaClover: persian Cool Introduced Annual March - May WhiClover: red Kenland, Cherokee Cool Introduced Annual March - May RedClover: rose Overton R18 Cool Introduced Annual March - May RedClover: subterranean 

Karridale, Denmark, Clare, Nuba Cool Introduced Annual 

January - February Whi

Cowpea Iron, Clay Wam Introduced Annual June - August WhiDotted Gayfeather Wam Native Perennial 

August - December Pur

Englemann Daisy Eldorado Wam Native Perennial 

August - November Yell

Herbaceous mimosa Crockett Germplasm Warm Native Perennial May - August PurIllinois bundleflower Sabine Warm Native Perennial May - September WhiLeadplant Warm Native Perennial June - July PurLespedeza Kobe, Korea Warm Introduced Annual March - April Pink Maximilian sunflower Aztec Warm Native Perennial July - October YellMedic Jemalong Cool Introduced Annual March - May YellMedic: Black Cool Introduced Annual March - May YellMedic: Bur Armadillo Cool Introduced Annual March - May YellOrange zexmenia Goliad Germplasm Native Warm Perennial May - November OraPartridge Pea Comanche Native Warm Annual June - October YellPrairie acacia Plains Germplasm Warm Native Perennial June - November WhiPurple prairie clover Cuero Germplasm Warm Native Perennial 

June - September Pur

Showy Menodora Warm Native Perennial March - October YellSingletary pea Cool Introduced Annual March - May Red 

NRCS – Texas Technical Note: TX-PM-08-02 
Herbaceous Species Variety Season Origin Life Span Bloom Period Flow

Soybean Tyrone Introduced July YellSunflower Common Warm Native Annual July - October YellSunflower Perodovic Warm Introduced Annual 

June - September Yell

Sweetclover: White Hubam Cool Introduced Annual March -May WhiSweetclover: Yellow Madrid Cool Introduced Annual March -May YellTexas Swampmallow Kerr Germplasm Warm Native Perennial April - November PinkVelvet bundleflower Hondo Germplasm Warm Native Perennial April - June WhiVetch: Hairy Cool Introduced Annual 

January - February Pur

white prairieclover Warm Native Perennial May - September WhiWinter pea Austrian Cool Introduced Annual WhiClover: white LA S-1, Osceola, Regal Cool Introduced Perennial Indeterminate WhiClover: button Cool Introduced Annual March - May YellWoody Species Yaupon Warm Native Perennial April - May WhiWillow: Black Warm Native Perennial April - May YellWillow:Sandbar Warm Native Perennial April - May YellHickroy/Pecan: Bitternut Warm Native Perennial April - May YellHickroy/Pecan: Pignut Warm Native Perennial April GreHickroy/Pecan: Mockernut Warm Native Perennial April YellHickroy/Pecan: Black Warm Native Perennial March Red Hickory/Pecan: Shagbark Warm Native Perennial March - June GreHickroy/Pecan: Bitter pecan Warm Native Perennial April YellHickroy/Pecan: Sweet pecan Warm Native Perennial May YellHickroy/Pecan:Black Walnut Warm Native Perennial April - May YellHickroy/Pecan: Little walnut Warm Native Perennial March - April WhiLittleleaf lead tree Yellowpuff Germplasm Warm Native Perennial April - October YellLocust: Black Warm Native Perennial April - June WhiLocust: Honey Warm Native Perennial April - June WhiLeucaena Popinac, Tepequaje Warm Native Perennial March - July WhiDogwood: Flowering Warm Native Perennial March - May Pink Dogwood: Roughleaf Warm Native Perennial April - June Whi

NRCS – Texas Technical Note: TX-PM-08-02 
NRCS – Texas 

Technical Note: TX-PM-08-02 

Woody Species Variety Season Origin Life Span Bloom Period FlowPlum: American Warm Native Perennial April - May WhiPlum: Chickasaw Rainbow Germplasm Warm Native Perennial February - May WhiPlum: Creek Warm Native Perennial March WhiPlum: Mexican Warm Native Perennial February - April WhiPlum: Oklahoma Warm Native Perennial March - May WhiPawpaw Warm Native Perennial April - May WhiSumac: Evergreen Warm Native Perennial July - August WhiSumac: Flameleaf Warm Native Perennial July - August GreSumac: Skunkbush Warm Native Perennial March - April WhiSumac: Smooth Warm Native Perennial May - August 

WhiBrow

Boxelder Warm Native Perennial March - April YellElderberry Warm Native Perennial May - June WhiRedbud: Eastern Warm Native Perennial March - May Pink Redbud: Texas Warm Native Perennial March - April PinkAnaqua Warm Native Perennial April WhiTexas madrone Warm Native Perennial February - April WhiTexas mountain laurel Warm Native Perennial February - March BlueTexas wild-olive Warm Native Perennial Year Long WhiTexas honeysuckle Warm Native Perennial March - May Whi
NRCS – Texas 

Technical Note: TX-PM-08-02 

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 50%-85% 

Field Border ( 386) 

Conservation Cover 

(327) 

Forb percentage determined by 

climatic factors at planting site. 

Rangeland 30% 

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%–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-08-02 

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