Gardening Ideas Outdoor Plants 17 Plants That Attract Bees To Your Garden Grow a garden buzzing with bees all summer long. By Patricia S York Patricia S York Patricia was the assistant food editor at Southern Living and worked with the Southern Living food team from 2006-2022. She contributed to articles about food, gardening, and pets. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on April 3, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Butterflies, bees, and flower-feeding birds all have a sweet tooth. They need pollen and nectar from flowers to power their flight and nourish offspring. Bees can see colors well and rely on vision to find nectar. They are most attracted to blue, purple, violet, white, and yellow flowers. Bees are responsible for pollinating much of the food we grow. Flowers provide food and habitat for these pollinators, whose populations are dwindling. Planting flowers that attract them is an easy way to bring them to your yard. Add colorful bee-friendly flowers like zinnias, flowering herbs, and cosmos as companion plants to your vegetable garden. The bees spread pollen around your vegetable plants, encouraging them to grow and increasing your harvest. Try creating an area in your yard designed to attract bees with native flowers and where clover patches can grow. Bees love it for its nectar. For a garden buzzing with bees all summer, read about 17 flowering plant varieties attracting many native bee species. 01 of 17 'Sunset Orange' Gaillardia This compact plant holds its shape, and its blooms do not fade. It produces heavy flowers from early spring to fall. It is drought-tolerant and prefers low water use. Botanical Name: Gaillardia grandiflora 'Sunset Orange'Sun Exposure: Full Sun, Partial ShadeSoil Type: Rocky, Sandy, Tolerates Clay, Well-drainedSoil pH: Slightly AcidicUSDA Zones: 5-9 02 of 17 Dark Blue Moody Blues™ Veronica Bright spikes of flowers will bloom all season long, right up until the first frost. Also known as Spike Speedwell, use it in mass plantings or mixed with roses and perennials. Its compact shape is ideal for containers. Botanical Name: Veronica spicata 'Novaverblu' PP26602Sun Exposure: Full SunSoil Type: Well-drainedSoil pH: NeutralUSDA Zones: 6-9 03 of 17 'Princess Dark Lavender' Verbena This verbena is a true garden performer with no breaking apart. Vivid green foliage provides a backdrop for crowns of rich, pale purple blooms that form masses of color. This beauty blooms from spring until fall. Botanical Name: Verbena 'Princess Dark Lavender'Sun Exposure: Full SunSoil Type: Well-drainedSoil pH: AcidicUSDA Zones: 8-11 04 of 17 Azure Skies™ Heliotrope This low-growing, spreading perennial features light lavender flower clusters and light green leaves. It is incredibly heat tolerant. Use as ground cover or in planters where it will trail and make an excellent spiller plant. Plus, it's deer-resistant. Botanical Name: Heliotropum amplexicaule 'Azure Skies'Sun Exposure: Full SunSoil Type: Moist, Well-drainedSoil pH: Acidic to AlkalineUSDA Zones: 7-11 05 of 17 Ever Sapphire™ Agapanthus Large bi-color flowers change from blue in the throat to white on the petal's edge, surrounded by green, strap-like foliage. Blooms open in the spring and re-bloom through summer. This fast-growing plant is also drought-tolerant. Botanical Name: Agapanthus hybrid 'Ever Sapphire'Sun Exposure: Full Sun, Partial SunSoil Type: Moist, Well-drainedSoil pH: Acidic to AlkalineUSDA Zones: 8-11 06 of 17 Salvia 'Amistad' Dark purple flowers with nearly black calyx constantly bloom from early spring until frost. Salvia 'Amistad' is more compact and has a fuller habit than other guaranitica types. These flowers are also a magnet for butterflies and hummingbirds. Botanical Name: Salvia hybrid 'Amistad'Sun Exposure: Full SunSoil Type: Well-drainedSoil pH: Neutral to AcidicUSDA Zones: 8-11 07 of 17 Ultra Violet™ Buddleia Ultra Violet Buddleia This exciting buddleia grows compactly into an attractive rounded shape, unlike other butterfly bushes that often become tall and lean. Its violet blooms are a beacon for butterflies and honeybees, and it reblooms well from late spring into fall. Use it as an accent, in a border, or in a container. Botanical Name: Buddleia hybrid 'Ultra Violet'Sun Exposure: Full SunSoil Type: Well-drainedSoil pH: Neutral to AcidicUSDA Zones: 5-9 08 of 17 Crazy White™ Echinacea Large daisy-like flowers with drooping, pure petals surround a large orange button-shaped cone. Blooms appear earlier than other coneflowers. This plant brings power blooming to the border garden, capable of over 100 flowers on a mature plant. Botanical Name: Echinacea 'Noam Saul'Sun Exposure: Full Sun, Partial ShadeSoil Type: Well-drainedSoil pH: Neutral to AcidicUSDA Zones: 4-9 09 of 17 Solar Glow™ Sunbow® Azalea Series Brilliant spring-blooming deciduous azaleas have larger, more colorful, and more showy blooms. They are great for light shade and even sunnier locations. With the added attraction of honeysuckle fragrance, these are a perfect addition to your garden. Botanical Name: Azalea hybrid 'Solar Glow'Sun Exposure: Partial, Full SunSoil Type: Moist, Well-drainedSoil pH: Slightly AcidicUSDA Zones: 5-9 10 of 17 Allium Jacky Parker Photography / Getty Images Plant these bulbs in the fall for delightful purple flowers in spring. While bees love to indulge by eating these ornamental onions, humans should not eat them. Blooms range in size from a few inches tall to dramatic four-foot pom-poms. Botanical Name: Allium spp.Sun Exposure: Full SunSoil Type: Sandy, Loamy, Well-drainedSoil pH: Slightly AcidicUSDA Zones: 3-9 11 of 17 Beardtongue Getty Images The spikes on these perennials feature bell-shaped pink, purple, or white flowers. Give them full sun with good drainage. Most varieties grow up to three feet tall, blooming spring through summer. Botanical Name: Penstemon spp.Sun Exposure: Full SunSoil Type: Well-drained, Tolerates ClaySoil pH: Neutral to AcidicUSDA Zones: 3-8 12 of 17 Bee Balm Jacky Parker Photography/Getty Images Each petal on a bee balm flower is a tiny tube that holds the nectar pollinators' love. These late-bloomers show off red, purple, pink, or white flowers in mid-to-late summer. They are a favorite for flower beds. Give bee balm moist soil and partial to full sun. Botanical Name: Monarda spp.Sun Exposure: Partial, Full SunSoil Type: Moist, Well-drained, Tolerates ClaySoil pH: Neutral, AcidicUSDA Zones: 4-9 13 of 17 Goldenrod Ralph Anderson In the fall, these wildflowers provide not only rich, golden color in the garden, but they are also bustling with bees. The perennial offers a good source of nectar late in the season. Goldenrod spreads quickly, grows nearly anywhere, and survives on rainwater, making it an easy choice for adding color to a late-season garden. Botanical Name: Solidago spp.Sun Exposure: Partial, Full SunSoil Type: Loamy, Clay, Well-drainedSoil pH: AcidicUSDA Zones: 2-8 14 of 17 Catmint AlpamayoPhoto / Getty Images A perennial herb, catmint features lavender-blue flower clusters accented by gray-green leaves. Bees love this fragrant, mounding plant that spreads over time but is not invasive. Cut it back for control. Botanical Name: Nepeta x faasseniiSun Exposure: Partial, Full SunSoil Type: Clay, Sandy, Rocky, LoamySoil pH: Acidic, Neutral, AlkalineUSDA Zones: 3-9 15 of 17 Black-Eyed Susan Timothy Carroll / EyeEm / Getty Images This daisy-like flower brings cheer to any garden, blooming until the frost. These golden flowers are easy to grow and are relatively heat-and-drought tolerant. They are deer-resistant, but bees like them for their nectar and their centers filled with pollen. Botanical Name: Rudbeckia hirtaSun Exposure: Partial, Full SunSoil Type: Clay, Loamy, Sandy, Well-drainedSoil pH: Acidic, Neutral, AlkalineUSDA Zones: 3-9 16 of 17 Geranium 'Johnson's Blue' Dhoxax/Getty Images Drought-tolerant and disease-resistant, this perennial, also called cranesbill, attracts bees with deep blue flowers. It makes a lively border. Expect a colorful show from late spring through fall. Botanical Name: Geranium 'Johnson's Blue'Sun Exposure: Partial, Full SunSoil Type: Moist, Well-drainedSoil pH: Acidic, Neutral, AlkalineUSDA Zones: 4-8 17 of 17 Snapdragon aimintang/Getty Images Snapdragons draw bumblebees to them by their scent. Bees open the closed flowers to access the nectar. Snapdragons are a good choice for the spring or fall garden and are a food source for bees during those cooler months. Give the plants plenty of sun exposure and rich soil. Botanical Name: Antirrhinum majusSun Exposure: Partial, Full SunSoil Type: Moist, Well-drainedSoil pH: Slightly Acidic, NeutralUSDA Zones: 7-11 Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit