30 Flowers that Attract Pollinators to Your Garden
As the weather warms up and springtime approaches, gardening enthusiasts are gearing up for planting season. If you’re looking to create a garden that will attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, you’ll want to choose the right flowers. Here are 30 flowers that will make your garden a pollinator paradise:
1. Butterfly bush – aptly named, the butterfly bush attracts a wide variety of butterflies to your garden.
2. Coneflower – both purple and yellow varieties are prime favorites of bees.
3. Black-eyed Susan – this perky perennial will attract butterflies, bees, and birds to your garden.
4. Lavender – bees can’t get enough of the sweet fragrance of lavender flowers.
5. Marigold – a classic garden favorite, marigolds attract bees and butterflies.
6. Sunflower – taller varieties attract bees and birds, and the seeds are a favorite of squirrels and other wildlife.
7. Bee balm – also known as bergamot, this plant attracts bees and hummingbirds.
8. Zinnia – bright and colorful, zinnias are magnets for butterflies and bees.
9. Sage – bees are drawn to the sweet fragrance of sage flowers.
10. Aster – butterfly species such as monarchs, painted ladies, and fritillaries love this flower.
11. Goldenrod – this plant has vibrant yellow flowers that will bring bees and butterflies to your garden.
12. Snapdragon – bees are attracted to the plethora of colors and shapes in the snapdragon family.
13. Verbena – both bees and butterflies are drawn to the sweet nectar of Verbena flowers.
14. Crocus – the early-blooming crocus provides much-needed pollen and nectar for bees.
15. Phlox – this fragrant plant is a favorite of butterflies.
16. Catnip – while cats go crazy for it, bees and butterflies love the nectar of catnip flowers.
17. Honeysuckle – this fragrant plant is a favorite of hummingbirds and bees.
18. Daffodil – another early bloomer, bees love the yellow flowers of the daffodil.
19. Hollyhock – tall and spiky, this plant attracts both bees and butterflies.
20. Snapdragons – another great garden favorite, it attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
21. Hyssop – bees and butterflies swarm around the fragrant blooms of this plant.
22. Salvia – this plant boasts vibrant flowers that attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
23. Daylily – while these flowers only last a day, they attract bees and butterflies like no other.
24. Milkweed – a must-have for any butterfly garden, monarch caterpillars depend on milkweed as their food source.
25. Petunia – bright and colorful, petunias attract bees and butterflies.
26. Rose – while you might not think of roses as pollinator-friendly, bees and butterflies love the sweet nectar.
27. Columbine – this flower attracts both hummingbirds and bees.
28. Cosmos – daisy-like flowers with colors that range from white to pink and purple attract bees and butterflies.
29. Bleeding heart – this unique flower attracts bees and hummingbirds.
30. Borage – this blue flower is a favorite of honeybees.
When planting your pollinator garden, consider planting a variety of flower shapes, colors and scents to keep your visitors coming back. Creating a pollinator-friendly garden supports the ecosystem and is rewarding to observe as you watch the bees and butterflies flit from flower to flower. Happy gardening!