Keystone Native Plants Temperate Sierras - Ecoregion 13 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 species to complete their life cycle. Without keystone plants in the landscape, butterflies, native native plant 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 (Lepidoptera). 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 Temperate Sierras - Ecoregion 13 A genus 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 Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii), Gray oak 294 (Quercus grisea)
Prunus Oregon cherry (Prunus emarginata), Black cherry 194 (Prunus serotina)
Pinus Colorado pinyon (Pinus edulis), Limber pine 154 (Pinus flexilis)
Populus Eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides), American 153 aspen (Populus tremuloides)
Acer Rocky Mountain maple (Acer glabrum), Box elder 112 (Acer negundo)
Alnus Grey alder (Alnus incana), Arizona alder 90 (Alnus oblongifolia)
Betula Water birch (Betula occidentalis) 89
Fraxinus Single-leaf ash (Fraxinus anomala), Fragrant ash 67 (Fraxinus cuspidata)
Shrubs Salix Peachleaf willow (Salix amygdaloides), Coyote willow 193 (Salix exigua)
Chrysothamnus Long-flowered rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus 26 55 depressus), Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus)
Ericameria Rubber rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa), 17 49 Parry’s rabbitbrush (Ericameria parryi)
Flowering Helianthus Western sunflower (Helianthus anomalus), Nuttall’s 66 65 Perennials sunflower (Helianthus nuttallii) Gutierrezia Sticky snakeweed (Gutierrezia microcephala), 15 59 Broom snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae)
Grindelia Arizona gumweed (Grindelia arizonica), 15 52 Curlycup gumweed (Grindelia squarrosa)
Heterotheca Rockyscree false goldenaster (Heterotheca fulcrata), 18 50 Camphorweed (Heterotheca subaxillaris)
Verbesina Cowpen daisy (Verbesina encelioides) 11 47
Machaeranthera Tahoka daisy (Machaeranthera tanacetifolia) 7 36
Baileya Desert marigold (Baileya multiradiata) 2 31
Solidago Western goldenrod (Solidago lepida), Missouri 59 28 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 294 Heianthus sunflower 65 Prunus almond, apricot, 194 Guierrezia snakeweed 59 cherry, peach, plum Chysothamnus rabbitbrush 55 Salix willow 193 Grndelia gumweed 52 Pinus pine 154 Heerotheca goldenaster 50 Populus aspen, cottonwood, 153 poplar Ercameria goldenbush 49 Acer maple 112 Vebesina wingstem 47
Alnus alder 90 Machaeranthera tansyaster 36
Betula birch 89 Baleya desert marigold 31
Fraxinus ash 67 Solidago goldenrod 28
Helianthus sunflower 66 Erigeron fleabane 24
Juglans walnut 65 Cisium thistle 22
Rosa rose 65 Enelia brittlebush 22
Ostrya hophornbeam 63 Seecio ragwort 22
Vitis grape 61 Iscoma goldenbush 20
Solidago goldenrod 59 Syphyotrichum aster 20
Abies fir 57 Petis chinchweed 17
Vaccinium blueberry, cranberry, 56 Spaeralcea globemallow 17 deerberry Coeopsis tickseed 15 Rhus sumac 55 Heiomeris goldeneye 14 Rubus blackberry, 55 Rubeckia black eyed susan 14 raspberry 13 Picea spruce 54 Viuiera goldeneye 12 Fragaria strawberry 53 Gallardia blanketflower 12 Ulmus elm 51 Prosopis mesquite 11 Pseudotsuga douglas fir 50 Bacharis baccharis 10 Amelanchier serviceberry 50 Heiopsis heliopsis 9 Robinia locust 48 Larea creosote bush 8 Gleditsia honey locust 45 Hyenothrix thimblehead 8 Celtis hackberry 42 Pakinsonia paloverde 7 Juniperus juniper 41 Asragalus milkvetch
Ceanothus ceanothus 40
Lotus bird’s foot trefoil, 40 deervetch