CREATE A GARDEN POLLINATORS THRIVE IN
Pollinators are crucial to our ecosystem! They benefit humanity in countless ways. Food production and nutrition, the health benefits of honey, our gardens, and environmental health are all greatly influenced by pollinators. Most of the fruits and vegetables we consume must be pollinated to produce. For many years, the pollinator population in America has been declining due to various factors, including the use of pesticides and chemical exposure, habitat loss and urban development, invasive plants that outcompete native species, and disease. At the nursery, we are actively working to increase pollinators in our community by growing 90% of the plants we offer right here on our property, never using neonicotinoids, and providing an environment that greatly encourages our pollinator friends to thrive. Below, we are sharing plants that instantly attract pollinators to your garden, as well as several other tips and ways to increase the number of pollinators in your area. Thank you for your partnership to ensure the survival of these vitally important workers!
Plants that Pollinators Love:
1. Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus): amazing, tropical-looking flowers that butterflies and hummingbirds adore! Blooms in late summer-early fall. There are many varieties to choose from.
Exposure: Full to part sun (blooms best in full sun)
Bloom time: Mid/late summer to early fall
Height/Spread: wide range depending on the variety
2. Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia): masses of flowers all summer long; Black Eyed Susan is a perennial that's beautiful and cheerful!
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom time: Summer to early fall
Height/Spread: Up to 3 feet tall & wide
3. Coneflower (Echinacea): a beautiful, upright perennial that comes in an array of colors; bees especially love these flowers!
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom time: Summer to early fall
Height/Spread: 18 to 30 inches tall, 18 to 24 inches wide
4. Husker Red Beard Tongue (Penstemon digitalis): a perennial with stunning dark foliage and small white flowers on upright stalks, Penstemon is a favorite for hummingbirds!
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom time: Summer
Height/Spread: 30 inches tall, 18 inches wide
5. Salvia (Salvia): a beautiful perennial that boasts blue to purple upright flowers on tall, sturdy stems that pollinators love!
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom time: Late-spring through summer
Height/Spread: 36 inches tall, spreads 16-18 inches
6. Russian Sage (Perovskia): Russian Sage has unique, grey-green foliage with lavender, dainty flowers. It is the perfect perennial for a pollinator garden or cottage garden.
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom time: Early summer through early fall
Height/Spread: 18-24 inches tall, 18-20 inches wide
7. Lantana (Lantana): a wonderful annual that blooms profusely in cheerful colors from mid-spring through early fall! Pollinators absolutely love this annual.
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom time: Mid-spring through mid-fall
Height/Spread: depends on variety
8. Catmint (Nepeta x faassenii): this perennial boasts grey-green foliage and a mass of bluish-purple flowers from summer to early fall.
Exposure: Partial to full sun
Bloom time: late spring through early fall
Height/Spread: 12-18 inches tall, 18-30 inches wide
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9. Bee Balm (Monarda): pollinators (but not deer!) love this perennial flower! It truly is one of the best perennials to attract pollinators to your garden.
Exposure: Full to part sun
Bloom time: Summer
Height/Spread: 12-15 inches tall, 12-15 inches wide
10. Whirling Butterflies (Gaura lindheimeri): upright, airy, and lovely, this perennial gently blows through the wind and in spring has gorgeous whitish, light pink blooms. It looks beautiful in a mass planting!
Exposure: Full to part sun
Bloom Time: Spring
Height/Spread: 18 inches tall, 12 inches wide
11. Butterfly Bush (Buddleia): this beloved shrub attracts pollinators from late spring until early fall! It offers many different colors, depending on the variety. There are also many different options for mature size, meaning that one can fit in even the smallest of gardens!
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom time: Late spring-early fall
Height/Spread: Varies, depending on the variety; 2-8 feet tall, 2-8 feet wide
12. Pincushion Flower (Scabiosa): beautiful blooms feature bluish-purple pincushion flowers from late spring to early fall. The flowers are excellent for cutting, and their grey-green, fern-looking leaves add amazing interest.
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom time: Late spring to early fall
Height/Spread: 18 inches tall, 12-15 inches wide
13. Tickseed (Coreopsis): Coreopsis is a perennial that has masses of cheerful flowers all summer and into early fall!
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom Time: Summer into early fall
Height/Spread: 12-20 inches tall, 15-24 inches wide
14. Herbs: caterpillars use parsley, dill, fennel, and cilantro as host plants where they lay their eggs. If allowed to bloom, bees and butterflies love the flowers' nectar on many herbs, including the ones mentioned above, as well as lavender, basil, rosemary, thyme, and more.
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade, depending on variety
Bloom Time: Late spring to late summer
Height/Spread: Varies, depending on the type; approximately 1 to 3 feet tall & wide
15. Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum x superbum): this perennial is a classic beauty in a garden; looks beautiful in mass planting and makes a great cut flower. Bees love Shasta Daisies!
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom Time: Early summer to early fall
Height/Spread: Varies, 1-3 feet tall, 18-24 inches wide
16. Angelonia (Angelonia angustifolia): upright, tubular, orchid-like blooms cover this annual from mid-spring through summer! Hummingbirds and butterflies love this annual flower!
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom Time: Mid-spring to late summer
Height/Spread: 10-15 inches tall and wide
17. Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica): exciting, colorful flowers, fabulous for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds; Milkweed is the most important plant for monarch butterflies; gorgeous blooms on this annual flower from mid-spring until early fall
Exposure: Full to part sun
Bloom Time: Mid-spring to early fall
Height/Spread: 2-3 feet tall, 12-18 inches wide
18. Chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus): very showy, purple blooms adorn this multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub. Chaste tree looks beautiful in a mass planting, as part of a deciduous screen, or as a focal point in summer.
Exposure: Full to part sun
Bloom Time: Summer
Height/Spread: Varies, depending on the variety; 5-15 feet tall, 5-12 feet wide
19. Yarrow (Achillea): upright, spikey blo
Exposure: Full to part sun
Bloom Time: Late spring to mid-summer
Height/Spread: 1-2 feet tall & 1-2 feet wide
20. Trumpet-flower Vine (Bignonia capreolata): beautiful masses of
Zones: 3-9
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom Time: Early summer to mid-fall
Height/Spread: 1-3 feet tall by 1-3 feet wide
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21. Evergreens, such as Emerald Green Arborvitae (Thuja occadentalis): a deci
Zones: 5-9
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom Time: Late spring until frost
Height/Spread: Varies, 18 inches to 7 feet tall, 18 inches to 5 feet wide
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27. Lilac (Syringa): an exceptional, spring-blooming shrub that is well-loved by many. Large, fragrant clusters of flowers adorn these shrubs. Certain varieties only grow in colder climates; we offer varieties suited for the south.
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom Time: Mid-spring
Height/Spread: 6-12 feet tall & 5-8 feet wide, depending on variety
28. Sterile Chinese Snowball Viburnum: gigantic, beautiful white flower clusters, illuminating border areas; rich red-purple fall color.
Zones: 5-9
Exposure: Full sun to part sun (blooms best in full sun)
Bloom Time: Late spring
Height/Spread: 10 feet tall by 10 feet wide
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