15 Native Plants for Pollinators in Southeast US Gardens

Pollinators are important—there’s simply no getting around it. As gardeners, we know just how important these insects and animals are to our food supply and to our flowers as well. With populations declining more and more every year, it is clear that we need to act quickly to protect them. If you’re a gardener in the Southeast, there are a multitude of things you can plant to help sustain these vital garden helpers. 

Native plants, in general, are important in sustaining a healthy ecosystem. They tend to require less care and thrive in places where they grow naturally without human intervention. Not only are they great for the biodiversity in your space, but they are also lower maintenance and more cost-effective. 

These plants often have deeper root systems, which improve the structure of soil and groundwater quality. They capture carbon from the air, making it safer for us to breathe. They also provide a more bountiful source of food for native animals and insects, including important pollinators. Butterflies, for instance, need specific plants to feed their young, and without these, we will continue to see their numbers dwindle.

Then there is the all-important subject of pesticides. Native plants tend to attract more beneficial, predatory insects and animals, which in turn help to control nuisance insects. Since pesticides are the number one threat to pollinator populations, the fewer we use, the better.

Where you acquire your plants is equally important. When possible, plant seeds to ensure that your plants aren’t treated with harmful chemicals, as this is more detrimental than not planting them at all. If you can find a nursery that sells native plants that aren’t treated with chemicals, you’ve hit the jackpot. Here are some of the wonderful native plants that Southeastern gardeners can plant to help bolster pollinator populations. 

Purple Coneflower Echinacea

Our Rating

Purple Coneflower Echinacea Seeds

View at Botanical Interests

Double Sunburst Coreopsis

Our Rating

Double Sunburst Coreopsis Seeds

View at Botanical Interests

Irresistible Blend Milkweed

Our Rating

Irresistible Blend Milkweed Seeds

View at Botanical Interests

Purple Coneflower 

	botanical name Echinacea purpurea
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2’-3’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Coneflowers are fantastic plants that bloom for an exceptionally long portion of the year. They are also an incredible food source for pollinators, as their large, prominent cones are brimming with an ample supply of nectar. The purple variety is especially popular with bees because of their ultraviolet spectrum vision. Blues and purples are a bee’s favorite colors. 

This Southeast native is an endangered plant in Florida, making it even more important to add it to your garden. They are easy to grow from seeds and require little to no extra care. Not only do they feed bees and butterflies, but their seed heads attract songbirds in the fall and winter, providing them with a valuable source of nutrition, too. 

Joe Pye Weed 

	botanical name Eutrochium maculatum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 4’-7’
	hardiness zones 3-8

There are several types of Joe Pye weed, and most are native to the East Coast. It’s a tall perennial that produces large clusters of fragrant pink blossoms that are highly appealing to moths and butterflies. It’s also a host plant for the Three-lined Flower Moth and the Ruby Tiger Moth. They lay their eggs here, and the caterpillars use the leaves as their first food. 

Joe Pye weed also makes a striking addition to the landscape. Its towering stems of lanceolate foliage topped with spectacular floral sprays make an excellent vertical element in your beds. Keep an eye out for hummingbirds, skippers, swallowtails, and fritillaries, who all love this native!

Tall Goldenrod

	botanical name Solidago altissima
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2’-6’
	hardiness zones 5-10

Goldenrod is a magical harbinger of autumn. When it popped up in my yard a few years ago, I couldn’t believe my good fortune. When it goes to seed, I always make sure to go out and give it a good shake, and over time, I’ve amassed quite a nice cluster of this superb pollinator plant. Many people believe themselves to be allergic to the plant, but very few truly are. It happens to bloom at the same time as giant ragweed, which is a more common allergen. 

When in bloom, it’s positively alive with bumblebees, and the flowers last a long time. Since many species of bumbles appear on threa




tened and endangered lists, I cherish those plants that keep them coming back. Several species of goldenrod are native to the Southeast, including showy, seaside, and Chapman’s, as well as tall goldenrod. 

Lanceleaf Coreopsis 

	botanical name Coreopsis lanceolata
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1’-3’
	hardiness zones 4-9

Coreopsis is charming and surprisingly sturdy despite its rather delicate appearance. The dainty flowers seem to float above the foliage on impossibly slender stems. They are also shockingly frost-tolerant. In my yard, they stay green throughout the winter, even under snow!

You may know these by their common name, tickseed. Their blooms are bright, warm, and cheerful, and they require little care. Deadheading will make them bloom more and for longer, so I highly recommend it. It’s a host for Silvery Checkerspot butterflies and several species of moths. It’s a primary food source for many native bees. 

Swamp Milkweed

	botanical name Asclepias incarnata
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3’-5’
	hardiness zones 3-9

There are more than 60 species of milkweed that grow native to North America. They manage to find their way into most pollinator gardens for one specific reason. Milkweed is the sole larval host for Monarch butterflies. With their populations in steep decline, the more food we can provide for them, the better. 

An issue in the Southeast is that many nurseries carry the wrong type. Tropical milkweed (A. curassavica) is a vigorous grower with showy orange and red flowers. It’s also non-native and can cause a number of issues for Monarchs when grown outside their natural habitat. Swamp milkweed, on the other hand, is perfect for planting in your Southeastern yard. It has lovely pink flowers and survives in clay-heavy and mucky soils. 

Blazing Star

	botanical name Liatris spicata
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2’-6’
	hardiness zones 3-9

While you’re finding a spot for your milkweed, leave some space nearby for blazing stars, as these are one of the Monarch’s favorite nectar plants. It’s not unusual to see clusters of those orange and black beauties hanging on to these tall spikes covered in fuzzy purple flowers. Pollinators, in general, will love this ample nectar producer.

There are about 50 species of Liatris native to North America. L. spicata is my favorite, but any one of them will be a great addition to the garden. Liatris is the sole food source of both the Schinia gloriosa and Schinia sanguinea moths and their larvae. Plus, it’s just plain stunning and mixes excellently with native grasses for a meadow aesthetic. 

Tall Ironweed 

	botanical name Vernonia gigantea
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 5’-12’
	hardiness zones 5-9

Tall ironweed is an imposing figure in any flower bed. Towering over the coneflowers and tickseed, the fine lanceolate foliage is well-defined and linear. At up to 12 feet tall, it’s a wonderful textural element for the background. 

In fall, large clusters of fuzzy red-violet flowers make an ample food source for bees and butterflies. The foliage is bitter-tasting, so this plant rarely becomes the focus of deer or other animals. It looks wonderful in a cottage or prairie setting. 

American Beautyberry 

	botanical name Callicarpa americana
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3’-6’+
	hardiness zones 6-11

American beautyberry is best known for its brilliant purple berries, which, in the fall, are a great source of food for birds and other small animals. The flowers that precede the berries are popular with bees and butterflies, making this an all-around powerhouse for wildlife. 

The berries are edible, and though bitter, many people use them to make jellies and syrups. In addition to its other virtues, American beautyberry is a larval host for the Spring azure butterfly and the Snowberry Clearwing moth. I happen to know from experience that it’s highly appealing to the Spicebush Swallowtail.

Wild Bergamot 

	botanical name Monarda fistulosa
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2’-4’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Wild bergamot, or wild bee balm, is native to most of North America and is an excellent addition to the pollinator paradise. Its aromatic foliage repels mosquitoes, making it even more useful to plant near outdoor living areas. It also repels deer and rabbits, so no worries about those animals munching on it. 

In terms of butterflies, wild bergamot is a host for the Raspberry Pyrausta butterfly, the Hermit Sphinx, and the Orange Mint moths. The tubular purple flowers are appealing to bees and hummingbirds, too. It’s a member of the mint family, and the leaves are nice for making tea.

Buttonbush 

	botanical name Cephalanthus occidentalis
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 5’-12’
	hardiness zones 5-9

Button bush has unique and interesting flowers. They look like spiky balls, but the spikes are actually stamens protruding from hundreds of tiny tubular blossoms. They are soft and not spiky at all. This bush prefers rich, moist soil and works well in areas with poor drainage. It can even grow in water up to 18 inches deep. 

This medium-sized shrub is perfect for the rain or bog garden. It’s a host for several species of moths and a favorite nectar source for many butterflies. Honeybees, bumblebees, and other native bee species, as well as hummingbirds, enjoy the nectar-rich flowers. 

Wild Passionflower 

	botanical name Passiflora incarnata
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6’-20’
	hardiness zones 5-9

Wild passionflower produces some truly spectacular blooms. Large and intricate, they smell wonderful, and edible fruits called maypops follow. This is the hardiest of passion flower vines and is a great climber. It can also grow across the ground. It blooms near the end of summer, but that’s not the only time it’s valuable to pollinators. 

The Zebra Longwing butterfly utilizes wild passionflower as a host plant. I’ll often observe a half dozen or more of these sweet butterflies fluttering about between vines on any given summer day. It grows well in partial shade and isn’t picky about soil. It’s also useful as a host to Gulf and Variegated Fritillaries. 

Swamp Sunflower

	botanical name Helianthus angustifolius
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 5’-8’
	hardiness zones 5-9

This sweet sunflower is a perennial and a gorgeous member of the fall landscape. It’s one of the last sunflowers to bloom, making it an ideal food source when little else is available. Slender, towering stems bob in the breeze under the weight of cheerful yellow blooms with a dark brown center. They closely resemble a black-eyed Susan or Rudbeckia, another popular native.

From July until the first frost, the sunny blossoms of swamp sunflowers provide nectar and pollen to bees and butterflies. In winter, their seed heads are a treat for overwintering songbirds. The plant is easy to grow and tolerates salt well, so it works great in coastal areas. 

Golden Alexander 

	botanical name Zizia aurea
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1’-3’
	hardiness zones 3-8

Plant golden Alexanders in your pollinator patch to offer an early food source for bees coming out of their winter hibernation. The lacy golden flowers open in spring, and the summer seed heads are food for other types of wildlife. It colonizes well, so give it some space to fill.

Golden Alexanders have their own specialized pollinator, the mining bee Andrena ziziae. They are also a host for the Black and Ozark Swallowtail butterflies’ larvae. This is an all-around excellent plant for supporting a healthy ecosystem in your space. 

Spanish Needles 

	botanical name Bidens alba
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1’-3’
	hardiness zones 8-11

I add this plant with some hesitancy, as in my yard, it has become rather aggressive and spreads easily. However, the bumblebees adore it, so I always keep some of it around just for them. Its common name comes from the sticky seeds that hitch a ride on, quite literally, anything that walks past. 

In addition to bringing those fuzzy bumbles to the garden, Spanish needles are also a larval host plant for the delightful Cloudless Sulphur butterfly. It’s said to make excellent, nearly crystal-clear honey. It’s one of the most abundant flowers here in North Florida in the fall. If you can cut it back before it goes to seed, you’ll save yourself a lot of weeding in the spring. 

Indian Blanket

	botanical name Gaillardia pulchella
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 5-9

Indian blanket is another plant that I love to have around. Here in zone 9 it’s evergreen, which makes it extra valuable as it keeps the garden looking nice in the winter. It blooms in early spring, and continues well into the summer, occasionally into fall as well. It’s a short-lived perennial, but re-seeds freely, and can form dense colonies under the right conditions.