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Since different pollinators are attracted to different types
of plants, you’ll want to include a variety of flowers that
specifically attract bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies.
Plants that attract bees include basil, bee balm, borage,
cosmos, geraniums, giant hyssops, lavender, lupines,
mint, poppies, rosemary, sage, sunflowers, thyme, wild
roses, zinnias, apples, cherries, pears, plums, raspberries,
strawberries, and willows.
Hummingbirds prefer bee balm, begonias, bleeding hearts,
butterfly weed, cannas, columbines, dahlias, delphinium,
foxglove, fuschias, geraniums, hollyhocks, impatiens, irises,
lilies, lupines, nasturtiums, petunias, sage, salvia, and zinnias.
Butterflies love bee balm, calendula, cosmos, delphiniums,
dianthus, hollyhocks, lavender, marigolds, nasturtiums,
oregano, sage, shasta daisies, yarrow, and zinnias.
Butterfly larvae, or caterpillars, have their own
preferences, which include borage, hollyhocks,
milkweed, thistles, and willows.
Now that you have an idea of what to include in your
pollinator-friendly garden, let’s go over my top 10 favorites
in a little more depth.
Top Ten Plants for Pollinators
If you are having a hard time deciding what to include in
your garden this year, here are my top 10 favorite plants
for pollinators. These add beauty and functionality to your
garden and help to create a diverse and thriving ecosystem.
Sunflowers are one of my all-time favorites and I look
forward to their blooms every year. There are many different
varieties. Some grow more than eight feet tall and move to
face the sun as it moves. Others have multiple heads per
stalk that bloom in a beautiful succession. The birds and
bees love them, and we love snacking on their edible seeds.