Create a bee-friendly environment by planting these Best Plants that Attract Bees and add beauty to your garden.

Bees are vital pollinators that are essential to our ecosystem and food supply. If you want them in your yard, then join us on a journey to discover the Best Plants that Attract Bees and bring your backyard to life with the hum of these buzzing little creatures.

What Colors Attract the Bees Most

Bees are attracted to bright, saturated colors such as blue, yellow, and purple. They are also attracted to white and pale yellow flowers.

Best Plants that Attract Bees

1. Marjoram

Botanical Name: Origanum majorana

USDA Zones: 9-10

This fragrant herb with pink-white blooms attracts honeybees, bumblebees, furrow bees, leafcutters, and other pollinators, making it one of the Best Plants that Attract Bees.

Follow This Ultimate Guide to Grow Marjoram in Pots here

2. Lavender

Botanical Name: Lavandula angustifolia

USDA Zones: 5-8

The blooms of this fragrant plant tempt bees, but rabbits and deer leave it alone. You can grow lavender in pots – find details here.

Here’s all you need to know about growing Lavender

3. Fennel

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Botanical Name: Foeniculum vulgare

USDA Zones: 4-9

Fennel produces bright yellow flowerheads that are loaded with nectar and pollen that attracts many pollinating insects. It is one of the Best Plants that Attract Bees.

Learn How To Grow Fennel in a Pot here

4. Pussy Willow

Botanical Name: Salix discolor

USDA Zones: 4-8

This plant feeds queen bumblebees when they hunt for new colonies during early spring. The leaves also host native butterfly caterpillars. It is one of the Best Plants that Attract Bees.

5. Heliotrope

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Botanical Name: Heliotropium arborescens

USDA Zones: 10-11, annual elsewhere

The scented purple, violet or white flowers tempt bees; you can grow this annual in the garden or in a pot that gets full sun in well-draining, moist soil.

Check out our article on the best pink flowers here

6. Crocus

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Botanical Name: Crocus

USDA Zones: 3-8

Crocus brings a splash of color in spring in the garden and nectar for the bees. Grow it in full sun or partial shade. It is one of the Best Plants that Attract Bees.

7. Aster

Botanical Name: Aster

USDA Zones: 4 to 9

This late-bloomer fall plant is essential for pre-hibernation bumblebees; the pink, lavender, or white blossoms look beautiful as ground cover, near borders, or in pots. It is one of the Best Plants that Attract Bees.

8. Abelia (Bee Bush)

Botanical Name: Abelia x grandiflora

USDA Zones: 6-9

The dainty white blooms appear from spring through fall and tempt both bumblebees and honeybees.

Check out Abelia and other Best Low Maintenance Hedge Plants here

9. Lilac

Botanical Name: Syringa vulgaris

USDA Zones: 3-8

Lilac offers pollen, nectar, and blooms for bee pollinators. The blooms appear from spring to summer and lure bees. It is one of the Best Plants that Attract Bees.

Learn How to Grow Miss Kim Lilac here

10. Chives

Botanical Name: Allium schoenoprasum

USDA Zones: 3-9

To attract bees, this easy-to-grow and maintain herb needs to bloom. The edible purple flowers are added to salads.

Learn Growing Chives Indoors Year-Round here

11. Goldenrod

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Botanical Name: Solidago

USDA Zones: 3-10

The feathery yellow blooms provide fodder for bumblebees, honeybees, butterflies, soldier beetles, and beneficial wasps. It is one of the Best Plants that Attract Bees.

12. Bee Balm

Botanical Name: Monarda

USDA Zones: 4-9

As the name sounds, bee balm is loved by bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. The leaves of this plant can be steeped to make tea.

Learn How to Grow Bee Balm here

13. Calendula

Botanical Name: Calendula officinalis

USDA Zone: 9-11

This edible flower with yellow, white, and orange petals is used for flavoring soups and stews. Calendula reseeds and provides nectar for bees in the garden for years.

14. Sedum

Botanical Name: Sedum

USDA Zones: 3-10

To attract bees to your garden, plant both summer and fall-blooming varieties of this heat-resistant plant. You can grow the ‘Autumn Joy’ sedum as its flowers tempt bees and flies.

Here are the most beautiful sedums you must check out

15. Catmint

Botanical Name: Nepeta x faassenii

USDA Zones: 3-8

This drought-tolerant plant is not only loved by cats, but bees also find blue flowers appealing, making it one of the Best Plants that Attract Bees.

16. Borage

Botanical Name: Borago officinalis

USDA Zones: 2-11

The clear star-shaped blue blossoms entice bees. Its cucumber-flavored edible leaves can be steamed and sauteed. Once reaching maturity, the plant is drought-tolerant.

17. Foxglove

Botanical Name: Digitalis purpurea

USDA Zones: 4 to 9

Foxglove features large bell-shaped blooms in late spring or early summer gardens. It is a great option for shady areas and moist soils. This biennial reseeds and stays in the garden for years.

Here are the Best Bell Shaped Flowers

18. Anise Hyssop

Botanical Name: Agastache foeniculum

USDA Zones: 4 to 8

Native to North America, this plant with spikes of blue blooms lures bees.. The plant also attracts butterflies and is one of the Best Plants that Attract Bees.

19. Joe Pye Weed

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Botanical Name: Eupatorium purpureum

USDA Zones: 3 to 9

Also known as a butterfly plant, this perennial flower allures bees with its scented pink-purple flowers. It favors moist soil and grows up to 9 feet tall. It is one of the Best Plants that Attract Bees.

Have a look at the Best Weeds with White Flowers here

20. Sunflower

Botanical Name: Helianthus

USDA Zones: 4-9

This easy-to-establish plant withstands many types of soils and can be planted anywhere. The bright-hued petals attract bees, birds, and other wildlife.

Find How To Grow Sunflowers On The Balcony here

21. Coneflower

Botanical Name: Echinacea purpurea

USDA Zones: 3-8

This easy-to-grow wildflower offers masses of tall purple flowers. Coneflowers tempt bees, birds, and butterflies. It is one of the Best Plants that Attract Bees.

Check out Types of Coneflower Varieties here

22. Phlox

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Botanical Name: Paniculata

USDA Zones: 3-9

This hardy perennial produces aromatic pink-blue flowers that are loved by bees and other pollinators in mid to late summer.

23. Black Eyed Susan

Botanical Name: Rudbeckia

USDA Zones: 3-10

The bright yellow flowers with dark brown centers display a  cheerful spot in the garden. These blooms charm bees and other beneficial insects. It is one of the Best Plants that Attract Bees.

24. Rosemary

Botanical Name: Salvia rosmarinus

USDA Zones: 7-10

This drought-tolerant herb has a long flowering season; it produces blue-purple flowers that lure flower bees, mason bees, bumble bees, and honey bees.

Learn Growing Rosemary In Pots here

25. Sage

Botanical Name: Salvia officinalis

USDA Zones: 5-8

Sage offers purple spikes of tubular blooms on both ornamental and edible are famous with leafcutter bees and bumblebees, making it one of the Best Plants that Attract Bees.

Check out 5 Herbs that Grow Best from Cuttings here

26. Lemon Balm

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Botanical Name: Melissa officinalis

USDA Zones: 3-7

The small leaves of lemon balm release a delicious scent when crushed between fingers. This plant was named in honor of honeybees; Melissa means bee in Greek.

Here are Herbs that Grow from One Cutting and a Glass of Water

27. Thyme

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Botanical Name: Thymus vulgaris

USDA Zones: 5-9

Plant thyme in paving, near the pathway, or grow in pots; it will not only fill the surroundings with fragrance but also invite bumblebees, honeybees, leafcutter bees, and mason bees.

Here are the Best Thyme Growing Tips

28. Sweet Alyssum

Botanical Name: Lobularia maritima

This low-growing annual is loved by pollinators; the flowers open in pink, white, and purple shades from early spring to hard freeze.

29. Snapdragon

Botanical Name: Antirrhinum majus

USDA Zones: 7-11

During cool months, the sweet-scented snapdragons provide food to bees. The yellow and blue colors of this plant charm bees as they can’t see red. It is one of the Best Plants that Attract Bees.

30. Cosmos

Botanical Name: Cosmos bipinnatus

USDA Zones: 2-11

This bright annual showcases daisy-like flowers and textured leaves that bees love in the garden. It can tolerate all soil types and is one of the Best Plants that Attract Bees.

31. Helenium

Botanical Name: Helenium autumnale

USDA Zones: 3-9

Helenium’s bright yellow, orange, and red flowers produce abundant nectar and pollen, making it a magnet for bees and other pollinators.

Check out 32 Splendid Perennial Flowers that Bloom for Decades here

32. Larkspur

Botanical Name: Consolida ajacis

USDA Zones: 3-9

Larkspur’s tall spikes of vivid blue, pink, and purple flowers have a sweet fragrance, and abundant nectar. It is one of the Best Plants that Attract Bees.

33. Pansy

Botanical Name: Viola tricolor

USDA Zones: 4-8

One of the Best Plants that Attract Bees, Pansies produce a high amount of nectar and are a popular food source for bees, especially in the early spring.

Are Pansies edible? Click here to find out

34. Coreopsis

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Botanical Name: Coreopsis grandiflora

USDA Zones: 3-9

Coreopsis is a long-blooming perennial with bright yellow, daisy-like flowers that provide nectar and pollen for bees throughout the growing season.

Look at some Smiling Flowers here

35. Globe Thistle

Botanical Name: Echinops ritro

USDA Zones: 3-8

The Globe Thistle is an excellent bee attractor for the garden, with unique, spiky blue flowers that produce plenty of nectar, attracting various bee species. It is one of the Best Plants that Attract Bees.

Here are Native Weeds with Thistles

36. Zinnia

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Botanical Name: Zinnia elegans

USDA Zones: 3-10

Another of the Best Plants that Attract Bees is Zinnia, with its brightly colored, daisy-like blooms, which provide both nectar and pollen for bees.

37. Snowdrop

Botanical Name: Galanthus nivalis

USDA Zones: 3-7

Snowdrops are one of the first flowers to bloom in the spring, providing an early source of nectar for hungry bees.

Take a look at the Best Pink and White Flowers to Grow here

38. Creeping Thyme

Botanical Name: Thymus serpyllum

USDA Zones: 4-8

Creeping Thyme’s fragrant, purple flowers produce nectar and pollen, making it a popular choice for bees and other pollinators. It is one of the Best Plants that Attract Bees.

Learn about Problems with Salvias and How to Solve Them here

39. Yarrow

Botanical Name: Achillea millefolium

USDA Zones: 3-9

The Yarrow has flat-topped clusters of small flowers that provide nectar and pollen for bees, and its feathery leaves are a host plant for some butterfly species.

Find out some Fantastic Plants that Look Like Cattail Plant here

40. California Poppy

Botanical Name: Eschscholzia californica

USDA Zones: 6-10

California Poppy’s bright orange blooms are a favorite of many bee species, providing a good source of nectar and pollen, making it one of the Best Plants that Attract Bees.

Check out these Flowers that Grow Quickly from Seeds

41. Baby Blue Eyes

Botanical Name: Nemophila menziesii

USDA Zones: 3-9

Baby Blue Eyes’ delicate, sky-blue flowers are rich in nectar and provide an early-season food source for bees and other pollinators. It is one of the Best Plants that Attract Bees.

Find the Best Japanese Plants for Your Garden here

42. Marigold

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Botanical Name: Tagetes erecta

USDA Zones: 2-11

Marigolds produce a lot of nectar and pollen, making them a valuable source of food for bees and other pollinators throughout the growing season.

Learn How to Grow Unlimited Marigold Plants from Just Petals here

43. Blanketflower

Botanical Name: Gaillardia pulchella

USDA Zones: 3-10

Another of the Best Plants that Attract Bees is the blanket flower, with bright red and yellow flowers that produce a lot of nectar, attracting many bee species.

Look at the Best Types of Cut Flowers here

44. Moringa

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Moringa blooms are also the favorite of bees, and they simply love to buzz around its flowers. As long as you have a bright spot, this plant will continue to thrive.

45. Citrus Flowers

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The sweet-smelling citrus flowers are also the favorite of bees, and you also get the advantage of getting them pollinated in no time! It is one of the Best Plants that Attract Bees.

Learn about Growing Horny Goat Weed Plant here

46. Wild Rose

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Roses top the list when it comes to being the favorite of the bees! They get attracted to their color and fragrance, and you will see them buzzing around them non stop!