St. Mary’s Garden
Our newest native pollinator garden planted in the spring and summer of 2025.
These are the perennials in our native pollinator garden at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, located at 347 Davis Avenue in Staten Island, New York.
We are grateful to the North Shore Rotary Club of Staten Island for donating these plants, and to our volunteers for their work in planting them.
Blue Lobelia – Lobelia siphilitica
Staten Island Native
Lobelia siphilitica. Photo by Cbaile19. Public domain.
Common Yarrow – Achillea millefolium
Mid-Atlantic Native
White ray florets in umbrella like clusters of 10 to 30 florets
Flowers: June – September
Sets seeds : September, October
Dry to average soil moisture
Full sun to part sun
1 – 4 ft in height
Blooms are attractive to Native Bumblebees, beneficial Insects, monarch butterflies, other butterflies and various moths
Plant provides shelter and nesting habitat for native bees and a larval host site for some species of moths and butterflies
Achillea millefolium. Photo by Lenny Librizzi.
Dense Blazing Star – Liatris spicata
Mid-Atlantic Native
Multiple small lavender to purple flowers growing on a long spike
Flowers: July, August, September
Sets seeds : October
Average to wet soil moisture
Full sun to part shade
2-5 ft in height
Blooms are attractive to Native Bumblebees and flower specialist bees, beneficial Insects, monarch butterflies and other butterflies
Plant provides shelter and nesting habitat for native bees and a larval host site for some species of moths and butterflies
Liatris spicata. Photo by Lenny Librizzi.
Eastern Swamp Milkweed – Asclepius incarnata ssp. pulchra
Mid-Atlantic Native
Clusters of small pink florets with hoods and horns above and petals below
Flowers: June, July, August
Sets seeds : September
Wet to average soil moisture
Full Sun to part sun
3 – 5 ft in height
Blooms are attractive to native bumblebees, beneficial insects, monarch and other butterflies
Plant provides a larval host site for monarch butterflies
Asclepius incarnata. Photo by Lenny Librizzi.
Gray Goldenrod – Solidago nemoralis
Staten Island Native
Solidago nemoralis. Photo by Douglas Goldman. CC BY-SA 4.0.
Purple Coneflower – Echinacea purpurea
Mid-Atlantic Native
Single flower on each stem with a dark dome or cone like center and lavender petals
Flowers: July, August, September
Sets seeds : October
Average Soil moisture
Full sun to part shade
2-4 ft in height
Blooms are attractive to Native Bumblebees and flower specialist bees, beneficial Insects, monarch butterflies, other butterflies and various moths
Plant provides shelter and nesting habitat for native bees and a larval host site for some species of moths and butterflies
Echinacea purpurea. Photo by Lenny Librizzi.
Red Columbine – Aquilegia canadensis
Staten Island Native
Aquilegia canadensis. Photo by Stephanie Harvey. CC BY 2.0.
Slender Mountain Mint – Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
Mid-Atlantic Native
Small white flowers tinged with lavender in dense clusters
Flowers: June – September
Sets seeds : October
Average soil moisture
Full sun to part shade
1 – 3 ft in height
Blooms are attractive to Native Bumblebees, beneficial Insects, monarch butterflies, other butterflies and various moths
Plant provides shelter and nesting habitat for native bees
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium. Photo courtesy Peganum, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Sneezeweed – Helenium autumnale
Mid-Atlantic Native
Multiple flowers on main stems with dark yellow dome center and bright yellow petals
Flowers: August, September
Sets seeds : October
Likes damp to wet soils
Full sun to part shade
2-4 ft in height
Blooms are attractive to Native Bumblebees and flower specialist bees, beneficial Insects, various butterflies and moths
Plant provides a larval host site for some species of moths and butterflies
Helenium autumnale. Photo by Lenny Librizzi.
Wild Bergamot – Monarda fistulosa
Mid-Atlantic Native
Spiky compound lavender flowers
Flowers: July, August, September
Sets seeds : October
Dry to Average soil moisture
Full sun to part shade
2-4 ft in height
Blooms are attractive to Native Bumblebees and flower specialist bees, beneficial Insects, monarch butterflies, other butterflies and various moths
Plant provides shelter and nesting habitat for native bees and a larval host site for some species of moths and butterflies
Monarda fistulosa. Photo by Lenny Librizzi.
Yellow Wild Indigo – Baptisia tinctoria
Mid-Atlantic Native
Multiple small yellow flowers along the stem
Flowers: June, July, August
Sets seeds : September
Dry to average soil moisture
Full sun to part shade
2- 3 ft in height
Blooms are attractive to native bumblebees and beneficial insects and some butterflies Plant provides a larval host site for some species of moths and butterflies
Baptisia tinctoria. Photo courtesy Willow, CC BY-SA 3.0.