Pollinator Friendly Plants to Grow in Your Backyard

Pollinator friendly plants to grow

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Attracting pollinators to your garden is a must if you want it to thrive. What’s more, these insects will pollinate further afield, helping to ensure a thriving ecosystem throughout the local area.

In this guide, we will show you how you can create a pollinator garden and what pollinator-friendly plants you should be growing in your backyard.

What is a Pollinator Garden?

Pollinator garden

The simplest explanation for a pollinator garden is a garden that is filled with plants and flowers that are full of pollen and nectar with the sole purpose of attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies. There are other types of pollinators that your garden will attract, including insects like flies and moths but also various types of bats and birds, including the beautiful hummingbird.

In nature, there are a lot of plants that will self-pollinate with the help of factors like the wind, but this isn’t always the case, and some species rely on these critters to help with pollination. But what even is pollination, I hear you cry? It’s simply the act of moving pollen from one plant to the stigma of another. This allows for fertilization and therefore, more plants!

What is pollination

Adding native plants that contain a lot of pollen and nectar to your garden is the best way to attract pollinators. But there are also other things you can do. Make sure that your pollinator visitors have somewhere sheltered away from the wind and provide them with a source of water. Moreover, avoid the use of chemicals in your garden and be sure to plant a wide range of plants and flowers.

Why are Pollinator Gardens So Important?

Benefits of pollinator gardens

There has been a rapid decline in the number of pollinators owing to the fact that their habitats are not being preserved. It’s important for us, as gardeners, to create a safe haven for these creatures because if we don’t, then the plant population could also decline.

Creates a Healthy Ecosystem

Pollinators like bees, moths, butterflies, and birds are essential in helping to create a healthy ecosystem. Since they will pollinate a wide range of fruiting and flowering plants, they are contributing to the diet of a whole host of different animals, making for a more diverse and healthy ecosystem.

What might surprise you even more is that it isn’t only insects and animals that benefit from this but humans too! You see, as much as 80% of the food grown in the United States is helped by native pollinators. It’s not difficult to see their importance.

Helps to Reduce the Decline of Vital Pollinators

The problem we are facing is that there is a significant decline in the number of pollinators. This is owing to several factors, but it all comes down to one thing; the natural habitats of the pollinators are decreasing. A lot of these habitats are being converted into farmland, and we don’t have as many green spaces as we used to.

Moreover, there is evidence to suggest that climate change is having an impact on pollinator populations. Seasonal rises in temperatures and warmer winters are having a direct effect on our pollinators.

While there has been a significant decrease in the number of pollinators, it is good to see that in urban areas, efforts are being made to increase the number of insects like bees. But of course, we can all do our bit, and even if you only have a small balcony or patch of grass, you can still plant a few things to attract these important creatures.

More and more agricultural businesses and domestic gardeners are using chemicals like pesticides on their crops. While these may be effective at removing pests, they can also harm beneficial insects like pollinators.

Creating a pollinator garden will reinstate these creatures’ habitats, and since they’re so important for the growth of our food, this is something that matters to all of us.

How to Create a Pollinator Garden?

How to Create a Pollinator Garden

Creating a pollinator garden doesn’t need to be a difficult task. As we have mentioned, even the smallest space can play host to pollinators as long as you include all of the right aspects. Things like a water source, plenty of native flowers across several species, and cutting the use of chemicals all play an important role.

Plant a Diverse Range of Pollinator Plants

If you’re going to create a pollinator garden then there is very little use just including one or two types of plants. You want to attract as many different pollinators as possible, and this can only be done with diversity. It may surprise you to learn that it is recommended to include between 15 and 25 types of plants in one garden.

You will need to choose varying species as well as different sized plants if you want to bring in as many different birds and insects as possible. This will help to ensure that all creatures have food throughout the year so try to include flowering plants, trees, shrubs, and much more.

Furthermore, using plants in different sizes can be beneficial as this will further attract different types of pollinators.

Consider the Flowering Season

As a gardener, you will be familiar with the concept that not all flowers bloom at the same time. For this reason, it is essential to make sure you have plants that flower at different points throughout the year. This ensures that all pollinators have access to food no matter what time of year they visit your garden.

Most plants flower somewhere between early spring and late fall, so choose a broad range to see flowers blooming across all seasons.

Avoid Using Pesticides & Herbicides

You might think that you’re doing your garden a favor by treating it with herbicides and pesticides, and these chemicals will do a good job of killing pests and diseases. However, they are also harmful to pollinators, so you should limit their use as much as possible. If you can, don’t use them at all.

Plant in a Sunny Position That is Sheltered

Most pollinator-friendly plants like being in a sunny spot, so it’s important to choose the right location for your plants. What’s more, heat from the sun ensures that pollinators remain active, so it’s even more critical to plant in a sunny location. You’ll want somewhere that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight every day.

However, you will also need to make sure that your chosen spots are sheltered from the wind and any potential predators.

Use Native Plants

The simplest and potentially most important thing that you can do when creating a pollinator garden is to use native plants. These are plants that are suitable for the local climate and soil type, so they will thrive better than anything else. Moreover, they will help to attract local pollinators, boosting the nearby ecosystem and supporting local wildlife.

Consider the fact that the local wildlife will have a dependency on native species, so planting them ensures the most natural and favorable results.

Plant in Groups

Planting a single plant doesn’t give pollinators the best chance of finding it. Therefore, it is far better to plant in clumps so that our wildlife friends can easily spot the flowers. If you’re looking to attract certain pollinators to your yard, then research which plants attract them most easily and plant these together in groups of around five.

What are the Best Pollinator Plants to Grow?

Pollinator plants to grow

Sticking to native plants is the best way to create a pollinator garden and what’s great is that there are so many varieties to choose from. When planning your pollinator garden, you might wish to consider the following pollinator plants.

Perennials

Perennials are plants that flower year after year, and this is usually because they are native plants, so they have the right conditions to thrive. Being native means that they’re perfect for local wildlife and will attract far more pollinators than anything else. What’s more, since they grow year after year, you won’t need to worry about replanting when spring rolls around.

Aster (Aster amellus)

Aster (Aster amellus)

Aster blooms in late summer between July and September. This herbaceous perennial can grow up to three feet in height. The flowers can come in a wide array of colors, including blue, pink, or deep purple with a yellow center. Asters thrive best in a shady spot.

Attracts:

  • Butterflies
  • Honey bees
  • Bumblebees
  • Birds

Butterfly Bush (Buddleja spp.)

Butterfly Bush (Buddleja spp.)

Blooming between summer and early fall, the butterfly bush boasts lots of large, long trusses with either purple, blue, pink, red, yellow, white, or orange flowers. They’re one of the longest blooming plants for pollinators and what’s great about them is that they are incredibly hardy and will grow almost anywhere.

Attracts:

  • Butterflies
  • Bees
  • Moths
  • Hummingbirds

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Purple coneflowers are similar in appearance to daisies and can grow up to three and a half feet. The plants will bloom during midsummer and have a relatively long blooming period. The flowers have a pinkish to purple hue and they prefer a sunny location.

Attracts:

  • Butterflies
  • Bees
  • Birds

Lavender (Lavandula spp.)

Lavender (Lavandula spp.)

With fragrant purple flowers, these shrubs are ideal for attracting pollinators. The lavender bush will bloom at the height of summer between June and August and can also be used in cooking. These plants prefer a location in full sun and don’t require a large amount of water, preferring drier soil.

Attracts:

  • Bees – particularly bumble bees although honey bees will come too
  • Butterflies

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Yarrow is part of the aster family. The plant blooms throughout the summer months, typically between June and August. The flowers come in a wide variety of colors, from delicate white or pink to more vibrant yellow, orange, or red. While the flowers are quite small, the plant can grow up to three feet in height. You’ll need to plant yarrow in an area that benefits from full sun, preferably with loamy soil.

Attracts:

  • Butterflies
  • Bees
  • Birds
  • Moths

Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium maculatum)

Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium maculatum)

Joe-Pye weed is certainly anything but a weed and produces beautiful pink to purple flowers throughout the summer. What’s great is that this plant continues blossoming well into fall. While smaller specimens may only reach a few feet, it’s possible for Joe-Pye weed to grow upto 12 feet! They’re quite hardy but do prefer a partially sunny location and rich, moist soil.

Attracts:

  • Honey bees
  • Bumble bees
  • Cuckoo bees
  • Tiger swallowtail butterflies
  • Monarch butterflies
  • Skippers

Wild Lupine (Lupinus perennis)

Wild Lupine (Lupinus perennis)

Wild lupines prefer areas with dry soil with a high sand content. The plants are tall and narrow with clusters of indigo colored flowers which you can expect to bloom during the spring and summer months. It is worth noting that this is widely considered to be an invasive species.

Attracts:

  • Honey bees
  • Mason bees
  • Butterflies, particularly Frosted elfin, Sooty hairstreak, Arrowhead blue, Eastern tailed-blue and Wild indigo, among others.
  • Host plant for the Karner blue butterfly

Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa)

Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa)

You will sometimes hear this plant being called bergamot, and it is highly fragrant with light purplish flowers. The plant can grow up to four feet with a spread of three feet and thrives in drier soils and a sunny position. This plant has a long blooming period between June and September, so is a great choice for a pollinator garden.

Attracts:

  • Butterflies
  • Hummingbirds
  • Bees
  • Hawk moths
  • Wasps

Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)

Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)

Another member of the Asteraceae family, goldenrod produces bright yellow blooms that fan out from the center of the plant. They’re common around the US and there are more than 120 species. They do very well in a bright, sunny location and bloom from August, well into fall with the last flowers popping up around October.

Attracts:

  • Butterflies
  • Moths
  • Wasps
  • Bees

Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Common milkweed is one of many milkweed species but probably the most well-known. It’s a great choice for attracting native insects and should produce pinkish/white flowers all summer from June to August. Make sure to plant it in full sun and don’t overwater as it prefers medium to dry soil.

Attracts:

  • Honey bees
  • Monarch butterflies
  • Native bees
  • Beetles
  • Moths
  • Hummingbirds

Fuchsia (Fuchsia spp.)

Fuchsia (Fuchsia spp.)

Fuchsia produces beautifully bright flowers throughout the summer months that have a lantern-like appearance. The blooms hang down from the plant and what’s great about this one is that it doesn’t need full sun. If your garden is a little shadier, it will do well here. Although, you will want to make sure to adequately fertilize the soil.

Attracts:

  • Hummingbirds
  • Bees, especially bumble bees

Sedum (Sedum spp.)

Sedum (Sedum spp.)

While native to Asia and Europe, sedum will grow well in the USA. It boasts large, flat flowers which serve as the perfect landing platform for pollinators. What’s more is that this plant doesn’t bloom until the end of summer so will continue to feed pollinators through into fall. There are up to 70 different species of sedum and the appearance can vary between these. In any case, you’ll want to plant them in drier soil conditions.

Attracts:

  • Honey bees
  • Butterflies
  • Birds

Fox Glove (Digitalis spp.)

Fox Glove (Digitalis spp.)

Foxgloves have purple, white, pink, yellow, or red-colored flowers that grow on tall stems. These stems can reach more than six feet in height. The flowers have a tubular shape and begin blossoming in early summer, around June. They will continue to flourish until early fall. Since their native habitat is forest and woodland, you’re better to plant them in a shady spot.

Attracts:

  • Bees, but particularly the bumble bee
  • Common carder bee
  • Hummingbirds

Annuals

It’s highly recommended to use perennials as the foundation of your pollinator garden, but there’s nothing wrong in adding some annuals too. For starters, the blooming period of this type of plant tends to be longer, even though they will typically only bloom once.

Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

For the best results with black-eyed susan, you will want to plant in a partly sunny location in a loamy soil. The flowers come in a yellow hue and have an appearance that isn’t all that dissimilar to the coneflower. They’ll begin to bloom in June all the way through to September.

Attracts:

  • Butterflies
  • Honey bees
  • Beetles

Purple Fairy Tale Salvia (Salvia verticillata)

Purple Fairy Tale Salvia (Salvia verticillata)

As its name suggests, the purple fairy tale salvia boasts light purple colored flowers that come on a long stem. You will need to plant these in a sunny spot in well-drained soil as well as making sure they’re out of the wind. They bloom all throughout summer up until September and can grow up to 30 inches in height.

Attracts:

  • Butterflies
  • Bees
  • Hummingbirds

Purple Verbena (Verbena bonariensis)

Purple Verbena (Verbena bonariensis)

Purple verbena has a very uniquely colored flower that almost looks like a frosted rose/lavender. Not only is it beautiful, but it has one of the longest blooming periods, from June to the first frost. It likes to be in a sunny position and is a relatively low-maintenance plant.

Attracts:

  • Monarch butterflies
  • Bees
  • Moths
  • Hummingbirds

Borage (Borago officinalis)

Borage (Borago officinalis)

Sometimes called starflower thanks to the five petal, star-shaped blooms, borage is a brightly colored bloom that has a distinct blue hue. Much like purple verbena, this plant will blossom in June and continue until the first frost sets in. It can tolerate a range of conditions including part shade and full sun but best thrives in drier soils.

Attracts:

  • Bees but most notably the honey bee
  • Butterflies

Envy Zinnia (Zinnia elegans)

Envy Zinnia (Zinnia elegans)

Zinnias are incredibly easy to grow, and you are rewarded with brightly colored, multi-petal flowers that bloom from June up until the first frost. The flowers come in a range of colors, including pink, red, white, yellow, and many more. For the best results, plant them in full sun and water moderately.

Attracts:

  • Butterflies especially Swallowtails and Monarchs
  • Bees
  • Hummingbirds

Sunflower (Helianthus spp.)

Sunflower (Helianthus spp.)

Sunflowers are known for their height, so they’re great for flying insects. They have large yellow blooms with several petals and can grow up to 12 feet. Sunflowers do best in a bright, full sun position. Keep in mind that they may need structural support if they become very tall. Your sunflowers will begin blooming in summer and remain bright until well into fall.

Attracts:

  • Bumble bees
  • Hoverflies
  • Lacewings

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