Pollinator Plants for the Oregon Coast

Building a pollinator garden on the Oregon coast is one of the highest-impact things a home gardener can do in the PNW. Our region supports over 500 native bee species (most of them solitary, not the European honey bee), three hummingbird species, and hundreds of butterfly and moth species, almost all of which are under pressure from habitat loss. The plants below are Xerces Society-approved native picks that feed the widest variety of pollinators through the longest possible bloom season on our coast.

If you want one takeaway from this guide: plant multiple species that bloom in sequence, skip the cultivar doubles and fancy colors (they often have reduced pollen and nectar), and leave some bare ground for ground-nesting native bees. The rest is choosing which plants fit your site.

Why coastal Oregon pollinator gardens matter

The Oregon coast sits on the Pacific Flyway and is a critical corridor for migrating pollinators. Rufous hummingbirds pass through in spring on their way to breeding grounds in Alaska, monarch butterflies use coastal milkweed during their West Coast migration, and native bumble bees including the increasingly rare western bumble bee (Bombus occidentalis) depend on continuous nectar sources from April through October. A home garden designed for pollinators adds meaningfully to that corridor.

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, headquartered in Portland, publishes the authoritative regional plant lists for pollinator gardens. The picks below align with their Pacific Northwest recommendations and prioritize natives that thrive on the Southern Oregon coast.

Design principles for a PNW coastal pollinator garden

• Plant for continuous bloom. Aim for three or more native species in flower at any given time from March through October. A gap in bloom equals a gap in food.
• Choose species, not doubles. Straight-species natives offer more pollen and nectar than heavily hybridized double-flowered cultivars.
• Cluster plantings. A drift of five or more plants of the same species beats a single specimen for pollinator efficiency.
• Leave bare ground. Roughly 70 percent of native bees nest in soil. Resist the urge to mulch every square inch.
• Skip the insecticides. Even "organic" sprays like pyrethrin kill beneficial insects. Tolerate some damage; pollinator presence itself brings pest control.
• Add water. A shallow dish with pebbles and fresh water, or a small puddling area, gives pollinators drinking access.

Early spring pollinator plants (March to May)

Red-flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum)

PNW native shrub that blooms in early spring just as rufous hummingbirds return from Mexico. Pink to deep red tubular flower clusters that hummingbirds feed on heavily. Also supports early native bees. Deciduous, 6 to 10 feet tall, handles sun to part shade.

Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium)

Evergreen native shrub with bright yellow flower clusters in late winter through early spring, well before most other plants are blooming. Critical early-season food for native bees emerging from winter. Purple-black berries later feed birds.

Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)

PNW native with magenta-pink flowers in early spring, followed by yellow-orange berries. Heavily used by native bees, rufous hummingbirds, and orchard mason bees. Thrives in moist areas.

Late spring and early summer (May to July)

Camas (Camassia leichtlinii and quamash)

PNW native bulb with blue or white flower spikes in late spring, historically one of the most important food sources for West Coast native bees emerging from overwintering. Native to moist meadows across the region.

Douglas aster (Symphyotrichum subspicatum)

Native aster with purple-blue daisy-like flowers from late summer into fall, but included in this section because it blooms earlier on the coast than inland. Supports native bees, small butterflies, and beneficial flies. Spreads by rhizomes.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Native across most of North America. Flat clusters of small white (or pink, in cultivated forms) flowers attract a wide diversity of pollinators including native bees, hoverflies, butterflies, and beneficial parasitic wasps. Blooms June through September with deadheading.

Summer bloomers (July to September)

Common milkweed and showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa)

The host plant for monarch butterfly caterpillars and a critical nectar source for migrating adult monarchs. Showy milkweed is the PNW native milkweed species. Plant it in full sun in a spot where you can let it spread; monarchs need volume to sustain a population.

Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris)

Low-growing native perennial with small purple flowers over a long summer bloom. Heavily used by small native bees and parasitic wasps. Tolerates light foot traffic.

Goldenrod (Solidago spp., including native S. canadensis)

Late-summer native that's critically important for bumble bees and migrating monarchs building fat reserves. Despite folklore, goldenrod does not cause hay fever (ragweed does, and blooms at the same time). One of the single best native perennials for pollinator value.

Native thistles (Cirsium spp., specifically native species)

Not the invasive bull thistle. Native thistles like edible thistle (Cirsium edule) are among the most valuable pollinator plants in the PNW, heavily used by bumble bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Often overlooked because the invasive thistles give the family a bad name.

Late summer and fall (August to October)

Pacific aster (Symphyotrichum chilense) and Douglas aster

Late-season native asters carry the pollinator garden into October. Critical for the final generation of bumble bees and for monarchs on their fall migration south.

Native goldenrod (Solidago canadensis, S. elongata)

As noted above, peak bloom is August into October on the coast. Essential late-season nectar.

Rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa)

An inland and east-side native but worth mentioning because it's one of the last flowers blooming in fall and pollinator-dependent. If your garden transitions between coastal and inland conditions, this one extends bloom even further.

Woody plants that support pollinators

• Ocean spray (Holodiscus discolor). Creamy-white flower plumes in early summer, heavily visited by native bees and butterflies.
• Nootka rose (Rosa nutkana). Single pink flowers in early summer provide pollen for native bees.
• Pacific willow (Salix lucida) and native willows generally. Catkins are among the earliest pollen sources of spring, critical for emerging queen bumble bees.
• Native mock orange (Philadelphus lewisii). The Oregon state flower's pollinator cousin. White fragrant flowers, well-visited by bees.
• Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii). Clusters of urn-shaped white flowers heavily visited by bumble bees and native solitary bees.

What to avoid

A few plants marketed as pollinator-friendly that have real downsides for PNW gardens:

• Butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii). Invasive in Oregon and Washington, outcompetes natives in disturbed habitat. It does feed butterflies, but the ecological cost is too high. Native mock orange and ocean spray are better choices.
• Non-native honeysuckles. Japanese honeysuckle is invasive in the PNW. Native orange honeysuckle (Lonicera ciliosa) does the same job for hummingbirds without the invasive risk.
• Most double-flowered cultivars. Extra petals often replace pollen-producing parts. Simple single flowers feed pollinators better.
• Most big-box-store "pollinator mixes." Often contain invasive species or non-natives of no value to PNW pollinators. Source seed from native plant nurseries or Xerces-recommended suppliers.

How to plan a year-round pollinator garden

A simple planning approach for a small garden (200 to 500 square feet):

1. Pick 3 early-spring bloomers (red-flowering currant, Oregon grape, salmonberry).
2. Pick 3 late-spring/early-summer bloomers (camas, yarrow, Douglas aster).
3. Pick 3 summer bloomers (showy milkweed, selfheal, goldenrod).
4. Pick 2 late-season bloomers (Pacific aster, another goldenrod species).
5. Plant at least 5 plants of each in drifts, not singly.

That gives you 11 species, roughly 55 plants, and bloom from March through October. Over three seasons the garden matures into a self-sustaining pollinator habitat.

FAQ: pollinator plants for the Oregon coast

What is the best pollinator plant for the Oregon coast?

If you can only plant one, yarrow (Achillea millefolium) supports the widest variety of pollinators over the longest bloom season and thrives in coastal conditions. For a shrub, red-flowering currant does the most for hummingbirds and early-season native bees.

Do I need honey bees for pollination?

No. PNW native bees are excellent pollinators, often more efficient than honey bees for native plants. A well-planted native pollinator garden attracts enough wild pollinators that honey bees aren't necessary.

How can I tell if my garden is helping pollinators?

Count species, not individuals. A garden that attracts three or more species of native bees, a mix of butterflies, and at least one hummingbird is doing real work. Xerces Society has a citizen-science program for bumble bee watching if you want to contribute data.

Can I grow pollinator plants on a small urban lot?

Yes. A 10-by-10 foot bed densely planted with 6 to 8 species outperforms a larger garden with mono-species plantings. Small and well-planted beats large and scattered.

Where to find PNW native pollinator plants

We grow many PNW native pollinator plants at Dragonfly Farm & Nursery in Langlois, with an emphasis on species that perform on the Southern Oregon coast. For the full Xerces Society regional plant list, start at their pollinator plant lists. And your local Soil and Water Conservation District runs annual bare-root sales that are an excellent source for many of the woody natives on this list.