Plants that Attract Beneficial Insects
Annuals
For beneficial insects:
- Annual candytuft
- Bachelor’s buttons
- Black-eyed Susan
- Blanket flower
- Blue-eyed African daisy
- Calendula
- Calliopsis
- Cosmos
- Dwarf morning glory
- Gazania
- Marigolds
- Mexican sunflower
- Common sunflower
- Swan River daisy
- Sweet alyssum
- Common zinnia
For bees:
- Cosmos
perennials
For beneficial insects:
- Bee balm
- Gayfeathers
- Golden asters
- Goldenrod
- Hardy marguerite
- Lavender cotton
- Painted daisy
- Pincushion flower
- Purple coneflower
- Rock cress
- Sea hollies
- Yarrows
For bees:
- Rock cress
herbs
For beneficial insects:
- Angelica
- Anise
- Caraway
- Catnip
- German Chamomile
- Roman Chamomile
- Chervil
- Curry plant
- Dill
- Fennel
- Lovage
- Nasturtium
- Parsley (when allowed to flower)
- Rue
- Spearmint
- Sweet Annie
- Sweet cicely
- Tansy
For bees: (more pollination = greater harvest)
- Borage
- Catnip
- Dill
- Lavender
Wildflowers/weeds
For beneficial insects:
- Wild asters
- Buttercups
- Corn spurrey
- Dandelion
- Lamb’s quarters
- Wild mustards
- Oxeye daisy
- Queen-Anne’s-lace
- Red sorrel
cover crops
For beneficial insects:
- Alfalfa
- Buckwheat
- Clovers
- Winter rye
For bees:
- Buckwheat
- Clovers
*All materials referenced from “Great Garden Companions,” written by: Sally Jean Cunningham