Pollinator gardens are attractive to wildlife and humans alike.
Pollinator plants attract butterflies, hummingbirds, bees, and other native animals to your garden by providing valuable food, nectar, and shelter. But you don’t need to skimp on appearance while doing good for the environment. Most pollinator plants feature beautiful flowers that are attractive to the eye, and many are also fragrant. Many are easy to care for and will flourish with very little attention (especially the California natives).
Below you’ll find a list of some of our favorite May-into-summer-blooming pollinator plants, as well as some helpful information about choosing pollinator plants for your garden, what plants to avoid (and why), and how to design your pollinator-friendly garden. The plants below are currently available in the nursery; please call or email our helpful sales staff for availability and a free quote.
Achillea millefolium - Common Yarrow
While all Achillea are attractive to pollinators, the white-blooming California native form is very popular for its ability to repel pests as well as attract all manner of native insects to the garden. Spreads readily and can be used as groundcover.
Available in #01 pot size; other colors/varieties of Achillea also available.
Agastache ‘Kudos Red’ - Hummingbird Mint
Agastache attracts hummingbirds, which pollinate the plants while feeding on the nectar. Also attractive to butterflies and bees. Drought tolerant - plant in hot, sunny spots in the garden and water minimally after establishing.
Available in #01 pot size; other Agastache varieties also available.
Asclepias speciosa - Showy Milkweed
This very popular California native milkweed offers essential support for the endangered Monarch butterfly. It is also attractive, with its broad leaves and showy flower clusters at the top that turn pink in summer. Monarchs lay eggs on the undersides of the leaves, so be careful when tending to your plants! Caterpillars, if they appear, use the leaves as food.
Available in #01 pot size; CA native Asclepias fascicularis (Narrowleaf Milkweed) also available.
Ceanothus maritimus ‘Valley Violet’
A smaller variety of the California native Ceanothus, ‘Valley Violet’ features attractive lavender flowers in spring and supports native birds, bees, and butterflies. Generally blooms earlier in the spring, but may continue blooming into May.
Available in #01 and #05 pot size; many other native Ceanothus also available.
Tips for choosing the right plants:
There are SO many beautiful and beneficial choices for your pollinator garden in California. Depending on the kind of wildlife native to your area, you can choose plants based on what kinds of butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, and bees they support. Xerces Society is a great resource for research. You can also read about which plants attract which insects in this helpful article.
You can also choose based on aesthetic preferences or the needs of a specific area of your landscape - pollinator plants come in every color of the rainbow, some are tall, some are short and great for groundcover, some are shrubs, some are vines.
If your main concern is ease of care, choose California natives. You can even do region-specific research using resources like CalScape.org. California native plants are already adapted to our climate, and so they require less water and attention than non-natives. (Fun fact: I once let my garden go for two years. When I returned to it, the native plants had grown large and beautiful and full of flowers - with zero attention from me. The habitat was literally buzzing with life.)
You can find zip code-specific pollinator plant guides at pollinator.org.
Echinacea purpurea ‘Pow Wow Wildberry’ - Wildberry Coneflower
This pretty purple Echinacea attracts butterflies and birds to the garden and is bee-friendly. It has an upright habit of growth, and by pruning the spent flowers you can encourage continuous blooming from spring to fall. Great choice for cut flower gardens and windy areas.
Available in #01 pot size; other Echinacea also available.
Erigeron glaucus ‘Wayne Roderick’
This low-growing, California native coastal perennial is a good nectar source for butterflies and other pollinators. Cheerful lavender flowers with gold centers can bloom nearly year-round if spent flowers are removed.
Available in #01 pot size; other native Erigeron varieties also available.
Eriogonum fasciculatum foliosum - Southern Flat Top Buckwheat
A California native that supports birds, mammals, and pollinators. Has lavender-like foliage with flowers that spread into a lacy structure. Important nectar source for butterflies and other pollinators!
Available in #01 and #05 pot size; other forms of native Eriogonum also available.
Eschscholzia ‘Orange King’ - California Poppy
Our state plant, the California poppy is an attractive addition to your pollinator garden, providing nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. Deer and fire resistant and tolerant of a wide variety of soil conditions, this California native wildflower is available from the nursery in several colors.
Available in 4” size; other varieties available in 4” and #01.
Plants to avoid in your pollinator gardens:
Butterfly Bush may appear to attract butterflies, but actually can cause damage to the local ecosystem by spreading rapidly and crowding out the essential native plants that wildlife need to survive. Instead, plant native milkweed or any of the other plants recommended in this article.
Tropical milkweed can actually kill the monarchs and their offspring and are highly dangerous plants for your garden. A better choice are the California native forms of milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis (Narrowleaf Milkweed) or Aslecpias speciosa (Showy Milkweed).
When preparing your pollinator garden, avoid pesticides as they are designed to actively kill the animals you are trying to help. At our nursery, while we cannot speak to the practices of our vendors, once plants reach our sales yard, they are treated with nothing but water, fertilizer, and love!
For more on what to avoid, including pesticides, visit Marin Master Gardener’s page devoted to the topic.
Heuchera maxima - Island Alum Root
Great for shady spots or under oaks, this California native Heuchera blooms in spring with tall, lanky flower stems that attract hummingbirds. Mound-forming with attractive, bright green foliage. Can tolerate full sun in coastal areas.
Available in #01 pot size; many other Heuchera also available.
Lavandula x intermedia ‘Grosso’ - Fat Spike Lavender
This fragrant European lavender lends a delicate charm to your garden while attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Water until established, then drought-tolerant. Long flower spikes are ideal for making dried lavender bundles.
Available in #01 and #05 pot size; many other Lavandula also available.
Lepechina fragrans - Fragrant Pitcher Sage
New to the nursery, this highly fragrant California native produces light lavender pitcher-shaped flowers that attract bumblebees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. This plant is also somewhat endangered, so adding it to your garden is also a boon to the native ecosystem.
Available in #01 pot size.
Mimulus ‘Changeling’
A familiar California native hybrid in a beautiful muted rose and gold colorway. Flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, while native butterflies use the plant as a larval food source.
Available in #01 pot size; many other Mimulus also available.
How to Design Your Pollinator Garden
You can design your own garden using tools like the Waterwise Garden Planner. When planning your garden, keep these tips in mind:
Plant in groups of 3’ x 3’ so the insects have an easier time locating the plants. For example, you could plant one bush that grows to 3’ x 3’ or more, or a single plant like Romneya (see below) that spreads to a colony of 6-8’ wide or more, or plant several Mimulus together to create a larger patch of flowers.
Leave parts of your garden wild and uncultivated, including leaving raw materials such as straw and other garden refuse. This helps to provide shelter for mammals, birds and insects as well as space and nest materials to raise young.
Plan for the entire year. Instead of planting only April-blooming flowers, for example, select a wide variety of plants and keep in mind when they bloom and if they create fruit that attracts birds in winter.
Visit local gardens for inspiration. Visit the Nectar Garden at Guadalupe River Park and Gardens Courtyard in San Jose or participate in the Urban Forestry Education Center: Annual Native Plant and Pollinator Day on June 15th.
Consider outsourcing! You may consider hiring a local designer such as Smart Yards Co-Op who have years of experience creating waterwise eco-gardens.
Monardella macrantha ‘Marian Sampson’ - Hummingbird Coyote Mint
A sweet little plant that is perfect for rock gardens - it loves hot, dry conditions and its vivid, long, tubular red flowers attract hummingbirds. Foliage is mat forming and low to the ground.
Available in #01 pot size; other native Monardellas also available.
Romneya coulteri - Matilija Poppy (Fried Egg Plant)
A tall, California native pollinator magnet whose large flowers look like a fried egg and attract native bees. Full sun, no irrigation after establishing. Spreads to a colony of at least 6’ x 8’ - give it enough space to extend its underground runners.
Available in #01 and #05 pot size.
Salvia officianalis ‘Compacta’ - Dwarf Culinary Sage
This one’s for you and the pollinators! A wonderful culinary sage that adds flavor to your dishes while also attracting butterflies and hummingbirds with its beautiful light purple flowers. Grows to 12” tall; a great choice for a small herb garden, a pollinator garden in groupings, or in containers.
Available in 4” size - can be found on the herb table by the front office.
Salvia spathacea - Hummingbird Sage
This highly popular, fragrant California native pitcher sage blooms in large red flower spikes and attracts hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. It spreads slowly underground by rhizomes. In high demand -limit five per customer!
Available in #01 pot size. Many other native Salvia also available in #01 and #05.
Verbena lilacena ‘De La Mina’
The California native Verbena originates from the Cedros Islands off the coast of California. Growing quickly to 2-3’ by 4’ wide, it blooms nearly year-round and attracts all kinds of butterflies to your yard. Drought-tolerant once established. See them at their full size in the landscaping in front of the nursery!
Available in #01 pot size.