Growing your results…
The Great Plains once supported the largest grassland ecosystem on Earth. Today it's among the most endangered. Keystone perennials — native sunflowers, goldenrod, gumweed, and prairie clover — support up to 89 specialist bee species each and are the foundation of grassland food webs.
States: ND, SD, NE, KS, OK, TX (western), MT (eastern)
Ranked by caterpillar species supported (NWF / Tallamy data)
| Genus | Common name | Caterpillar spp. |
|---|---|---|
| Quercus | Bur oak | 253 |
| Salix | Peachleaf / sandbar willow | 214 |
| Populus | Cottonwood / aspen | 180 |
Ranked by pollen specialist bee species supported (Fowler data)
| Genus | Common name | Specialist bees |
|---|---|---|
| Helianthus | Plains / stiff sunflower | 89 |
| Grindelia | Curlycup gumweed | 68 |
| Solidago | Goldenrod | 56 |
2 plants listed
Data source: Keystone plant rankings based on NWF Keystone Plants by Ecoregion and Narango, Tallamy & Shropshire (2020), Nature Communications. Specialist bee data from Fowler (2016), USDA Forest Service.
Get results for your specific location
Enter your zip code for a ranked list filtered to your exact ecoregion and growing conditions.