Every spring, homeowners across NC reach for herbicide bottles to kill clover, dandelions, and violets. These plants are not the enemy — they are critical food sources for hundreds of pollinator species, often blooming when nothing else is available. Here are full profiles of the most important ones.
White Clover (Trifolium repens)
White clover is one of the single most important forage plants for honey bees in NC, providing abundant nectar throughout summer. It also feeds bumblebees and many native bee species.
Bonus: Clover fixes atmospheric nitrogen, naturally fertilizing your soil — reducing or eliminating the need for lawn fertilizer. It tolerates foot traffic and stays green during drought when grass browns out.
Clover is a lawn weed
Clover was a standard ingredient in lawn seed mixes until the 1950s–60s. When 2,4-D herbicide was developed (which kills clover), the lawn chemical industry simply rebranded clover as a weed.
Clover is a self-fertilizing wonder
It fixes nitrogen from air into soil, feeds bees all summer, stays green during drought, and tolerates foot traffic. It's free fertilizer and free bee food.
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Among the first flowers available to emerging bees in spring. When bees come out of winter dormancy, they need food immediately. The dandelion is often the only thing blooming. Spraying dandelions in March and April removes the only food source available during a critical survival window.
Bonus: The entire plant is edible and highly nutritious — leaves, flowers, and roots. Deep taproot breaks up compacted soil and pulls nutrients from underground.
Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia)
A true NC native wildflower. Host plant for at least 30 species of fritillary butterfly larvae. Feeds several specialist mining bees including Andrena violae. Flowers are edible — candied for cakes or made into violet jelly.
Violets Are Native
Unlike dandelions and clover (which are naturalized from Europe), violets are indigenous North Carolina wildflowers that have lived here for millennia. They are not weeds — they are part of the original NC landscape.
Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule)
One of the earliest spring bloomers — small purple tubular flowers provide nectar for early-emerging bumblebee queens, mason bees, and solitary bees when almost nothing else is available. Edible leaves taste like spinach, high in iron and calcium. Dies back naturally by summer — spraying is unnecessary.
Purple Deadnettle (Lamium purpureum)
Often confused with henbit. Pinkish-purple tubular flowers feed bumblebees, mason bees, and early pollinators. Like henbit, it dies back in summer on its own — a short-lived visitor that feeds pollinators when they need it most.
Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
One of the most important fall pollinator plants in the Eastern U.S. Provides critical late-season nectar and pollen when honey bees are building winter stores and bumblebees are rearing queens.
Goldenrod Does NOT Cause Hay Fever
This is one of the biggest misconceptions in botany. Goldenrod's heavy, sticky pollen is carried by insects, not wind — it physically cannot cause allergies. Ragweed (Ambrosia spp.), which blooms simultaneously but has inconspicuous green flowers, is the actual culprit. Spraying goldenrod removes one of the last nectar sources before winter.
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
Milkweed is the ONLY food source for Monarch butterfly caterpillars. Also provides abundant nectar for honey bees, bumblebees, native bees, and hummingbird moths. NC native species include Common Milkweed (A. syriaca), Butterfly Weed (A. tuberosa — vivid orange), Swamp Milkweed (A. incarnata — pink), and White Milkweed (A. variegata).
The loss of wild milkweed through herbicide spraying is considered a primary driver of the Monarch butterfly population collapse. Monarchs are now endangered. Every milkweed plant matters.
Wild Asters (Symphyotrichum spp.)
Along with goldenrod, asters are the other essential late-season nectar and pollen source. Without asters and goldenrod, honey bees cannot adequately prepare for winter. Critical for migrating Monarchs.
More Beneficial Plants
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Bloom | Pollinator Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joe-Pye Weed | Eutrochium spp. | Jul–Sep | Very high; bees, butterflies |
| Common Ironweed | Vernonia noveboracensis | Jul–Sep | Monarchs, native bees |
| Bee Balm | Monarda fistulosa | Jun–Sep | Bees, hummingbirds, butterflies |
| Black-Eyed Susan | Rudbeckia hirta | Jun–Oct | Butterflies, bees; feeds goldfinches |
| Purple Coneflower | Echinacea purpurea | Apr–Sep | Butterflies, bees, birds |
| Mountain Mint | Pycnanthemum spp. | Jul–Sep | Pollinator powerhouse; deer resistant |
| Blazing Star | Liatris spp. | Jul–Nov | Bees, butterflies, hummingbirds |
| Butterfly Weed | Asclepias tuberosa | Jun–Aug | Monarch host; vivid orange |
| Self-Heal | Prunella vulgaris | Jun–Sep | Bees, butterflies; tolerates mowing |
| Partridge Pea | Chamaecrista fasciculata | Jul–Sep | Bees, butterflies; nitrogen-fixing |
A Project of Save the Bees NC
DontSprayMeBro.com is an educational initiative of Save the Bees NC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to pollinator conservation and beekeeping education.
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