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The 22 Best Plants for Bees

Make your garden irresistible to pollinators—bees, sure, but also butterflies and hummingbirds—by planting these spring and summer flowers.

Johanna Silver
1 /22 Chris Leschinsky

Echium candicans

Big, mounding Pride of Madeira shrubs (Echium candicans) serve as absolute magnets for honeybees. While their large span aren’t ideally suitable for containers, their purple blooms and poor soil tolerance make them a great pick for both front and backyard gardens.

2 /22 Mark Turner

Aster x frikartii

In early summer to fall, butterflies often sun as they sip on these daisylike blooms. Perennial; full sun.

3 /22 Doreen L. Wynja

Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii)

Slender cones of flowers in spring and summer. Evergreen or deciduous; sun to light shade.

4 /22 Doreen L. Wynja

Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Slender cones of flowers in spring and summer. Evergreen or deciduous; sun to light shade.

5 /22 Mark Turner

Fennel

Airy umbrellas of yellow florets in summer also attract bees. Annual or perennial; full sun.

6 /22 Linda Lamb Peters

Lantana

Tiny flowers in tight clusters all year in mild climates. Evergreen shrub (annual in colder climate); full sun.

7 /22 Linda Lamb Peters

Bee balm (Monarda)

Clusters of long-tubed flowers in summer also attract hummingbirds. Perennial; sun, or light shade in hottest climates.

8 /22 Kimberley Navabpour

Borage (Borago officinalis)

Star-shaped flowers appear in summer. Annual; sun or partial shade.

9 /22 GAP Photos Ltd.

Oregano

Draws bees and hummingbirds as long as you let the plants flower. Perennial herb; sun or partial shade.

10 /22 Ernest Kucklich

Sunflower

Bright and bold, they’re beacons for honeybees. Be sure to choose pollen-bearing varieties. Annual; full sun.

11 /22 Andrea Gómez Romero

Sweet alyssum

Honey-scented blooms are, of course, a natural for bees. Annual; full sun or light shade.

12 /22 Linda Lamb Peters

Alstroemeria

Summer blossoms are great for bouquets, but leave a few on the plant for hummingbirds. Perennial; sun (afternoon shade in hot climates).

13 /22 David Dixon / Getty Images

Lion’s tail (Leonotis leonurus)

Tubular flowers with furry coats cluster along stems in summer and fall. Evergreen shrub; full sun.

14 /22 Charles Mann

Penstemon

Blooms come in many colors, from deep purple to blue, red, and pink. Perennial; partial shade in hottest climates.

15 /22 PlantHaven

Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia)

Flowering stems resemble glowing torches—or pokers (hence the name). Perennial; sun or part shade.

16 /22 Kimberley Navabpour

Salvia

Among our favorites, pineapple sage (S. elegans) produces red blooms in early fall and S. ‘Indigo Spires’, deep blue in summer; both are perennials. Sun.

17 /22 Jeffery Cross

Lavender

Fragrant flowers all year in mild climates. Evergreen shrub (annual in colder climates).

18 /22 Jeffery Cross

Gloriosa daisy

Rudbeckia hirta flowers in shades of yellow, bronze, and deep red; most have knobby brown centers. Short-lived perennial or biennial.

19 /22 Jeffery Cross

Pincushion flower

Blue, pink, or white Scabiosa flowers resemble pincushions filled with needles. Annuals and perennials.

20 /22 Jeffery Cross

Blanket flower

Daisylike Gaillardia blooms come in red, yellow, and bronze hues. G. x grandiflora ‘Frenzy’ is pictured. Perennial.

21 /22 Jeffery Cross

Coneflower

The daisylike blossoms of Echinacea (a.k.a. coneflowers), in pinks, yellows, oranges, or white, have domed centers. Perennial.

22 /22 Jeffery Cross

Yarrow

Achillea clusters of yellow, salmon, lavender, red, or white make ideal landing pads for butterflies. Perennial.