Evaluating the restoration and commercial seed growing potential of native plants that support pollinators

A key limitation for dryland restoration is the availability of native seed sources adapted to arid conditions; however, many native forbs lack basic ecological data relevant to restoration seed production. To address this gap, we evaluated six native forb species collected across the Colorado Plateau for their potential to be developed into restoration materials. We established a common garden trial designed to replicate agricultural conditions using 100 individuals from four populations per species and measured survival, growth, reproduction, and pollinator visitation. Three species, Spreading fleabane (Erigeron divergens), Hoary aster (Dieteria canescens), and Hairy false goldenaster (Heterotheca villosa), exhibited high survival, prolific flower and seed production, and attracted diverse pollinator groups, including multiple native bee taxa. In contrast, Horsetail milkweed (Asclepias subverticillata) and Prairie flax (Linum lewisii) had low seed yields but attracted distinct floral visitor guilds. Sphaeralcea parvifolia exhibited poor propagation success. Despite variable performance among species and populations, the trial demonstrated that plantings comprising multiple species and populations supported a wide array of pollinators and extended the timing of floral resource availability. These results underscore the value of integrating functionally complementary species into restoration plantings to promote pollinator diversity and identify candidate species for native seed production.