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

6 plant records in this group.

Green

1 plant record in this group.

Neutral and gray

5 plant records in this group.

Orange and amber

152 plant records in this group.

Adam's Needle Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 4 - 10 Alder Orange and amber / Winter to Spring / Zone 2 - 7 Alfalfa Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone All Alsike Clover Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 3 - 8 American Basswood Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 3 - 8 American Bittersweet Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 3 - 8 American Persimmon Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 4 - 9 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 Gum Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 4 - 9 Black-eyed Susan Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 3 - 9 Blackberry Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 3 - 8 Blackhaw Viburnum Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 3 - 9 Blazing Star Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 3 - 8 Blue Crocus Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 3 - 8 Blue Vervain Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 3 - 8 Blueberry Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 3 - 7 Boneset Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 3 - 8 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 Burdock Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 3 - 10 Buttercup Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 4 - 8 Buttonbush Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 5 - 9 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 Cardinal Flower Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 3 - 9 Carolina Silverbell Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 4 - 8 Catnip Orange and amber / Spring to Fall / Zone 3 - 9 Cedar Orange and amber / Winter to Spring / Zone 3 - 9 Celandine Poppy Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 4 - 8 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 Common Snowberry Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 2 - 7 Courgette Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 2 - 11 Cowslip Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 4 - 9 Cranberry Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 2 - 7 Crimson Clover Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 3 - 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 False Indigo Bush Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 3 - 9 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 Golden Alexanders Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 3 - 9 Goldenrod Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 2 - 8 Gooseberry Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 3 - 8 Grape Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 3 - 9 Great Camas Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 4 - 8 Green-and-Gold Orange and amber / Spring to Fall / Zone 5 - 9 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 Honey Locust Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 3 - 8 Huckleberry Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 3 - 8 Hyacinth Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 4 - 8 Indian Hemp Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 3 - 9 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 Moss Phlox Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 3 - 9 Motherwort Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 3 - 9 Mustard Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 6 - 9 Northern Spicebush Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 4 - 9 Oak Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 4 - 9 Oakleaf Hydrangea Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 5 - 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 Ozark Witch Hazel Orange and amber / Winter to Spring / Zone 4 - 8 Peach Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 5 - 9 Plantain (Buck) Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 5 - 8 Plantain (Ribwort) Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 5 - 8 Poison Ivy Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 3 - 10 Poplar Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 3 - 9 Privet Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 5 - 8 Purple Prairie Clover Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 3 - 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 Rough Oxeye Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 3 - 9 Sainfoin Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 4 - 9 Sassafras Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 4 - 9 Serviceberry Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 4 - 8 Sheep Laurel Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 1 - 8 Shepherd's Purse Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 7 - 9 Simpson's Rosinweed Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 7 - 10 Smartweed Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 3 - 10 Sourwood Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 5 - 9 Southern Catalpa Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 5 - 9 Southern Magnolia Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 6 - 10 Spanish Needles Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 5 - 11 Squash Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 2 - 11 Staghorn Sumac Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 3 - 8 Summersweet Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 3 - 9 Sunflower Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 2 - 11 Swamp Rose Mallow Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 5 - 9 Sweet Chestnut Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 4 - 8 Sweet Corn Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 2 - 11 Sycamore Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 4 - 9 Threadleaf Coreopsis Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 3 - 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 Tree of Heaven Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 4 - 8 Tulip Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 3 - 8 Tulip Poplar Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 4 - 9 Virginia Bluebells Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 3 - 8 Virginia Creeper Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 3 - 9 Virginia Spiderwort Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 4 - 9 Virginia Sweetspire Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 5 - 9 Wallflower Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 6 - 10 White Sweet Clover Orange and amber / Spring to Fall / Zone 3 - 9 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 Winged Sumac Orange and amber / Summer / Zone 4 - 9 Yarrow Orange and amber / Summer to Fall / Zone 3 - 9 Yellow Crocus Orange and amber / Spring / Zone 3 - 8 Yellow Sweet Clover Orange and amber / Spring to Fall / Zone 3 - 9 Yellow Wild Indigo Orange and amber / Spring to Summer / Zone 3 - 9

Purple and violet

1 plant record in this group.

Red and rust

20 plant records in this group.

White and cream

14 plant records in this group.

Yellow and gold

25 plant records in this group.