They need our help, bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds face growing challenges to survive. They and other pollinators such as moths, beetles, dragonflies, bats and birds and other small mammals are responsible for pollinating the world’s flowers and crops. Pollinators are vital to our ecosystem. Climate change, pesticides, habitat destruction, pollution and disease pose a threat to all of them.

We can help by creating an inviting habitat for them in our gardens and yards, we can do this by providing pollinators with food, water, cover, and places to raise their young.

Pollen attaches itself to pollinators when they land on a plant to feed, as they move between plants the pollen is transferred to the other plants. This process is necessary for the reproduction of flowering plants, vegetables, fruits and nuts. Without pollinators many of our food sources would disappear.

Some foods that we would lose without pollinators include honey, tree fruits, bananas, strawberries, melons, mangos, peaches, cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, avocados, onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, grapes, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, pumpkins, many varieties of nuts, seeds and beans, sugarcane, coffee, tea, chocolate and much more.

Planting flowers and plants that attract pollinators is key to their survival. I like perennials, they come back every year and save time and money since you don’t have to replant each spring.

What you plant depends on your location but here are some examples of flowers and plants that will attract all types of pollinators.

Helenium

Helenium, also known as sneezeweed and Helen’s flower produce orange, gold, brown and red flowers, the center is a pretty, dark color. The flowers provide an easy landing pad for insects and hummingbirds.

Grows to 1’-3’ tall x 15″-18″ wide, depending on the variety. They bloom in the late summer and fall.

Salvias

These attract all pollinators and bloom with rods of vividly colored flowers, the leaves have a velvety look and feel.

Salvia does not attract deer or rabbits. The leaves have a distinctive, pungent odor that acts as a repellent to some wildlife.

They can grow up to 5 feet tall, depending on the variety and bloom from late spring to early summer. When choosing salvias consider your region, some are best treated as annuals, but many perennial varieties are available.

Asters

Asters are very easy to grow and come in a variety of beautiful colors. Not only are they an excellent plant for pollinators the seed heads are loved by cardinals, chickadees, finches, nuthatches, and other seed eaters.

Grows to 1’-6’ tall and 1’-4’ wide, depending on the variety. They bloom late summer and early fall.

Black Eyed Susan

Also known as brown Betty, Marguerite Jaune and hairy coneflower. It is a wildflower, they are often seen growing in fields and along the roadside. All pollinators love them, and they are beautiful when cut and added to a bouquet. They are very easy to grow and resemble a daisy in many ways. You can plant them in the spring, after the last frost, and they will produce flowers the first summer although they can take a few years to reach full growth.

Grows to 24″-36″ tall and 18″-24″ wide, depending on the variety. Blooms mid-summer through fall.

Echinacea

Also called coneflower are a favorite of pollinators and birds. Deer don’t like them, so they won’t gobble them up. They are not invasive, but they do self-seed and spread which for some growers is a positive. They come in a variety of colors and look lovely when grown in groups. It is a wildflower. Cut flowers can last 10 days or more in bouquets.

Grows to 24″-36″ tall and 24″ wide, depending on the variety. Blooms mid-summer through fall.

Bee Balm

Bee balm has a tubular flower head. Flowers can be scarlet, white, red, lavender and pink. The flower heads can be 2-3 inches wide. They look lovely when planted in a large group.

Grows to 1’-4’ tall and 1’-3’ wide, depending on the variety. Blooms mid-summer through early fall.

Lavender

Lavender is extremely versatile. It can be grown in gardens, flowerbeds, pots and anywhere in your yard. It is a hardy plant and does well in dry conditions. Most varieties are very fragrant and produce beautiful purple, white, or pink flowers. It is lovely in a bouquet or dried and has many medicinal uses.

Grows 2-3 feet high and blooms most of the summer depending on the variety.

Goldenrod

Goldenrod is a wildflower and grows almost anywhere, often seen in fields and along the roadway. There are many varieties, they often produce large clusters of golden yellow flowers, although some are white or multicolored.

Some people blame goldenrod for summer and fall allergies but most often it is ragweed, not goldenrod that caused allergic reactions.

The size can be six inches to eight feet, depending on the species. They bloom in late summer and continue throughout autumn. Some varieties can spread excessively through self-seeding.

Milkweed

Also known as butterfly weed. All pollinators love milkweed but especially monarch butterflies. The monarch relies solely on milkweed to feed their young. The plant acts as both a source of food and as a host for the butterflies to lay their eggs. Once the larvae hatch, they feed on the leaves of the plant. When consumed, the chemicals in the plant make the caterpillars and butterflies distasteful to predators.

The flowers are small and star-shaped and depending on the species can come in yellow, green, purple, orange and pink. In the fall their large seed pods break open and release seeds which produce more plants.

Grows 2 to 5 feet, depending on the species. They bloom throughout the summer.

Herbs

Oregano, basil, and sage are very attractive to pollinators when they flower. Not only do you encourage visitors you benefit by consuming the fresh herbs yourself. Plant them in the spring after the last frost and enjoy them throughout the summer. Planting herbs in a pot contains their growth so they don’t spread.

Lilacs

Who doesn’t love the scent of lilacs? They come in many different varieties and colors. Some are more fragrant and flower longer than others. Some can grow quite large so consider the space you have when choosing a variety.

Honeysuckle

There are over 180 different varieties of honeysuckle, and they grow easily in almost every state in America. Their fragrant scent and lovely flowers are enjoyed by us and the pollinators. They can come as a bush or a climber. They can grow very large so be sure you have enough space to accommodate them. They can become invasive if not controlled so trimming and clipping should be part of their care. They are very resilient so even if they are clipped very short, they will come back strong in the spring.

There are many other plants that are attractive to pollinators. Do some reading and visit a local greenhouse to find out which plants are best suited for you.

Aside from planting you can also provide water using bird baths and other water containers, install bird and bat houses, bee houses, and hang hummingbird feeders, don’t use chemicals or pesticides on your lawn.