Plants That Attract Bees
To attract those beneficial bees, provide an abundance of the right kind of blooms. Different pollinators are active at different times of year, so plant a variety of plants that bloom from early spring through late fall. Choose plants of various heights, including flowering shrubs and perennials with a range of flower shapes and sizes. Bees are especially attracted to blue, purple, and yellow flowers.
The plants listed below will allow you to grow the perfect bee habitat in your California Landscape. Please note that while we carry many if not all the plants listed here, selection may vary by location and may only be available in select seasons. Please contact your local SummerWinds Nursery for selection. Our Trusted Garden Advisors are also great resources for helping you choose the right plants for your garden.
Plants That Attract Bees
Perennials That Attract Bees
| Common Name | Botanical Name | Plant Information | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anise Hyssop | Agastache spp. | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Fragrant Flowers, Drought-Tolerant |  |
| Aster | Aster spp. | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, California Native Variety Available |  |
| Beard Tongue | Penstemon spp. | Full Sun to Partial Shade, Low-Water Use, California Native |  |
| Black-Eyed Susan | Rudbeckia hirta | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Long Blooming, Attracts Pollinators |  |
| Blanket Flower | Gaillardia spp. | Full Sun to Partial Shade, Low-Water Use, Heat-Tolerant |  |
| Broadleaf/Common Plantain | Plantago major | Full Sun to Partial Shade, Adaptable, Pollinator-Friendly |  |
| Buckwheat | Fagopyrum spp. | Full Sun to Partial Shade, Low-Water Use, California Native |  |
| Calamint | Calamintha spp. | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Aromatic Leaves, Pollinator Favorite |  |
| California Poppy | Eschscholzia californica | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, California Native, Fast-Growing |  |
| Cat Mint | Nepeta spp. | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Fragrant Foliage, Long Blooming |  |
| Coneflower | Echinacea spp. | Full Sun to Partial Shade, Low-Water Use, Drought-Tolerant |  |
| Coreopsis | Coreopsis spp. | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Continuous Blooms, Attracts Pollinators |  |
| Cosmos | Cosmos spp. | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Easy to Grow, Reseeds Easily |  |
| Dahlia | Dahlia spp. | Full Sun to Partial Shade, Moderate Water, Showy Blooms |  |
| Fennel | Foeniculum vulgare | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Attracts Butterflies & Bees |  |
| Germander | Teucrium spp. | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Evergreen, Deer-Resistant |  |
| Goldenrod | Solidago spp. | Full Sun to Partial Shade, Low-Water Use, California Native |  |
| Tower of Jewels | Polemonium spp. | Full Sun to Partial Shade, Low-Water Use, Striking Blooms |  |
| Japanese Bellflower | Echium wildpretii | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Architectural Growth |  |
| Lenten Rose | Helleborus spp. | Partial Shade, Low-Water Use, Evergreen, Long Blooming |  |
| Matilija Poppy | Romneya coulteri | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, California Native, Large Flowers |  |
| Milkweed | Asclepias spp. | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Host Plant for Monarchs |  |
| Mullein | Verbascum spp. | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Drought-Tolerant |  |
| Peter's Gold Carpet | Bidens ferulifolia | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Long Blooming |  |
| Plumbago | Ceratostigma plumbaginoides | Full Sun to Partial Shade, Low-Water Use, Ground Cover |  |
| Pincushion Flower | Scabiosa spp. | Full Sun, Moderate Water, Continuous Blooms |  |
| Phlox, Summer Phlox | Phlox paniculata | Full Sun to Partial Shade, Moderate Water, Fragrant Flowers |  |
| Santa Barbara Daisy | Erigeron karvinskianus | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, California Native |  |
| Russian Sage | Perovskia atriplicifolia | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Drought-Tolerant |  |
| Salvia/Sage | Salvia spp. | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Aromatic, Pollinator Favorite |  |
| Red Valerian | Centranthus ruber | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Reseeds Easily |  |
| Scented Geranium | Pelargonium graveolens | Full Sun to Partial Shade, Low-Water Use, Fragrant Foliage |  |
| Sea Holly | Eryngium spp. | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Spiky Textured Blooms |  |
| Sea Lavender/Statice | Limonium spp. | Full Sun to Partial Shade, Low-Water Use, Long Blooming |  |
| Seaside Daisy | Erigeron spp. | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, California Native |  |
| Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ | Sedum x Autumn Joy | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Succulent-Like Growth |  |
| Shasta Daisy | Leucanthemum superbum | Full Sun, Moderate Water, Classic Cottage Flower |  |
| Snow In Summer | Alyssum spp. | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Ground Cover, Low Maintenance |  |
| Speedwell | Veronica spp. | Full Sun to Partial Shade, Moderate Water, Pollinator-Friendly |  |
| Thistle | Cirsium, Eryngium spp. | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Pollinator Magnet |  |
| Thyme | Thymus spp. | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Fragrant, Ground Cover |  |
| Toadflax | Linaria purpurea | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Easy to Grow |  |
| Torch Lily | Kniphofia spp. | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Striking Flower Spikes |  |
| Jacob's Ladder | Polemonium spp. | Full Sun to Partial Shade, Low-Water Use, Compact Growth |  |
| Verbena | Verbena spp. | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Sprawling Growth, Long Blooming |  |
| Vinca | Vinca minor | Partial Shade, Moderate Water, Ground Cover |  |
| Wall Flower | Erysimum spp. | Full Sun to Partial Shade, Low-Water Use, Fragrant |  |
| Wild Buckwheat | Eriogonum spp. | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, California Native | |
| Wild Radish | Raphanus raphanistrum | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Fast-Growing |  |
| Yarrow | Achillea spp. | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, California Native |  |
Shrubs That Attract Bees
| Common Name | Botanical Name | Plant Information | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Locust | Robinia pseudoacacia | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Fast-Growing |  |
| Bluebeard – Blue Mist | Caryopteris spp. | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Late Summer Blooms |  |
| California Wild Lilac | Ceanothus spp. | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, California Native |  |
| Chaste Tree | Vitex agnus-castus | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Fragrant Flowers |  |
| False Heather | Cuphea spp. | Full Sun to Partial Shade, Moderate Water | |
| Lantana | Lantana spp. | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Pollinator Magnet |  |
| Lavender | Lavandula spp. | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Aromatic |  |
| Mint Bush | Prostanthera spp. | Full Sun to Partial Shade, Moderate Water |  |
| Pride of Madeira | Echium candicans | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, California Native |  |
| Privet | Ligustrum spp. | Full Sun to Partial Shade, Moderate Water |  |
| Rosemary | Rosmarinus officinalis | Full Sun, Low-Water Use, Evergreen |  |
| Spirea | Spiraea spp. | Full Sun to Partial Shade, Moderate Water |  |
More To Creating A Bee Habitat
Other Pollinators...
| Create A Bird Habitat | Create A Butterfly Habitat | Creating A Hummingbird Habitat |
| Plants to Attract Birds | Plants to Attract Butterflies | Plants To Attract Hummingbirds |
