Plant Two Fall Keystone Plants, Not Mums

Volume 30 Issue 4, Fall 2025

by BJ Lecrone, Wildlife Sanctuary Ambassador

Looking to add some fall-blooming flowers to your home this season? Don’t plant that non-native chrysanthemum that has little value to insects. Focus your attention this fall on two types of colorful keystone native plants, asters (Symphyotrichum spp.) and goldenrods (Solidago spp.). They provide high-quality nectar and pollen for butterflies, native bees, wasps, and other insects. We call them keystone plants because they support a larger variety of insects than other plants, and just as important is that their leaves are food for a variety of moths and butterflies.

If you must purchase that non-native mum for a splash of color on your front porch, please also plant mixes of asters or goldenrod that will provide a feast for these late summer insects. Planting different types of goldenrod and asters will offer blooms at different times, extending the insects’ food source even further.

A few other key points as we experience more drought in our region: With less rainfall, you may notice plants that wither and may die. You’ll also notice plants that are surviving with less water will produce smaller flowers, less nutritious nectar and pollen, and fewer seeds. Water is a precious resource, but if you have the ability to water your plants, it will certainly improve the quality and quantity of your native asters and goldenrod for insects.

Plus, remember these native plants are part of the food web. Yes, you are providing insects a nourishing meal, but those insects may also be a meal for our year-round resident birds or migrating ones that are flying south for the winter.

Need advice about adding asters, goldenrods, or other native plants to your home landscape? Our Wildlife Sanctuary Program is here to help.