Pollinator Plants for Wild Yards

​Pollinators need our help. Planting your yard with native flowering plants that attract birds, butterflies and bees can help. Natives are best as the insects in our yard have co-evolved over millennia to feed on them. The perennials listed below are some popular varieties that are easy to grow and attractive to many species.
PictureAnise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) Anise hyssop is a member of the mint family. These plants contain the chemical methyl eugenol in their pollen and nectar that supports bees because it is nutritious and has antibacterial/antifungal properties.  One spike on an anise hyssop plant can have up to 90,000 flowers, making it very attractive to insect pollinators as well as hummingbirds. It is easy to grow from seed sown directly in the ground in spring.  It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil and can tolerate some drought.  It is a vigorous grower, transplants easily, and can be transplanted and can be moved elsewhere in your garden or shared.  
PictureBee balm (Monarda sp.)
Wild Bergamot; Bee balm (Monarda fistulas) With its tousled light purple head head, bee balm is highly attractive to swallowtail butterflies and hummingbirds. This early summer bloomer is an easy-to-grow perennial. Has a minty fragrance that repels deer. Plant in full sun. Prefers moist, well-drained soil. CT native.
PictureBlack Cohosh (Actaea racemosa)
Black Cohosh (Actaea racemosa) Also called Bugbane or Snakeroot. This regal member of the buttercup family features pure white flowers in long, dramatic spikes on stems 2-3 feet tall. Grows well in sun or shade. Provide water liberally. The compound leaves emerge in early spring and remain attractive through frost. Blooms in summer and fall. Excellent butterfly nectar plant. CT native.
PictureBlazing Star (Liatris spp.)
Perennial Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus)  A garden favorite for a sunny location, this 4 to 5-foot plant is loaded with 3-inch pale yellow flowers that attract butterflies. Also called woodland sunflower. Without at least 5 hours of sun per day, the plants will have a tendency to get leggy and flop over. Sunflowers in a perennial garden attract hummingbirds, butterflies, beneficial insects and birds, which help reduce harmful insect pest populations. ​CT native.
PictureClover (Trifolium spp.)
New England Aster (Symphyotrichum  novae-angliae) Great pollinator plant. Prefers part sun to sunny conditions in moist, well-drained soils. Attracts a wide range of bees and butterflies. Easily propagated from seed. CT native. 
PicturePhlox (Phlox paniculata)
Phlox (Phlox paniculata)  Rich, fragrant blooms open in July and continue for weeks, offering a color range in red, pink or white, and attracting a wide variety of butterflies. Grow in moderately fertile, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Best in full sun. Prefers rich, moist, organic soils. Space well and thin out stems as needed to help combat potential powdery mildew problems. Intolerant of drought and needs to be watered in dry spells. For winter, cut plants to the ground and remove from the garden plus clean up all plant areas in order to minimize possible powdery mildew infection for the following growing season. Remove faded flower panicles to prolong bloom period and to prevent unwanted self-seeding. CT native. 
PictureCoreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata) An indispensable wildflower for the sunny garden. Easy, undemanding plant that is highly attractive to butterflies. The pale yellow flowers of Coreopsis provide a cheerful accent for the front of the garden. Grows to a height of approximately 1-2 feet. Grows well in sun to part-sun.​ 

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Picture​Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
​Goldenrods (Solidago spp.) This is one of the most important plant groups for native bees, as well as monarch butterflies during fall migration. There is a myth that goldenrods cause allergies, but their pollen is heavy and sticky and does not float. Goldenrods have been in the British nursery trade for years and are among the most important late-season pollinator plants. They are also keystone plants, having lots of caterpillars feeding on leaves as well. Many CT natives.
PictureTurtlehead (Chelone glabra)
Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) Resembling the shape of a turtle’s head, pink flowers bloom abundantly in the summer. Although found in wet locations, they adapt well in average soil as long as drought can be avoided. A larval food plant for the Baltimore checkerspot butterfly. They prefer a soil pH that is neutral and grows well in either full sun or part shade. Turtlehead flowers can be started from seeds indoors, by directly sowing in a boggy location or with young plants or divisions.
Picture​Ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis)
​Ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis) This tall perennial features many red-violet, flat-topped flower heads on top of tall, strong stalks and blooms from late summer to fall. A member of the aster family, it is a sizable plant for the back of garden beds and rain gardens and has dark green, lance-shaped leaves. Many bees, butterflies, and skippers use the nectar and pollen. Prefers moist soil. CT native. 
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​Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum) This perennial is statuesque in appearance, especially when in bloom. Its pink to purplish blossoms appear in flattened terminal clusters and last a long time, from late summer into the fall. Their nectar is important to many butterfly and bee species. Easy to grow in full or part sun. Typically grows to a height of 4 feet. CT native. 
PictureCommon Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
​Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) Monarchs co-evolved with common milkweeds and developed a unique adaptation that allows their caterpillars to feed on a plant that many other insects cannot tolerate. The latex-based sap produced by milkweed plants contains toxic compounds called cardiac glycosides. Most other insects cannot digest these toxins; it kills them or they avoid it all together. Monarch caterpillars, however, absorb the toxins as they feed on milkweed leaves, making the caterpillars themselves toxic to potential predators. The toxins found in this monarch butterfly host plant help protect the caterpillars and adult butterflies from birds and other predators. Plant in full sun. Be aware that it can spread. CT native. 
Picture​Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
​Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) Has flat-topped clusters of pink or white flowers that are irresistible to butterflies. It prefers rich, moist soil but is very adaptable in the garden. The flowers of this 2-4 foot perennial are made up of small, rose-purple flowers. Deep pink flowers clustered at the top of a tall, branching stem bear numerous narrow lance-shaped leaves. Prefers a sunny location. A preferred host plant of monarch butterflies. CT native. 
PictureBroad-leaved Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum muticum)
​Mountain Mints (Pycnanthemum spp.) Mountain mints, of which there are 6 species in Connecticut, are one of the top pollinator plants. By planting it in a sunny area on the outside of your beds, you can repel deer as they do not like to step on the fragrant foliage. Most species thrive well in dry soils in full sun and is very drought tolerant once established. CT Natives.
PictureObedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana)
​Obedient Plant, False Dragonhead (Physostegia virginiana) A native plant of the eastern US, obedient plant gets its name from the way the upright spike of tubular flowers follows the path of the sun. Does well in part-sun or full sun. A nectar plant for hummingbirds and butterflies.
Also see about shrubs to attract pollinators. More about butterflies here.