Plants and Gardens that Attract Bees and Butterflies
Pollinators are dying off at an alarming rate, but you can help them by planting a bee and butterfly garden.
What Are Pollinators?
Pollinators include both insects and birds, including:
• All species of bees
• Butterflies
• Moths
• Wasps
• Birds
Birds carry pollen when they forage flowering shrubs for berries. Hummingbirds are important pollinators. Wasps eat pest insects and get pollen on themselves in the process.
What Are the Elements of a Pollinator Garden?
Start with a variety of plants to appeal to all pollinators. Different insects prefer certain colors, so plant a colorful garden. Hummingbirds need flowers that accommodate their long beaks.
Recommended native California flowers are:
• Hollyleaf Cherry (Pale Swallowtail butterfly)
• Coffee Berry (songbirds, bees and butterflies)
• California Aster (birds and butterflies)
• California Buttercup (native bees)
• Kotolo Milkweed (Monarch butterfly)
• Laurel Sumac (bees, butterflies and birds)
• Purple Owl’s Clover (Bay Checkerspot butterfly)
• Elegant Clarkia (hummingbirds and bees)
• Greenbark Ceanothus (native bees)
• Texas Paintbrush (hummingbirds and butterflies)
These are all drought-tolerant flowers and shrubs.
Pollinator gardens need a birdbath and a butterfly puddle. A butterfly puddle is a sunken puddle with pebbles or colorful stones for insects to perch on while they drink.
We’re ready to help you create your butterfly garden, from plants to water elements.