Keystone Native Southern Semi-Arid Highlands - Ecoregion 12 Native plants have tight relationships with wildlife, formed over many thousands of years, providing natural sources Keystone plants are native plants critical to the food web and of food, cover and places to raise young. Without healthy necessary for many wildlife to complete their life cycle. Without keystone plants in the landscape, butterflies, native native communities, wildlife cannot survive. Every bees, and birds will not thrive. 96% of our terrestrial birds ecoregion has different native plant communities. rely on insects supported by keystone plants.

There are two types of keystone plants: Host plants that feed the young caterpillars of approximately 90% of butterflies and moths (). Plants that feed specialist bees who only eat pollen from specific plants. Keystone plants for native bees feed both specialist and generalist bees.

Entomologist Dr. Doug Tallamy, and his University of Delaware research team have identified the keystone plants that support butterfly and moth species. Native host plants of pollen specialist bees were researched by pollinator conservationist Jarrod Fowler.

Top Keystone Plant Genera in Southern Semi-Arid Highlands - Ecoregion 12 A is a taxonomic category of plants that contains one or more species of plants with similar characteristics. Species within each genus have adapted to local conditions and are the appropriate native species or varieties suited to a specific ecoregion.

Plant Type Plant Genus Sample of Common Species # Caterpillar # of Pollen Specialist (not all encompassing) Species that Use Bee species that this as a Host Plant Rely on this Plant

Trees Quercus white oak (Quercus arizonica), Gray oak 208 (Quercus grisea)

Prunus Oregon cherry (Prunus emarginata), Black cherry 156 (Prunus serotina)

Pinus pinyon (Pinus edulis), Ponderosa pine 143 (Pinus ponderosa)

Populus Eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides), American 138 aspen (Populus tremuloides)

Alnus Grey (), Arizona alder 90 (Alnus oblongifolia)

Acer Rocky Mountain maple (Acer glabrum), Box elder 78 (Acer negundo)

Pseudotsuga Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) 59

Abies White fir (Abies concolor), Rocky Mountain fir 57 (Abies bifolia)

Shrubs Salix Peachleaf (Salix amygdaloides), Arroyo willow 176 (Salix lasiolepis)

Chrysothamnus Long-flowered rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus 39 depressus), Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus)

Ericameria Rubber rabbitbrush ( nauseosa), 17 29 Parry’s rabbitbrush (Ericameria parryi)

Flowering Western sunflower (Helianthus anomalus), Nuttall’s 58 53 Perennials sunflower (Helianthus nuttallii) Heterotheca Rockyscree false goldenaster (Heterotheca fulcrata), 18 56 Camphorweed (Heterotheca subaxillaris)

Gutierrezia Sticky snakeweed (Gutierrezia microcephala), Broom 15 46 snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae)

Verbesina Cowpen daisy () 11 46

Baileya Desert marigold (Baileya multiradiata) 2 40

Grindelia Curlycup gumweed (Grindelia squarrosa) 15 37

Machaeranthera Tahoka daisy (Machaeranthera tanacetifolia) 7 32

Solidago Western goldenrod (Solidago lepida), Missouri 48 25 goldenrod (Solidago missouriensis)

Top 30 Keystone Plant Genera Top 30 Native Host Plants for for Butterfly and Moth Caterpillar Pollen Specialist Bees

Genus Common Plant # of Caterpillar Genus Common Plant # of Pollen Specialist Name Species that use this Name Bee Species Relying as a Host Plant on this Plant Quercus oak 208 Heterotheca goldenaster 56

Salix willow 176 Helianthus sunflower 53 Prunus , apricot, 156 Gutierrezia snakeweed 46 cherry, , plum Verbesina wingstem 46 Pinus pine 143 Baileya desert marigold 40 Populus aspen, cottonwood, 138 poplar Chrysothamnus rabbitbrush 39 Alnus alder 90 Grindelia gumweed 37

Acer maple 78 Machaeranthera tansyaster 32

Pseudotsuga douglas fir 59 Ericameria goldenbush 29

Helianthus sunflower 58 Solidago goldenrod 25

Abies fir 57 Erigeron fleabane 22 21 Vaccinium blueberry, cranberry, 56 Pectis chinchweed deerberry Euphorbia spurge 20 Rubus blackberry, 55 Sphaeralcea globemallow 19 raspberry 18 Picea spruce 54 Cirsium thistle 18 Vitis grape 53 Encelia brittlebush 18 Rosa rose 53 Prosopis mesquite

Fraxinus ash 49 Isocoma goldenbush 16

Solidago goldenrod 48 Symphyotrichum aster 16

Fragaria strawberry 47 Viguiera goldeneye 15 14 Ceanothus ceanothus 43 Heliomeris goldeneye Baccharis baccharis 13 Lotus bird’s foot trefoil, 43 deervetch Larrea creosote bush 13

Amelanchier serviceberry 41 Senecio ragwort 13

Juglans walnut 40 Coreopsis tickseed 12 Robinia locust 40 Lotus bird’s foot trefoil, 12 Juniperus juniper 39 deervetch 12 Lupinus lupin 36 Phacelia phacelia 11 Cornus dogwood 33 Parkinsonia paloverde 11 Crataegus hawthorn 33 Rudbeckia black eyed susan 10 Artemisia sagebrush 30 Astragalus milkvetch

Acacia acacia, wattle 29

Yucca yucca 29