You might not notice them unless they are buzzing around you, but bees are a vital part of your garden’s ecosystem. Bees do the work of pollination, which is required for you to be able to enjoy much of what’s on your breakfast, lunch or dinner plate. That’s why planting flowers that attract bees is so crucial because more bees mean the rest of your garden will be happier as well.
In fact, if you don’t have an attractive garden to bees, they might head to the neighbor’s yard instead. I welcome these fuzzy, buzzing creatures to my garden with open arms. I know that without them, I wouldn’t have a successful harvest. Without them, the world would be in trouble.
If you’re wondering what kind of flowers to plant to get these marvelous insects to come to your yard, we have a list of foolproof options below. As an added bonus, many of these flowers also attract other pollinators like butterflies, and can be used in cooking or making medicines, as well.
What attracts bees?
When selecting flowers that attract bees, it helps to know what they are looking for. Bees are attracted to colorful, fragrant flowers. Bright colors and the wafting scent of perfumed flowers tell bees that there’s food nearby.
Plant a garden with flowers that will bloom all season or plant varieties that will flower at different points throughout the season for a continuous feeding supply for these buzzing friends. One flower won’t do it, plant swaths of different types of flowers to appeal to various species of bees.
Bees don’t just need food, though. They also require shelter and water. Don’t forget to provide a spot for bees to hang out in your garden. For an attracting accent to your garden, consider adding a bee or insect hotel. Many bee-friendly flowers will also attract other pollinators.
Perennial Flowers That Attract Bees
Perennial flowers that attract bees are ideal since they return each year and there’s no need to replant them. I’m a fan of low-maintenance options, and since the freezing winters here kill nearly everything, I’m happy to see perennials come back on their own each spring.
1. Bee Balm (Monarda)
This frilly purple-colored flower attracts bees and other pollinators to the garden.
Bloom: Starts blooming in August until they die back in the winter.
Zone: 5-10
Light Requirements: Full sun
Height: Up to 36-inches
2. Borage (Borago officinalis)
These droopy flowers have a blueish-purple tinge, and they’re even edible. The plant spreads but isn’t an aggressive grower.
Bloom: Almost all year round
Zone: 2-12
Light Requirements: Full sun but tolerates some shade
Height: Up to 24-inches
3. Clover (Trifolium)
Of all the flowers that attract bees, this may be one of their favorites. These little pinkish-white flowers are easy to spot growing among the grass in the fields, and parks around my home and bees LOVE them. If you’ve ever sat down in a lawn where clover is growing, you’ll quickly notice the buzzing bees that are feasting on the button flowers.
Bloom: Summer
Zone: 3+
Light Requirements: Full sun
Height: Up to 16-inches
4. Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus)
You can eat the stalks of this tall, exotic-looking purple flower, but be sure to leave a few for the hungry bees.
Bloom: Almost all year round
Zone: 6-9
Light Requirements: Full sun
Height: Up to 6-feet tall
5. Crocus (Crocus)
The first sign that spring has truly arrived, crocuses bloom only for a short period, but are bright little flowers that burst from the ground telling everyone that winter is on its way out.
Bloom: Early spring
Zone: 3-8
Light Requirements: Full sun, partial shade
Height: Low to the ground, they can grow up to 4-inches tall
6. Echinacea (Echinacea)
This easy-to-grow flower that attracts bees has purple-hued blossoms look great cut in a vase and are equally attractive to other garden-friendly insects.
Bloom: Summer to fall
Zone: 3-9
Light Requirements: Full sun
Height: Up to 36-inches
7. Daisies (Bellis perennis)
Another low-maintenance perennial, daisies multiply but aren’t at all aggressive growers.
Bloom: Summer and fall
Zone: 5-8
Light Requirements: Full sun
Height: Up to 3 feet tall
8. Peonies (Paeonia)
One of the most gorgeous perennials, in my opinion, the peony is a majestic flower that comes in a host of varieties and colors. Makes a magnificent cut flower and looks incredible as part of a bouquet. It also happens to be an ideal flower to attracts bees. Once established, peonies stick around, providing you with a gorgeous bee-friendly display year after year.
Bloom: Springtime
Zone: 3-8
Light Requirements: Tolerates partial shade but prefers full sun
Height: Depends on variety, some may ground up to 6-feet tall
9. Lavender (Lavandula)
It’s no surprise that the fragrant blooms of lavender flowers attract bees. Lavender is easy to grow and can handle poor quality soil.
Bloom: Summer
Zone: 5-9
Light Requirements: Full sun
Height: Up to 24-inches tall
10. Lupine (Lupinus)
A tall, thin flower that reaches upwards signaling to bees that there is food available.
Bloom: Late spring to early summer, but may depend on the variety
Zone: 3-7
Light Requirements: Full sun, part shade is fine
Height: Up to 48-inches
11. Liatris (Liatris)
Stalk-like flowers that grow in a variety of hues from white to deep purple. The fuzzy flowers add a beautiful textural element to the garden.
Bloom: Late summer
Zone: 3-8
Light Requirements: Full sun, but some shade is fine
Height: Up to 5 feet tall
12. Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
Ok, it’s technically not a flower (it’s a bush), but it might as well be. The blooms on this shrub are so impressive that I half-consider lilac to be a giant flower.
Bloom: Spring through summer
Zone: 3-7
Light Requirements: Full sun
Height: Up to 15-feet tall
13. Black-Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta)
This flower has pretty, low-maintenance blooms that attract many garden-friendly insects. Black-eyed Susan flowers prefer fertile soil, but they don’t mind a bit of drought once in a while.
Bloom: Summer and fall
Zone: 3-9
Light Requirements: Full sun
Height: Up to 3-feet tall
14. Blue Salvia (Salvia farinacea)
There are a variety of salvia plants out there, including what you might know as kitchen sage. Blue salvia is easy to grow and features a vibrant blueish purple display.
Bloom: All summer
Zone: 8-10
Light Requirements: Full sun
Height: Up to 2 feet tall
15. Sedum (Sedum)
An excellent ground cover option, sedum flowers are low-growing clusters that contain plenty of nectar for hungry bees.
Bloom: Fall
Zone: 3-9
Light Requirements: Full sun
Height: Up to 2 feet tall
16. Roses (Rosa)
Classic roses are one of the most popular flower types in the world. Gifted to sweethearts and grown as ornamentals in many a garden, there are many varieties and colors available.
Bloom: Bloom time depends on the variety. Some roses offer up a continuous display while others bloom only at certain times during the year.
Zone: Depends on the variety, but there are varieties that grow in zone 3 to 10+
Light Requirements: Full sun
Height: Depends on the variety
17. Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)
Pretty spiky flowers aren’t only a possible food source for bees, you can eat the buds of this perennial for a pop of licorice flavor. Hyssop belongs to the mint family, but you don’t have to worry about it invading your garden.
Bloom: Summer
Zone: 4-10
Light Requirements: Full sun
Height: Up to 45-inches
18. Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
One of my most beloved garden plants, this silverly purple sage is exceptionally fragrant and extremely hardy. I often cut off stems to add to wildflower bouquets.
Bloom: All summer long, until frost
Zone: 5-10
Light Requirements: Full sun
Height: Up to 4-feet tall
19. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Perfect for the rain-starved garden, this perennial doubles as a kitchen herb and bee magnet.
Bloom: Winter
Zone: 8+
Light Requirements: Full sun
Height: Up to 3-feet
20. Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum)
This plant isn’t a weed, though it will get larger and larger every year, so make sure you have a big spot to plant it in. Bees love the purple, pink or white flowers.
Bloom: July to September
Zone: 4-9
Light Requirements: Full to part sun
Height: 5-7 feet tall
21. Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis)
Snowdrops pop their heads out of the snow in the late winter or early spring, right when bees need the food the most. They grow well in partial shade, unlike many flowers, which prefer full sun.
Bloom: Late winter to early spring
Zone: 3-8
Light Requirements: Partial shade
Height: 3-6 inches
22. Cranesbill (Geranium)
These hardy geraniums have an extremely long blooming season, and they are tough against pest and diseases. There is a variety for any part of your garden, from a sunny spot to a shady place under the trees.
Bloom: Early spring until the winter frost
Zone: 4-10
Light Requirements: Full sun to part shade
Height: Up to 20-inches
Annual Flowers That Attract Bees
While they may not return every year, annual flowers have something going for them in that they tend to bloom much longer than perennials. Because there are many annual flowers that attract bees, there are plenty of options, whether you are looking for a plant that doubles as food or you want to add a little color to a spot in your yard.
23. Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
One of my favorite flowers that attract bees. They’re also great used as cut flowers.
Bloom: Summertime
Light Requirements: Full sun, but grows in partial shade
Height: Up to 24-inches tall (but may depend on variety)
24. Zinnias (Zinnia)
Hands down my favorite flower. I was planting this long before I knew bees loved it as much as I do. I love to purchase zinnia seed mixes and see which colors appear in my garden. The flowers grow easily and are perfect for cutting.
Bloom: Summer into fall
Light Requirements: Full sun
Height: Depends on the variety, but generally up to 12-inches
25. Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus)
Of course, this flowering beast of the garden is attractive to bees. It’s the queen of garden flowers. It’s a great source of pollen and nectar and makes an impressive background display among other flowers.
Bloom: Summer and early fall
Light Requirements: Full sun
Height: Up to 12-feet tall
26. Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum)
Pretty, delicate flowers that you can pick for salads. Just don’t snip too many for garnish, leave some for the bees. Available in a variety of colors.
Bloom: Summer and fall
Light Requirements: Full sun
Height: Up to 16-inches
27. Runner beans (Phaseolus coccineus)
My favorite variety of these to plant are the scarlet runner beans. The vibrant red flowers look so gorgeous against the green background of the rest of the plant. Bonus? Runner beans aren’t just pretty. You can eat them, too.
Bloom: Summer and into fall
Light Requirements: Full sun
Height: Grows along a vine and requires support, can grow tall, up to 8 feet
28. Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)
Bees love this annual flower that’s also used as a cover crop. If you succession-sow this flower variety, you can manage to have a continuous bloom period throughout the summer.
Bloom: Summer
Light Requirements: Full sun
Height: up to 3-feet
Note
Don’t be afraid to plant flowers that attract bees. A family member once asked me worriedly, “aren’t you afraid of getting stung?” Unless disturbed, bees aren’t interested in bothering or harming humans.
Native flowers are ideal plants for bees. Planting non-native species isn’t always a good idea since some plants may become invasive if planted outside of their native habitat. Do your research before planting something in your garden or yard, even if it’s labeled bee-friendly.
Avoid plants purchased from big-box store nurseries as they are often treated with pesticides that are harmful to bees and other pollinators. If you’re buying plants from a local nursery, don’t be afraid to ask whether the plants are treated.
Minimize plantings of hybrid varieties. It may come as a surprise, but hybrid plants don’t typically provide the same quality of food for bees as non-hybrids.
The options are endless when it comes to selecting flowers that attract bees. We can’t wait to hear how your pollinator garden is looking this season. Tell us if we’ve missed any of your favorites in the comments below.