Top Ten Perennials for Pollinators
Sandy has helped hundreds of customers over her 16 years (so far) at Gertens. She continues to answer your questions in the Perennial department. She’s given many seminars on different subjects through the years including making hanging baskets at the annual hanging basket parties and "Ladies Night Out” events. She continues to attend professional seminars as well. Here she shares her top ten perennial picks for pollinators!
Note: Click on the links for photos and more information.
Allium: This flower is very attractive to bees. The foliage grows anywhere from 8 inches to 20 inches tall and in varying shades of purple, you’ll find one that fits your space. The flowers grow about 8 inches above the foliage. They prefer full sun. My pick is ‘Windy City’.
Agastache ‘Blue Fortune’: is a great pollinator for bees and butterflies. Both the flowers and the leaves are very fragrant with a licorice scent. This cultivar of anise hyssop grows in shade to full sun!
Asclepias: This family of plants includes Swamp milkweed which thrives along ponds and streams and our native Butterfly Weed which is drought tolerant. Highly attractive to bees and butterflies, this plant prefers full sun.
Echinacea: Also known as coneflower, our native purple provides the most interest to bees, butterflies and birds who feast on the seeds in fall and winter. We offer a number of cultivars that offer vibrant color and have been proven in trials to be attractive to butterflies. ‘Glowing Dream’ ranked very well as did ‘Ruby Star’ and ‘PowWow White’. Loves full sun.
Lavender: ‘Lavance Purple’ is a compact, sturdy plant growing to 12 inches with the flowers extending 4 inches above. With both pollen and nectar, lavender is attractive to bees and butterflies. It’s also a great plant for drying. This aromatic plant prefers full sun.
Liatris: this native plant is 2 ft. tall with purple flower spikes that rise another 3 ft. above. It is heat tolerant and the butterflies love it! My favorite is the native Meadow Blazingstar. These flowers are reddish-pink. Full sun.
Monarda: is commonly called Bee Balm for a reason! It’s fragrant leaves and flowers are very attractive to bees. We offer cultivars in various shades of purple, pink and red. Monarda can handle part shade to full sun.
Nepeta: With long lasting, very fragrant blooms, you’ll see plenty of bees! All shades of purple flowers with heights varying between 1 and 2 ft. tall. Grows in part shade to full sun.
Sedum: These plants grow well in part shade to sun, are drought tolerant, attract bees and butterflies, are easy to grow AND there are a number of cultivars in a variety of colors.
Salvia: Easy to grow in full sun, salvia comes in shades of purple, pink and white. The spiked flowers are very attractive to bees.
Salvia
