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. This 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

Austral stork’s-bill
Common everlasting
Cut-leaf daisy
Hop goodenia
Sticky everlasting
Twiggy daisy-bush
Yarra burgan

TABLE B:
All indigenous plants included in this study – With links to plant labels:

Indigenous plant labels

Gardens for Wildlife Victoria have designed 35 indigenous plant labels based on observations from the research commissioned from Mumaw & Mata (2021).
The Plant labels can be downloaded at the links and printed in a format and size commonly used by many indigenous nurseries. The labels include marks for cutting.

Scientific Name:Common Name:Pollinators Attracted:
Printable Plant Label:
Banksia marginataSilver banksia2Banksia marginata
Brachyscome multifidaCut-leaf daisy13Brachyscome multifida
Brachyscome paludicolaSwamp daisy5Brachyscome paludicola
Brunonia australisBlue pincushion2Brunonia australis
Bulbine bulbosaBulbine lily3Bulbine bulbosa
Bursaria spinosaKurwan3Bursaria spinosa
Cassinia sp.Cassinias7Cassinia sp.
Chrysocephalum apiculatumCommon everlasting10Chrysocephalum apiculatum
Chrysocephalum semipapposumClustered everlasting9Chrysocephalum semipapposum
Clematis microphyllaSmall leaved-clematis2Clematis microphylla
Coronidium scorpioidesButton everlasting3Coronidium scorpioides
Correa albaWhite correa6Correa alba
Correa glabraRock correa3Correa glabra
Correa reflexaCommon correa2Correa reflexa
Dianella sp.Flax-lilies4Dianella sp.
Epacris impressaCommon heath3Epacris impressa
Geranium sp.Crane’s-bills3Geranium sp.
Glycine clandestinaTwining glycine2Glycine clandestina
Goodenia ovataHop goodenia10Goodenia ovata
Goodenia paradoxaSpur goodenia1Goodenia paradoxa
Hakea nodosaYellow hakea2Hakea nodosa
Kunzea leptospermoidesYarra burgan11Kunzea.sp
Leptospermum sp.Teatrees6Leptospermum sp.
Leucochrysum albicansHoary sunray2Leucochrysum albicans
Linum marginaleNative flax1Linum marginale
Lythrum salicariaPurple loosestrife1Lythrum salicaria
Microseris sp.Murnongs5Microseris sp.
Olearia myrsinoidesSilky daisy-bush2Olearia myrsinoides
Olearia ramulosaTwiggy daisy-bush9Olearia ramulosa
Pelargonium australeAustral stork’s-bill11Pelargonium australe
Podolepis jaceoidesShowy podolepis4Podolepis jaceoides
Scaevola aemulaFairy fan-flower2Scaevola aemula
Viola hederaceaIvy-leaved violet1Viola hederacea
Wahlenbergia sp.Bluebells4Wahlenbergia sp.
Xerochrysum viscosumSticky everlasting19Xerochrysum viscosum