If you’re hoping to bring more butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds into your outdoor space this season, you’re in the right place. Pollinator plants for Virginia gardens are not only beautiful, they’re essential to supporting local wildlife and creating a vibrant, healthy ecosystem. Whether you’re new to native plants or just want to fine-tune your garden to be more pollinator-friendly, we’ve got you covered.
Bringing the Buzz to Your Backyard
One of my favorite parts of the warmer seasons is seeing the fattest and fuzziest bumblebees sticking their heads into flowers and covering themselves in pollen. You might be wondering, “How do I get those fat little bumblebees to come to my yard?”
One of the most common questions the Horticulture Team at Virginia Living Museum gets this time of year is, “How do I attract pollinators to my garden?”
Simple; plant pollinator plants!
So, what exactly is a pollinator plant? Don’t all plants have pollen? Isn’t that like their main thing? Fear not, we are here to help clear up any pollinator confusion you may have!
Host vs. Nectar Plants: What’s the Difference?
First off, a pollinator plant can be one of two things, a nectar plant or a host plant.
Host Plants: Feed the Baby Bugs
A host plant is a specific plant that provides food for specific caterpillars as they go through their growing phase before they become moths or butterflies.
The sole purpose of this plant is to be eaten by caterpillars. Adult butterflies and moths instinctively know which plant is the right plant for them, and will only lay their eggs on those plants. Caterpillars have voracious appetites and can completely defoliate host plants, so planting multiple host plants is advised. Nectar plants become important once the caterpillar pupates and becomes an adult moth or butterfly.
Nectar Plants: Open to All Pollinators
A nectar plant is a plant that provides nectar for a variety of pollinating insects.
Unlike host plants, nectar plants feed anyone who is hungry enough. These plants are not limited to butterflies, and visitors include flies, hummingbirds, birds, bees, etc. If you want pollinators to stop by your yard and stay, having a variety of nectar plants is a great idea!
Plant Natives for a Local Buzz
Luckily there are tons of Virginia native plants that are extremely attractive to pollinators and are uniquely adapted to survive our specific microclimate! Below are some examples of my favorite pollinator plants and who you might see in your garden if you plant them!
Before I get started, as much as I wish the pollinators would read this blog, they won’t, so no plant is 100% guaranteed to attract a specific pollinator and there are a lot of other factors that help them decide where they want to visit.
Bees Love Clustered Mountain Mint
A classic pollinator group is bees! My best suggestion if you want more bees in your life is to plant Clustered Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum muticum). This plant has beautiful dusky green foliage with hints of blue, and extremely soft/fuzzy leaves. This plant almost looks alive with all the bees and butterflies crawling all over it. It’s also VERY fragrant, and will definitely make you and your garden smell nice!
Hummingbirds Love Tubular Blooms
If it is hummingbirds you are looking for I suggest you add Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) or Monarda (Monarda didyma) to your garden. A tube-shaped flower is famous for attracting hummingbirds, so your choices are not limited to these two. Penstemon, Trumpet Vine, and Eastern Redbuds are a few more native choices depending on the available space in your yard.
Adding a mix of host and nectar plants to your yard is essential. You want to offer food for the caterpillars (host plants) and you want to offer nectar to the butterflies (nectar plants). Having a variety of both increases the likelihood that butterflies will stick around. Why would they go elsewhere if all the good stuff is in your yard! Specifically, adding milkweed (Asclepias spp.) is a great way to attract Monarch butterflies, since they only lay their eggs on milkweed. Some other native host plants (that also double as nectar plants) are Blue Mistflower, Boneset, and Purple Passionvine.
Create a Pollinator Paradise
To wrap it up, remember that attracting pollinators to your garden is not only fun, but essential to maintaining and promoting a thriving ecosystem in your area!
For more suggestions on pollinator plants, check out our more comprehensive list here, and take a look at our inventory to see what we have available for you to add to your garden!
Written by Jordan Goodrich and the VLM Horticulture Team.
