Planning a garden?-If yes, you need to take into account the importance of planting nectar plants! They’re pivotal for attracting pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds and are also of aid for boosting the garden’s overall growth.
When you have more pollinators in your garden, they will pollinate numerous plants like beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, and thus, they’ll easily bear fruits.
This being said, the more you have, the better!
A nectar plant is a great energy source-it’s rich in antioxidants, water, protein, minerals, vitamins, etc.
Although all flowering plants produce it, some varieties have it in larger amounts than others. Below, check out 10 awesome nectar plants.
10 Great Nectar Plants to Have in Your Garden
- Day lilies
This drought-tolerant perennial is a stunning choice for any garden-you can find it in numerous colors, including red, orange, yellow, purple, etc.
It’s not overly demanding in terms of care; however, its blooming period is short. Each of the flowers lasts no more than a day and it’s replaced with another on the same stalk the next day.
- Fuchsia
This is a marvelous exotic flower that’s delicate and in two-tone colors. It’s great for hanging baskets and it needs a moist and draining soil.
- Impatiens
This herbaceous perennial can be grown in most parts of North America. It wants regular watering and it’s not drought-tolerant.
After pollination, it creates small fruits which ‘explode’ from the pressure and disperse around. Its seeds are dust-like and float away from the area.
- Lantana
This plant has tiny flowers and a lot of nectar great for hummingbirds and butterflies. It’s vine-like in appearance so it’s usually grown in hanging pots.
The flowers come in multiple colours; including red, purple, white, etc. Songbirds eat their little black berries which they produce in the fall and growing season.
- Mexican sunflowers
This bushy annual perennial is large and has bright-color daisy-like flowers growing on thick stems. Its landing pad is large so they’re loved by bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies.
- Zinnia
This flower comes in a variety of colours and heights and it’s always a good idea for any garden. It’s easy to grow from seeds. It blooms fast and attracts different pollinators. There are hundreds of cultivars available with different heights so you can choose according to your needs.
- Bee balm
This nectar plant is native to North America and it attracts a variety of pollinators. It has an open-daisy like shape with tubular petals.
Since it’s a perennial, you only need to plant it once and it will keep growing every year. Divide it every 3 to 4 years and pick the flowers regularly to boost the production of flowers.
- Cleome
Also known as the spider flower, this is a big and fast-growing annual herb that pollinators love. It flowers for months and it’s a great long source of nectar in the growing season.
It usually reseeds itself if the birds don’t get to the seeds first. Some of its varieties have thorns so be careful.
- Columbines
This perennial is easy to grow and comes in various colours. Its flowers are shaped like bells. It can easily grow from seeds and multiply on its own when it establishes.
Don’t forget to deadhead them regularly to make sure there’s sufficient blooming in the whole growing season. Add stalks if you want them to grow high.
- Flowering tobacco
This towering plant’s stalks have star-shaped flowers that come in numerous shades, including yellow, white, pink, lavender… Some of its varieties have amazing scent in the evening and attract moths while blooming at night.