Pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds do more than just add beauty—they’re essential for healthy gardens and abundant harvests. The right plants can invite these helpful visitors to your yard and keep them coming back.
If you want a lively, colorful garden that supports the ecosystem, start with these 13 pollinator-approved picks. They’re easy to grow, gorgeous to look at, and loved by pollinators of all kinds.
Bee Balm
With its bright, spiky blooms, bee balm lives up to its name. It’s a magnet for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Plus, it adds bold color to your garden and even has a pleasant, minty scent.
Milkweed
Milkweed is the ultimate plant for attracting monarch butterflies. It provides essential food for their caterpillars and nectar for adults. Planting milkweed helps support a declining butterfly population.
Lavender
Bees can’t resist the calming scent of lavender. Its long bloom season means months of nectar for pollinators. As a bonus, it’s drought-tolerant and looks great in any garden.
Coneflower (Echinacea)
These hardy perennials provide pollen for bees and nectar for butterflies. Their sturdy stalks and daisy-like blooms also attract goldfinches once the flowers go to seed. Coneflowers thrive in full sun and poor soil.
Zinnias
Zinnias offer bright, bold blooms that attract butterflies and bees with ease. They bloom all summer long and come in a rainbow of colors. These flowers are perfect for beginner gardeners and pollinators alike.
Salvia
Salvia’s tubular flowers are made for hummingbirds and bees. It’s low-maintenance and blooms repeatedly throughout the growing season. Choose blue or purple varieties for maximum attraction.
Black-Eyed Susan
These sunny flowers are not only cheerful—they’re also pollinator favorites. Butterflies, native bees, and beetles love them. They reseed easily and return stronger each year.
Yarrow
Yarrow’s flat-topped blooms are perfect landing pads for pollinators. It’s especially attractive to beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps. It’s also drought-resistant and thrives in tough conditions.
Goldenrod
Goldenrod is often mistaken for ragweed, but it’s a major nectar source for bees and butterflies. It blooms late in the season, giving pollinators fuel for migration. It also adds rich golden tones to your fall garden.
Cosmos
Cosmos attract bees, butterflies, and even some birds. Their delicate blooms sway on tall, graceful stems. They thrive in poor soil and bloom continuously with little effort.
Catmint (Nepeta)
This hardy herb produces clusters of small purple-blue flowers that pollinators adore. It’s long-blooming, fragrant, and also deer-resistant. Bees in particular are big fans of catmint.
Liatris (Blazing Star)
With its tall, fuzzy spikes, liatris is a standout in any garden. It’s a favorite of butterflies, especially monarchs and swallowtails. This native plant also does well in dry, sunny spots.
Borage
This edible herb has brilliant blue, star-shaped flowers loved by honeybees. Borage self-seeds easily and helps improve soil quality. Plus, the flowers and leaves are both edible and beautiful.
Planting for pollinators isn’t just great for your garden—it helps the entire ecosystem. With these 13 pollinator-friendly picks, you’ll create a buzz-worthy space that’s bursting with life, color, and purpose.
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