Celebrating National Pollinator Month: How Native Trees Help Pollinators Thrive

🌸 Celebrating National Pollinator Month: How Native Trees Help Pollinators Thrive 🌳🐝

June is National Pollinator Month, a time to recognize the essential work of bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, birds, and other creatures that help plants reproduce and keep ecosystems thriving. While wildflowers often steal the spotlight in pollinator conversations, native trees quietly play a crucial role in supporting pollinator communities too.

Here at Remembrance Forest, we believe in honoring the full tapestry of nature’s relationships — and native trees are a vital thread in that story. Let’s shine a light on a couple of native tree species that both benefit pollinators and, in some cases, rely on them for their own survival.

🌸 Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)

One of the earliest bloomers in the spring, Eastern Redbud adds a burst of magenta-pink flowers to woodlands and yards alike. Its small, showy blossoms appear directly on the branches and trunk before the leaves emerge, providing an important early-season food source.

Why it matters to pollinators:

• Redbud flowers are rich in nectar and attract a variety of early-emerging native bees, including long-tongued bees like carpenter bees and bumblebees.

• As one of the first floral resources available in spring, it helps pollinators recover from winter and kick-start their foraging season.

Bonus: Redbud’s heart-shaped leaves and striking form make it a beloved ornamental tree, combining beauty with ecological value.

🌸 Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)

Black Cherry is more than just a beautiful native tree with glossy leaves and rich, dark bark. In spring, it bursts into clusters of delicate white flowers that attract a wide range of pollinators.

Why it matters to pollinators:

• Its nectar-rich flowers draw in native bees, flies, and butterflies.

• Black Cherry supports over 450 species of moth and butterfly caterpillars, making it a powerhouse for the entire food web — caterpillars that birds rely on to feed their young.

Fun fact: While it can self-pollinate to some degree, cross-pollination by insects leads to better fruit production, which in turn feeds countless birds and mammals through the summer and fall.

🌸 American Basswood (Tilia americana)

Sometimes called Linden, American Basswood is a favorite among both humans and pollinators. Its fragrant, pale-yellow flowers bloom in early summer, offering a vital nectar source just when many other flowers have faded.

Why it matters to pollinators:

• Basswood flowers are particularly attractive to native bees, including bumblebees and sweat bees.

• It’s an important mid-season nectar source, helping pollinators sustain themselves between the spring and late-summer floral peaks.

Bonus: Beekeepers prize Basswood for producing light, floral honey when hives are placed near these trees.

🌱 Native Trees Are Pollinator Habitat Too

When we think of creating pollinator-friendly landscapes, adding flowering perennials and shrubs is important — but integrating native trees adds height, structure, and seasonal resources that many pollinators depend on. From early spring pollen to late-summer nectar and fall fruits, native trees help complete the lifecycle of countless beneficial species.

As we celebrate National Pollinator Month, consider planting a native tree as a living tribute to both people and the pollinators that make life possible.

Helping pollinators is essential to Remembrance Forest. We are a partner of Monarch Joint Venture and have a designated prairie area full of wildflowers. For more details, check out our Pollinator Habitat page. Please consider supporting our pollinator-friendly habitat restoration efforts by purchasing a Memorial Tree or Celebration Tree, both of which fund the restoration of native habitat.

Your actions grow beyond today. 🌳🐝💚