Dandelions Aren't Good Nutrition for Pollinators

We Can Do Better Than Dandelions

3/24/2018

A growing voice in garden circles dotes on dandelions for pollinators, particularly as they are claimed as the first flowers to bloom in spring. This refers to the exotic dandelion Taraxacum officinale, not one of the native species we have like Nothocolais cuspidata. While early-spring insect species will use dandelion -- especially generalist species and European honey bees who evolved with the flower -- in many cases it is not the most nutritious option when it comes to pollen. For example, according to bee expert Heather Holm, the earlier-blooming and native pussy willow’s pollen protein count is 40%, whereas dandelion is only at 14%. Nutritious pollen is what bees are after; many are out only for a few weeks to mate and provision egg cells as quickly as possible.

In addition, many specialist bees have evolved relationships with specific native plants, timing their life cycles for when pollen is available from those plants. Specialists are incredibly crucial to keeping the pollinator system in balance, and when we lose even one such species pollination rates for plants suffer. Need one even mention the benefit of native plants as larval hosts to a variety of insects and bugs?

Additional research shows that dandelion pollen has allelopathic properties (which it also has in its roots and tissue), and when spread to other plants reduces seed production. S

What can we do? As we alter landscapes we lose ecological function. Consider that 99% of the tallgrass prairie has been eradicated, yet so much of the wildlife that depend on the plants found within that ecosystem still exist in the same geographical area -- even in cities. Let's revive wildness and use native plants.

There are a plethora of native plants that either bloom at the same time as dandelion or weeks earlier. The below list of plants represents a range primarily in the eastern half of the continental U.S. (but often beyond), with a special focus on the Midwest.

Trees & Shrubs

Native Willows (Salix spp.)
Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa)
Native Currants or Gooseberries (Ribes spp.)
American Plum (Prunus americana)
Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana)
Native Viburnum (Viburnum spp.)
Native Dogwood (Cornus spp.)
Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)
Leatherwood (Dirca palustris)

Prairie / Savanna Perennials & Biennials

Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum)
Pussytoes (Antennaria neglecta)
Golden Alexanders (Zizia spp.)
Wild Lupine (Lupinus perennis)
Pasque Flower (Anemone patens)
Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris)
Early Buttercup (Ranunculus fascicularis)
Cleft Phlox (Phlox bifida)
Azure Bluet (Houstonia caerulea)
Longleaf Bluet (Houstonia longifolia)
Violet Wood Sorrel (Oxalis violacea)
Prairie Dandelion (Nothocalais cuspidata)
Prairie Blu-Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium campestre)

Woodland Perennials / Ephemerals (perfect for shady urban lots)

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)
Native Violets (Viola spp.)
Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium reptans)
Large-Flowered Bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora)
Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)
Bishop's Cap (Mitella diphylla)
Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)
Virginia Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum)
White Trout Lily (Erytronium albidum)
Yellow Trout Lily (Eryhronium americanum)
Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica)
Sharp-Lobed Hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba)
Robin’s Plantain (Erigeron pulchellus)
Twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphylla)
Early Meadow Rue (Tahlictrum dioicum)
Solomon’s Plume (Maianthemum racemosum)

To learn more about sustainable wildlife gardening, check out some 200 articles or try one of these 5 online classes.

24 Comments

Amy Woodrum

3/26/2018 06:41:01 pm

Thank you. Please share future posts

Marilyn Moore link

4/24/2023 10:54:58 am

ENJOY LEARNG ABT OUR PROTECTG OUR ENVIRONMENT

Daniel L Carter link

3/27/2018 09:31:15 am

Exactly! My lawn (actual mowed lawn area consisting of a matrix of bouteloua species and sedges) has early buttercup (R. fascularis), several species of native violet, two species of native ragworts, two species pussytoes, kittentails, purple poppy mallow, and prairie smoke. I get rid of dandelions and white clover, because there is no need.

Benjamin Vogt link

3/27/2018 09:33:31 am

I'd like to see images of that space in bloom and throughout the growing season. ;)

Steve

3/31/2018 04:21:40 pm

The bees don't care where the pollen come from as long as they can access it. Here's a concept. Value plants based on the contributions they make to the ecosystems in which they grow, not based on their place of origin.

Benjamin Vogt

3/31/2018 05:44:14 pm

Oligolectic and other specialist bees that evolved with specific native plants most certainly care, and would not exist without those plants. And when we lose specialist bees the entire ecosystem changes, especially the pollination effectiveness for plants. I'd encourage you to read books on native bees, such as those by Heather Holm among others, and follow the research I cited in chapter 2 of my book.

Shaun

2/9/2019 04:01:45 pm

Steve, it has nothing to do with the plants place of origin. I had to do with the plants that our pollinators have evolved alongside and therefore depend on. Like Benjamin said, specialist bees certainly do care where the pollen comes from.

Daniel L Carter link

4/13/2020 09:31:26 am

The plant species themselves have intrinsic value. The world has plenty of dandelion (; most native plants that can fill similar roles are extirpated from most of their ranges.

Ernest Miller

8/2/2018 05:56:07 am

Eastern Redbud is highly attractive in early Spring

Mimi

3/13/2019 12:24:28 pm

I think with regard to dandelions, there might be a need to compare apples with apples. While I can understand the point of view that a purely native garden could be considered more beautiful and or more worthwhile than one than includes non native plants, I think that we also need to look at the actual benefits each plant brings to the table.
My understanding is that native bees are awake earlier than honeybees and really need early nectar as well as early pollen.
Somewhat simplified,it seems nectar is what keeps the adult bees alive in and is needed on an emergency basis in early spring, and pollen is what is needed to make new bee larvae?
Pussy willow sounds like a good source for early spring nectar, when the native bees need it the most. It is also a plant with both male and female versions; it seems only the male catkins have pollen, though this pollen is described as abundant. Does this mean though, that only male willow plants have pollen, or is it a case of male and female flowers on the same plant? this obviously would make a difference in terms of planting a pussy willow for pollen.It seems that if you can plant them and grow them, this would be an excellent thing to do. The one big disadvantage of pussy willows for some is they are a wetland plant, and wont do well in dry areas. In those areas, the ridiculously durable dandelions with their early flowers, may be a native bees best chance of survival.
many of the other plants listed don't flower till later in the year, and wouldn't be at all useful for early spring bee survival.
pasque flowers are early but poisonous to livestock;so that may or may not be a concern for a gardener; Virginia Bluebells is not listed as poisonous, is very early( I am guessing it provides nectar, not pollen, which is still helpful) is native, but might need some water after its growing season. Grape hyacinths are not native, but are very early nectar sources, non poisonous, and do fine with drought after the spring. Sometimes you get "perfect" sometimes you get what is needed to keep everyone fed and alive.
In a perfect world, our gardens would be filled with native plants, though the change in the environment, removal of trees, increase of pesticide use etc means that some previously native plants will no longer survive in their native environments without ongoing human help. This doesn't mean we shouldn't try, but it does mean sometimes we need to be pragmatic. In an ideal world every child gets to eat say organic fruit and vegetables. But if the kid is starving, any food is better than providing nothing because it is not organic. Similarly, any food for a bee is better than nothing at all,as they can quietly go extinct while we wait to create a "perfect" garden, killing off all their current food sources because they are not native enough.

Benjamin

3/13/2019 12:44:59 pm

All good points, and as you hint at, the topic is more complex. It always is. Obviously anyone wanting to use the plants in this list should make sure they are appropriate for your region and site -- that's garden design 101. As for the "perfect" garden, we need to think what's better for others. Sometimes a "good enough" food really isn't good enough, because we know we can do better by the ecosystem. There are a multitude of ways to convert a landscape to more native plants -- quick or gradual, and each has their benefits and drawbacks for wildlife and people alike.

Liel

6/5/2022 01:45:15 pm

Thank you Mimi

Sarah Roberts link

4/5/2023 09:42:40 am

Virginia bluebells are very drought-tolerant because they spend the hot summer months dormant. They are spring ephemerals, which are all drought-tolerant.

janyce

6/3/2023 11:45:22 am

Thanks so much for sharing.

Dana Sanders

1/17/2020 12:48:36 pm

Would love a similar list for the southwest and southeast regions!

GardeNerd

3/12/2021 07:20:25 am

Interesting to read that dandelions are allelopathic. That’s new info for me and something I would never have guessed from observation. They literally grow in the centers of other plants without either appearing to suffer. Have observed that lawns which have some white clover mixed in tend to have less predation on newly planted natives in bedding situations as the bunnies seem to prefer it. So much to learn! So much to plant!

penny

2/19/2023 01:07:26 pm

Pollen allelopathy - that's what the research showed as particularly striking. I was not familiar, didn't know it was a thing. So it's not just about whether a dandelion inserts itself or other plants can exist next to them, but the impact their pollen has on moving forward (ie seed production). Fascinating

Jenna

4/13/2021 08:26:52 am

What about in areas where dandelions are the only thing growing on people's lawn April / may .... You are basically telling people to mow the dandelions when why can't we keep them and add more... Like why do people hate dandelions ? Because society tells you to have a mowed lawn? ...

Beatriz Moisset link

5/13/2022 04:53:46 pm

I keep sending readers to this post. It is frustrating to see how many are misinformed about dandelions. Thanks.

Michael berndt

9/14/2022 04:17:30 pm

How about you do some real research be for posting bs. they are great health benefits for people. you are wrong on your facts.

Greg

2/8/2023 07:33:58 pm

Well fortunately for the authors this article is about pollinators and not humans. The point of this sin't to help humans with with health benefits, its spreading awareness about how dandelions destroy native plant species with their alleopathic properties. They aren't saying eradicate dandelions they're simply explaining the impact they are having due to people spreading seeds for them to help polliantors.

Richard Washburn Jr

1/28/2023 05:23:34 am

We can do better than kill the dandelions also.!

Liel

1/28/2023 10:43:33 pm

I accidentally unsubscribed

penny

2/19/2023 01:21:12 pm

Thanks for the link on dandelion research. Pollen allelopathy was unfamiliar to me. My yard's natives produce a lot of seed each yr. Wonder if there would be even more sans the effect of dandelion. Four of my urban immediate (urban) neighbors sport good sized crops of them. I'm glad that fewer are treating their (majority crop) grass to kill them. Hoping for continued trends in the neighborhood of reducing/removing lawn where it's not needed for activities. Just in 2022 3 of my neighbors started transitioning boulevard grass strips! I wish folks would see this education as an opportunity instead of instant pushback against how they see 'fixing what ain't broke' type of view. I don't think anyone's feelings were hurt, Liel. But I can't help wondering why you make a stink about this information. Take it or leave it. But if you don't care about ecology and our native insects, why are you reading articles like this? (rhetorical question)

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We Can Do Better Than Dandelions

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We Can Do Better Than Dandelions

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Archives

Original Archives1,257 posts fromJuly 2007 - May 2017

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Original Archives

1,257 posts from

July 2007 - May 2017