SUPPORTING NATIVE PLANTS AND
THEIR INSECT POLLINATORS
Gardeners, in cities and elsewhere, can help sustain locally native plants and insects. Gardens for Wildlife Victoria commissioned research (Mumaw & Mata, 2021) to better understand how wildlife gardening can contribute to the wellbeing of wildlife gardeners, indigenous plant species, and their insect pollinators.
Here we showcase information from that work that we hope will be of use to wildlife gardeners, indigenous plant nurseries, and anyone interested in indigenous plants and insect pollinators. The research included surveys across a calendar year of indigenous plant species provided by four indigenous plant nurseries supplying wildlife gardening programs in greater Melbourne. Many of these species are found across Victoria.
If you are interested in including these plants in your garden, many of these will be available at your local indigenous nursery. A list of indigenous plant nurseries that supply some Gardens for Wildlife programs in Victoria can be found below:
Indigenous Plant Nurseries
Insect pollinators found on indigenous plants in the research
The research tracked insects found on the reproductive organs of flowers of 37 indigenous plant species across a year. Most of the observed insects are recognised as pollinators. Native insect species (36) were more frequently seen than introduced species (7). Most of the plant species were seen with both indigenous and introduced insect pollinators, but a few were associated with only one or the other group. The European honeybee was the most frequently observed species, followed by native sweat bees and hoverflies. Native sweat bees and grass blue butterflies were found across the greatest diversity of studied plant species (seeMumaw & Mata, 2021, pp 42-48 for details)
To see an illustration of the number of native insect species found on each of the studied plant species, please click on the plant name in the Table Below. Which will display a photo of a plant and one of the insect species, and a graphic of its flowering period.
TABLE A:
High Performing Indigenous plants for attracting native insect pollinators
TABLE B:
All indigenous plants included in this study
| Scientific Name: | Common Name: |
| Banksia marginata | Silver banksia |
| Brachyscome multifida | Cut-leaf daisy |
| Brachyscome paludicola | Swamp daisy |
| Brunonia australis | Bluebells |
| Bulbine bulbosa | Bulbine lily |
| Bursaria spinosa | Kurwan |
| Cassinia sp. | Cassinias |
| Chrysocephalum apiculatum | Common everlasting |
| Chrysocephalum semipapposum | Clustered everlasting |
| Clematis microphylla | Small leaved-clematis |
| Coronidium scorpioides | Button everlasting |
| Correa alba | White correa |
| Correa glabra | Rock correa |
| Correa reflexa | Common correa |
| Dianella sp. | Flax-lilies |
| Epacris impressa | Common heath |
| Geranium sp. | Crane’s-bills |
| Glycine clandestina | Twining glycine |
| Goodenia ovata | Hop goodenia |
| Goodenia paradoxa | Spur goodenia |
| Hakea nodosa | Yellow hakea |
| Kunzea leptospermoides | Yarra burgan |
| Leptospermum sp. | Teatrees |
| Leucochrysum albicans | Hoary sunray |
| Linum marginale | Native flax |
| Lythrum salicaria | Purple loosestrife |
| Microseris sp. | Murnongs |
| Olearia myrsinoides | Silky daisy-bush |
| Olearia ramulosa | Twiggy daisy-bush |
| Pelargonium australe | Austral stork’s-bill |
| Podolepis jaceoides | Showy podolepis |
| Scaevola aemula | Fairy fan-flower |
| Viola hederacea | Ivy-leaved violet |
| Wahlenbergia sp. | Blue pincushion |
| Xerochrysum viscosum | Sticky everlasting |
