Not every plant is a friend to pollinators, and some in Illinois yards can do more harm than good. I’ve learned the hard way that even pretty plants might not be safe for bees and butterflies.
Choosing carefully makes a big difference in keeping your garden pollinator-friendly. A few swaps can turn your yard into a safe haven buzzing with life.
Let’s go over the plants you’ll want to avoid to protect those important visitors!
1. Japanese Barberry
This thorny shrub might seem like a good privacy hedge, but it’s highly invasive across Illinois landscapes. Its dense growth chokes out native plants that pollinators depend on for food.
Many gardeners in the Prairie State unknowingly plant barberry without realizing it creates pollinator dead zones. The berries also attract ticks, creating additional wildlife concerns.
2. Bradford Pear
Despite its beautiful spring blossoms, this ornamental tree has become an ecological nightmare throughout Illinois. The flowers actually emit a foul odor that attracts flies instead of beneficial pollinators.
What started as a popular suburban landscaping choice now threatens native Illinois ecosystems. Its weak branch structure makes it susceptible to storm damage, creating another reason to avoid this deceptively pretty tree.
3. English Ivy
Climbing walls and trees with lush green foliage, this aggressive vine might seem charming but actually suffocates native plants. In Illinois woodland edges, it creates green deserts where pollinators find no sustenance.
Many Illinois gardeners struggle to contain this vigorous grower once established. Its leaves contain chemicals that can be toxic to bees and butterflies when consumed in large quantities.
4. Purple Loosestrife
With striking purple flower spikes that bloom in summer, this wetland invader looks innocent enough. However, it rapidly takes over Illinois marshes and waterways, displacing native plants that local pollinators evolved alongside.
Wetland restoration projects across the Prairie State spend thousands removing this pretty but problematic plant. Each plant can produce over two million seeds annually, making it nearly impossible to control once established.
5. Butterfly Bush
Despite its misleading name, this flowering shrub offers little nutritional value to Illinois butterflies. Adult butterflies may visit the flowers, but caterpillars cannot feed on its leaves, breaking the life cycle support.
Many Illinois gardeners plant it with good intentions, not realizing its limited ecological value. Native alternatives like milkweed and coneflower provide complete habitat support for our state’s butterfly populations.
6. Norway Maple
This common shade tree creates dense canopy cover that prevents sunlight from reaching the forest floor. Throughout Illinois woodlands, it suppresses native wildflowers that early-season pollinators depend upon.
The shallow root system competes aggressively with other plants for water and nutrients in Illinois soil. Its prolific seedlings can quickly dominate natural areas, reducing biodiversity essential for healthy pollinator populations.
7. Chinese Wisteria
Those cascading purple flowers might look dreamy, but this aggressive vine strangles trees and shrubs across Illinois. Its rapid growth outcompetes native flowering plants that provide reliable pollinator food sources.
Many Illinois gardeners regret planting wisteria once they discover its destructive nature. Consider native alternatives like American wisteria or virgin’s bower that provide beauty without the ecological damage.
8. Autumn Olive
This silvery-leaved shrub was once recommended for Illinois conservation plantings before its invasive nature became apparent. It fixes nitrogen in soil, changing growing conditions for native plants that pollinators depend on.
Birds spread the berries throughout Prairie State natural areas, creating new infestations far from original plantings. Its early leafing habit shades out spring wildflowers that provide critical early-season nectar for emerging pollinators.
9. Burning Bush
Famous for brilliant red fall color, this landscape favorite escapes into Illinois woodlands where it displaces native understory plants. Its dense growth creates shade that prevents wildflower growth needed by native pollinators.
Many Illinois homeowners don’t realize this popular ornamental shrub threatens local ecosystems. Native alternatives like chokeberry or sumac provide similar autumn color while supporting dozens of pollinator species.
10. Callery Pear
A close relative of the Bradford Pear, this ornamental tree creates similar problems for Illinois pollinators. Its early blooming flowers contain compounds unattractive to most beneficial insects despite their showy appearance.
Throughout central Illinois, these trees form dense thickets in natural areas, crowding out native flowering species. Their weak branch structure makes them particularly vulnerable to ice damage during harsh Midwest winters.
11. Crown Vetch
Once widely planted for erosion control along Illinois highways, this spreading ground cover forms dense mats that smother native vegetation. Its pink flowers might look pretty but provide minimal value to specialized native pollinators.
The dense growth habit prevents the germination of wildflower seeds throughout the Prairie State. Consider native sedges or prairie dropseed for erosion control that simultaneously supports Illinois pollinator populations.
12. Privet
This common hedge plant escapes cultivation and invades Illinois woodland edges and openings. Its dense growth shades out native understory plants that would otherwise support diverse pollinator communities.
The small white flowers produce berries spread by birds throughout natural areas in the Land of Lincoln. Native alternatives like American hazelnut or ninebark provide better wildlife habitat while still offering privacy.
13. Periwinkle
This seemingly innocent ground cover with pretty blue flowers spreads aggressively through Illinois woodlands. It forms dense mats that prevent native wildflowers from emerging, eliminating crucial pollinator food sources.
Many Illinois gardeners plant periwinkle without realizing its invasive potential in nearby natural areas. Native alternatives like wild ginger or woodland phlox provide ground coverage without threatening the ecosystem.
14. Tree of Heaven
Despite its heavenly name, this fast-growing tree creates hellish conditions for Illinois pollinators. It releases chemicals into the soil that prevent other plants from growing nearby, creating pollinator food deserts.
Throughout southern Illinois, this invasive tree spreads rapidly in disturbed areas. It also serves as the primary host plant for the destructive spotted lanternfly, an emerging pest threatening our state’s ecosystems.