The best plant for pollinators is native milkweed, hands down. No other flower feeds adult butterflies and bees while also raising baby monarchs at the same time. You get two jobs done with one plant in your yard.
I planted three butterfly milkweed plants in my front yard last spring. Within weeks I counted 17 bee species on one plant. Monarch moms also laid tiny pale eggs under the leaves while I watched from my porch with my coffee.
You may wonder why native milkweed beats every other choice. The reason comes down to how it feeds bugs at two life stages at once.
Bright orange flowers pump out sweet nectar. That nectar pulls in adult butterflies, bees, and wasps from across your yard. You can sit and watch a buzzing crowd by mid-summer.
The leaves also feed baby monarchs. Milkweed is the only monarch host plant in North America. Monarch babies cannot eat anything else. That fact alone makes milkweed a must in any garden you build for these bugs.
Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
- Best regions: Thrives across the eastern and central U.S. in dry sunny spots. Also tolerates poor sandy soil better than other species.
- Bloom time: Bright orange blooms pop out from June through August. Draws in monarchs at peak migration weeks.
- Garden fit: Stays compact at 18 to 24 inches tall. Asclepias tuberosa works well in small beds and front-yard borders.
Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
- Best regions: Grows well in wet meadows and rain gardens. Spans from the Northeast through the Midwest and down to Texas.
- Bloom time: Pink flowers appear in July and August. Lasts longer than common milkweed in most gardens.
- Garden fit: Reaches 3 to 4 feet tall. Prefers moist soil, so plant it in low spots that stay damp.
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
- Best regions: Spreads across fields and prairies in the eastern half of the U.S. Tolerates drought once roots are set.
- Bloom time: Sweet pink globes open in June and July. Smells like honey on warm sunny days.
- Garden fit: Sends out underground runners, so plant it in a large patch apart from your mixed beds.
Now you may ask where to buy these plants. Skip the urge to dig up wild patches by the road. Those wild plants feed local bugs already and most are off-limits to take anyway.
Buy plants from a native nursery near you. Look for plant sales at your local botanical garden. You can also order from trusted sites like Prairie Moon or Izel Plants for shipping to your door.
Want to grow from seed instead? Put your seeds in the fridge for a 30-day cold spell before you plant them. Skip this step and most seeds will just sit in the soil. They need that cold snap to wake up and sprout.
One last tip for southern yards. Skip tropical milkweed since it spreads bugs that hurt monarchs. It also tricks them into staying put when they should fly south. Stick with native species and your pollinator garden flowers will feed butterflies the right way for years.
Read the full article: 25 Best Pollinator Plants for Your Garden
