Pollen Colors by Color Family

Use this color-family index to compare plants by broad pollen hue. Each link opens a plant page with a photo, visual color guide, bloom season, USDA zone, and forage value.

Pollen color is highly variable. Lighting, pollen age, moisture, collection method, cultivar, and local growing conditions can all change how pollen appears. Use this as general visual guidance, not a scientific color standard or guaranteed field match.

How to Use This Page

Color families are broad labels, not exact measurements. Use them to narrow a likely plant list before checking bloom season, plant type, geography, and nearby flowering plants.

Plants in the same color family may be unrelated botanically, and a single pollen load can shift color when pollen is mixed, aged, wet, or viewed under different light.

Related Guides

Blue

5 plant records in this group.

Green

1 plant record in this group.

Neutral and gray

4 plant records in this group.

Orange and amber

93 plant records in this group.

Alder Orange and amber / Winter to Spring / Zone 2 - 7 Alfalfa Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone All Apple Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 3 - 6 Ash Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 4 - 9 Aster Orange and amber / Fall / Zone 3 - 8 Balsam Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 2 - 11 Berberis Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 4 - 9 Bindweed Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 3 - 9 Birch Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 2 - 7 Bird's-Foot Trefoil Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 3 - 9 Black-eyed Susan Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 3 - 9 Blackberry Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 3 - 8 Blue Crocus Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 3 - 8 Blueberry Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 3 - 7 Borage Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 2 - 11 Box Orange and amber / Year-round / Zone 5 - 8 Broccoli Orange and amber / Spring to Fall / Zone 2 - 11 Buddleia Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 5 - 9 Bugle Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 4 - 10 Buttercup Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 4 - 8 Cabbage Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 2 - 11 Calendula Orange and amber / Spring to Fall / Zone 2 - 11 Californian Poppy Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 6 - 10 Cedar Orange and amber / Winter to Spring / Zone 3 - 9 Charlock Orange and amber / Spring / Zone not specified Coltsfoot Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 4 - 9 Common Beech Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 4 - 7 Common Lime Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 3 - 8 Courgette Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 2 - 11 Cowslip Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 4 - 9 Daffodil Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 3 - 8 Dahlia Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 8 - 10 Daisy Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 3 - 10 Dill Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 2 - 11 Dogwood Orange and amber / Spring to Fall / Zone 2 - 9 Echinacea Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 3 - 9 Elder Orange and amber / Spring to Fall / Zone 3 - 10 Elm Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 2 - 9 Evening Primrose (Common) Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 5 - 8 Evening Primrose (Wild) Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 3 - 9 False Acacia Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 4 - 8 Fennel Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 4 - 9 Field Bean Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 3 - 10 Flowering Currant Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 6 - 9 Forsythia Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 5 - 8 Foxglove Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 4 - 8 Goldenrod Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 2 - 8 Gooseberry Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 3 - 8 Hairy Willowherb Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 4 - 9 Hawthorn Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 4 - 8 Himalayan Balsam Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 5 - 9 Hogweed Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 4 - 7 Hyacinth Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 4 - 8 Ivy Orange and amber / Fall / Zone 6 - 10 Knapweed Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 3 - 9 Laurel Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 6 - 9 Laurustinus Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 7 - 9 Lavender Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 5 - 8 Lilac (Common) Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 2 - 9 Lilac (Persian) Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 2 - 9 Ling Heather Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 4 - 8 Marjoram Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 6 - 9 Milkweed Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 3 - 9 Mustard Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 6 - 9 Oak Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 4 - 9 Oil Seed Rape Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 3 - 9 Onion Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 5 - 10 Ox-Eye Daisy Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 3 - 8 Plantain (Buck) Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 5 - 8 Plantain (Ribwort) Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 5 - 8 Poplar Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 3 - 9 Privet Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 5 - 8 Ragwort Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 5 - 8 Raspberry Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 3 - 9 Red & White Clover Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 3 - 9 Rhododendron Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 4 - 8 Sainfoin Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 4 - 9 Shepherd's Purse Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 7 - 9 Squash Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 2 - 11 Sunflower Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 2 - 11 Sweet Chestnut Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 4 - 8 Sycamore Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 4 - 9 Thyme Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 4 - 9 Toadflax Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 5 - 8 Tomato Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 2 - 11 Tulip Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 3 - 8 Virginia Creeper Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 3 - 9 Wallflower Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 6 - 10 Wild Bluebell Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 5 - 9 Wild Honeysuckle (Yellow) Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 4 - 9 Willow Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 2 - 9 Yarrow Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 3 - 9 Yellow Crocus Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 3 - 8

Purple and violet

1 plant record in this group.

Red and rust

20 plant records in this group.

White and cream

7 plant records in this group.

Yellow and gold

24 plant records in this group.