Be sure to check your Plant Hardiness Zone before you design your landscape or plant any flowers. I’m located in Zone 5b, so the plants below are some that I’ve found to work in my area. I’ll leave it to you to research planting recommendations for your particular yard, but keep in mind the availability of sun, your soil type, any drainage issues, and nuisance wildlife (rabbits, deer, etc).
You’ll also want to consider when the plants in your yard flower; ideally your yard will offer blooms from early spring through late fall to provide pollinators much-needed resources throughout the growing season. And, this list is by no means exhaustive! You might find other options that better suit your area or think of ones I’ve missed. The Xerces Society also has a great resource for pollinator-friendly plants you can filter by state and region. Happy Planting!
Annuals
Zinnias are easily my #1 recommendation to attract pollinators. I plant mine from seed and they’re an absolute joy to watch grow. They bloom for months and are available in a rainbow of colors. I’ve seen a variety of insects and birds enjoying the zinnias in my garden, such as:
- Bees: Honey Bees, Bumble Bees, Sweat Bees, Two-Spotted Longhorn Bees, at least 3-4 species of other native bees
- Butterflies: Monarchs, Black Swallowtails, Yellow Swallowtails, Pipevine Swallowtails, Skippers, Red Admirals, Painted Ladies
- Moths: Snowberry Clearwing
- Birds: Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds, Goldfinches
Marigolds are readily found at any garden store. Often used to border gardens to ward off pests, they also provide long-lasting blooms that pollinators will frequent when other flowers fade in late summer. I see bumble bees on mine later in the season.
Perennials
Allium is another of my favorites. It’s in the garlic/onion family and some varieties come in bulbs. The variety I have stays short, around 1-2 feet high. The greenery grows first, then it sends up the flowers, which rise up slowly like little alien spaceships! The flower balls are shades of purple. It blooms later in summer so it’s great for honey bees – they’re always covering it.
Anise Hyssop smells amazing! Part of the mint family, it puts out stalks of purple flowers. These get tall – around 3 ft – and can spread, so make sure you plant in a place with room to grow. They attract many different types of bees and are a great addition to your yard.
Autumn Clematis wasn’t on my radar until my neighbor’s began to creep over our fence. It creates a magnificent blanket of fragrant white flowers that honey bees can’t get enough of! This blooms in September and I would highly recommend adding it as a great late-season option.
Black- or Brown-Eyed Susan is a bright yellow long-time bloomer. They attract a variety of pollinators, and the chipmunks have certainly enjoyed eating the seed heads after mine are done blooming!
Blazing Star Liatris is a fun one to grow. They look a bit like a Dr. Seuss creation with their fuzzy stalks, but honey bees love them because of all the tiny purple/pink blooms! These typically grow 1-3 feet tall, but in 2023, mine grew 5 feet tall. Keep that in mind as you plant, as I had to use supports to keep them upright.
Calamintha is short, but can still make a big impact. They stay around 1 ft tall and attract a variety of native bees, as well as honey bees. I’ve seen them planted in large groups and they can be breathtaking – like a sea of stars. I have white, but purple is also an option.
Cardinal Flower is a stunner as well, and both hummingbirds and honey bees will come to forage on the bright red flowers. This is a good choice because it blooms later in the summer, when other flowers are slowing down. Mine has stayed around 2 feet tall.
Coneflowers attract a variety of bees and butterflies, and come in multiple color options. They can get tall and rangy, close to 3-4 feet. I like to leave them after they bloom for birds to eat the seeds.
Goldenrod gets a bad rap as a weed, but it’s a wonderful plant. It’s often mistaken for ragweed, which is what actually makes you sneeze. The pollen grains in goldenrod are too heavy to be moved by wind, so it’s definitely ragweed giving you the sniffles. In September, goldenrod blooms tall yellow flowers that look like feathers. It’s an important late-season nectar source for honey bees. Don’t pull these if you see them, but be warned, they can spread and become invasive.
Great Blue Lobelia is a new-to-me plant that I first planted in 2022. It has blue flowers on tall stalks, around 3 ft high, and I’ve seen bumble bees enjoying the blooms. I’m interested to see how it does after it’s established for a few years.
Hydrangeas are a wonderful choice If you want to fill in big gaps in your yard. There are MANY types; I have the Incrediball® variety and the flower heads are simply massive. I do see honey bees on these in early summer for pollen. They bloom white, then turn green for the rest of summer, and I leave them up all winter (even when they’re brown, they give visual interest) and cut them back in the spring.
Prairie Phlox is another tall grower, 2-3 feet high. It’s good for height and color as you’re planning your landscaping. I don’t see as many pollinators on these, as their nectar source is at the bottom of the bloom and many bees’ proboscises (tongues) aren’t long enough to reach inside. But at times I’ve seen honey bees and bumble bees chew a hole in the bottom of the bloom to access the nectar. They’re pretty for a bright pop of color. They are available in white and shades of pink.
Sedum is a great border plant you may see in lots of landscape designs. It has succulent-like leaves and blooms pink in mid- to late-summer. I’ve seen a variety of different bees and flies on mine.
Sunflowers are a slam dunk to plant for all types of wildlife. They will attract bumble bees and honey bees, as well as birds, chipmunks, and squirrels if you leave the heads on the stems after they bloom. Alternatively, after they’re done blooming, you can cut the heads off and store them upside down in a paper bag to let the seeds dry out. Then you’ve got another stash to plant for next year.
Trees are a surprisingly important source of early season pollen and nectar, which many of us don’t think about! Double check, based on your location, whether any of these are good options for your yard (some towns have rules regarding acceptable trees, especially in parkways). If you’re in the market to plant a tree, here are a few to consider as they are great for honey bees:
- Basswood/Linden
- Black Locust
- Cherry
- Flowering Crabapple
- Maple
- Red Bud
- Tulip
Vegetable Gardens are underrated as a source of pollen and nectar for bees. Imagine the excitement I felt the first time I saw one of my honey bees on one of my cucumber plants! You’ll see honey bees pollinating cucumbers, squash, blueberries, etc.
Local Source Recommendations
If you’re in the western suburbs of Chicago and are looking for plants, here are a few of my favorite sources:
- The Growing Place
- Wannemaker’s Home and Garden
- DuPage County Forest Preserve Native Plant Sale (yearly in May)
- Morton Arboretum’s Arbor Day Plant Sale (April or May)
- Home Depot/Menard’s (usually my last resort, as they don’t always have the highest quality)
- Friends & Neighbors
All information above has been gathered from my own experience gardening, beekeeping, and observing. Any errors are accidental and my own!