Congratulations on picking up one of DWR’s Virginia Native Pollinator seed packets! This custom seed mix is made up of wildflowers native to Virginia. These flowers are beautiful and provide great benefits for Virginia’s pollinators and other wildlife species.
Native plants are the cornerstone of any backyard habitat. These wildflowers will provide nectar and pollen for butterflies and bees and other native insects. Songbirds will feed caterpillars to their young and feast on the seeds these plants produce. You will be “Restoring the Wild” in your own backyard!
What’s In Your Packet?
The information below pertains to the seed packet mix available as of August 2024. Please see the 2023 seed mix page for information about that packet.
This seed packet contains six native Virginia wildflower species that support pollinators and other wildlife like songbirds. Properly established and maintained, they will provide you with years of enjoyment. The annuals in your seed mix will establish fairly quickly, while the perennial plants may take a few years to really get established.
Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
- Perennial
- 2 feet high
- Host plant for monarch butterflies
- Bloom April–September
Partridge Pea (Chaemecrista fasciculata)
- Annual that readily reseeds
- 1–3 feet high
- Host plants for sulphur butterflies
- Seeds attractive to birds
- Blooms June–October
Orange Coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida)
- Perennial
- 2–3 feet high
- Seeds attractive to birds—especially American goldfinch
- Blooms June–October
Appalachian Beardtongue (Penstemon laevigatus)
- 3 feet high
- A favorite of native bees
- Blooms May-July
Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
- Perennial
- 4 feet high
- Attracts butterflies bees and hummingbirds
- Blooms June–September
Smooth Blue Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)
- Perennial
- 3.5 feet high
- Host plant for pearl crescent butterfly
- Blooms August–October
Eastern Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
- Perennial and readily self-seeds
- Up to 3 feet high
- One of the earliest-blooming wildflowers
- Nectar source for hummingbirds
- Withstands shade and part shade
Slender Lespedeza (Lespedeza virginica
- Upright perennial
- 3–4 feet high
- Seeds a valuable seed source for birds
- Excels in dry part-shade
Where to Plant
Most of these plants will do best in full sun, although some can withstand partial shade and shade. Once established they will be drought tolerant.
Bloom Time
This mix will bloom from spring through fall once established. Each packet will cover a 50 square foot patch
Preparation
The planting site must be cleared to bare soil prior to planting.
Sod Removal
If converting a turf lawn area, you can cut and remove sod. Sod can get heavy and you may still need to with undesirable seeds germinating once the soil is uncovered.
Smothering
Mow the area very closely and rake off any excessive plant material (a light layer of clippings is OK). Cover the area with heavy black plastic (4–6 mil) or heavy cardboard. If using more than one piece be sure to overlap the edges. Either bury the outside edges or weigh down with rocks, bricks or anything else handy. The goal is to prevent any sunlight from reaching the plants underneath.
Leave in place for several months and uncover just prior to planting.
Solarization
Solarization uses clear plastic (4–6 mil) to trap heat in the soil. This effectively kills any remaining vegetation as well as the seeds of undesirable plants. This can be used to kill existing vegetation or to eliminate weed seeds from existing bare soil areas.
Use heavy duty clear UV stabilized plastic and ensure edges or buried and any seams sealed to trap heat.
Leave in place for the hot summer months and uncover just prior to planting.
Herbicide
Herbicides can be an effective method of removing existing vegetation from the planting area. Consult with your local Cooperative extension agent when selecting an herbicide and strictly adhere to all label and safety precautions. As undesirable seeds germinate follow up applications may be needed.
Once existing vegetation has been removed, rake any debris off the site but do NOT till the soil. This only encourages undesirable plant seed to germinate.
Do not till the soil after preparing the seed bed — this will only encourage more weed growth.
Planting
Fall is an ideal time to plant your native seed. Early spring can also be effective. Late spring or summer plantings are less successful as the tender germinating plants are exposed to heat and drought.
- To help ensure even spreading of your seed add sand, vermiculite or sawdust to your seed. This adds bulk and can help you seed where you’ve scattered seed.
- Add your seed to enough moist (not wet) of your carrier to make it easy to get full coverage. Ensure the carrier is moist (not wet) as this will help the small seed stick to the carrier. Mix the seed well.
- Spread evenly across a weed-free and even planting bed. To help be sure you have even coverage, spread half of the seed across the entire bed and then add the second half at 90 degrees.
- Gently rake your seed into the soil. The goal is to barely cover the seed (no more then 1/8” to ¼” deep). A metal leaf rake turned upside down works great for this!
- Lightly roll or tamp the soil to be sure the seeds are in good contact with your soil.
- Cover the planting area with a light mulch of weed-free straw.
- No need to water if planting in early spring or in the fall.
- Watering first summer after germination? Do not fertilize. This will encourage undesirable weeds.
Be patient. It will take three years for your garden patch to really take off.
Annual Maintenance of Your Pollinator Patch
- Leave spent blooms in place through the winter. They will offer seeds for birds and cover for native insects.
- Once your native plants are established, monitor for and hand remove undesirable weeds. This will also crate small patches of bare ground that are desirable for native pollinators and will encourage your wildflowers to self sow.
- Avoid the use of pesticides.
