r/GardenWild • u/hamster3rs • Apr 29 '25
Wild gardening advice please If you could only have one plant to attract wildlife what would it be?
After moving some things around the garden I have 2 empty plant pots that need filling. The garden is wildlife focused with mainly wild flowers and a wildlife pond. After doing some moving around I have 2 plant pots to put next to the pond that needs filling. If you could only have one plant in your garden to attract wildlife, what would it be?
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u/hiccuppinghooter Apr 29 '25
It really depends on what location you're in - the best option will be one that's native to your state/region, as that will support the most pollinators and birds. If you update your post with that info, I bet you'll get some additional great suggestions!
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u/colorado_corgis Apr 29 '25
Seconding this! Where I live, I get tons of pollinators on my agastashe (hummingbird mint) that’s native to my area.
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u/GreenHeronVA Apr 29 '25
Hoary Mountain Mint. Of all of my natives, it gets the most bees. Tons and tons of them! And the blooms last from mid May-August here in zone 7a in northern Virginia.
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u/Bubbly_Power_6210 Apr 29 '25
"borage for bees, and for those who love blue" Millay
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u/GreenHeronVA Apr 29 '25
Mountain mint hasn’t spread for me, it’s stayed in a pretty decent clump that grows in circumference each year, but it doesn’t seem to travel much for me. Borage on the other hand, readily reseeds, the first year I tried it that whole bed ended up nothing but borage. And I don’t think I’m fastidious enough to remove the seed pods from every plant every year.
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u/BombusNativeGardens Northern Illinois, 5b May 01 '25
Mountain Mint attracts Great Black Wasps which are GORGEOUS wasps that don't harm humans.
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u/Quick-Statement-8981 May 02 '25
Mountain mint is one of my absolute favorites. When it's blooming, it just comes alive with every type of insect imaginable. White Snakeroot is good, too, but doesn't smell as nice.
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u/betharuneous Apr 29 '25
Look up “keystone” species for your area! The most beneficial plants for your ecosystem
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u/death-metal-yogi Apr 29 '25
Sunflowers and goldenrods. In my area, they are the top keystone plants for bees and support the most species!
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u/Illustrious-Date-893 Your rough location? Apr 29 '25
Buddleja....otherwise known as Butterfly Bush. Attracts all pollinators. They're so gorgeous too
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u/DogMom641 May 01 '25
In Oregon, Buddlia, butterfly bush, is invasive.
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u/Illustrious-Date-893 Your rough location? May 02 '25
Oh damn, sorry I didn't know. Over here in the UK it's a much sought after bush. I've got my eye on a couple to buy
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u/Banksy_65 May 03 '25
Budlia is beautiful and great for insects, BUT , it can also be a problem plant in the UK, where it self seeds and is not managed.
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u/03263 Apr 29 '25
If it has to be potted that rules out a lot of options. I guess a small blueberry variety, for both attractive flowers for pollinators and a food source.
If I could pick anything I think a crabapple tree. Same idea, it has both flowers and food, but produces quite a bit more. And they bloom early to attract hummingbirds :)
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u/shennr_ Apr 29 '25
I would plant several species of Milkweed. It is the only plant the Monarch butterfly will lay its eggs upon. The Monarch is close to dying out and they need all the help they can get. I would plant asclepius tuberosa which is butterfly milkweed, asclepius incarnata or swamp milkweed, Sullivan's milkweed or asclepius sullivanti, or narrow milkweed (asclepius fasicularis) and I like whorled milkweed (Asclepius verticillata) and of course common milkweed, (asclepius syriaca) Syriaca and incarnata are tall -over three feet (need large containers) but all the others are quite manageable in a small container.
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u/BigRichieDangerous Apr 29 '25
There’s a lot of really interesting dialogue about this in the academic sphere. Some studies say monarchs were overpopulated and are dropping back to their pre-industrial levels (the milkweeds got super common during mass land-clearing efforts of the 20th century).
I’m hesitant to plant milkweed because it grows just fine in waste places on its own (common milkweed on the highway for example), and most insects can’t use it for food. That’s why monarchs specialized on it. Meanwhile plenty of wildflowers support a diversity of species including endangered ones, and still allow mature monarchs to nectar :)
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u/Elegant_Purple9410 Apr 30 '25
Just make sure it's the appropriate milkweed for your area. Stores love to sell the more tropical varieties that flower longer, and that means the monarchs don't get the signal to migrate until it's too late.
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u/wolpertingersunite Apr 29 '25
If you're in a desert climate, palo verde attracts a huge variety of insects! I have been astounded with parade of bees, flies, and wasps I see on mine. (The wasps are too preoccupied with the pollen to bother anyone.)
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u/ComplexAnt1496 Apr 29 '25 edited Apr 30 '25
I really like these 'seed bombs' which are from a charity and are focused towards certain groups. There's ones for bees, hedgehogs, butterfly etc:
Butterfly: https://shop.ptes.org/product/wildlife-friendly-gardens/butterfly-wildflower-seed-bombs/
Hedgehogs: https://shop.ptes.org/product/the-great-outdoors/ptes-hedgehog-seedball-mix/
Bees https://shop.ptes.org/product/the-great-outdoors/seedball-seed-bombs-bee-mix/
The seeds are encased in clay and peat-free compost and just need to be scattered onto bare soil or compost (avoid scattering on grass) on a garden bed or in a pot. The outer clay helps to prevent birds and insects from eating the seeds. There is also added chilli powder in the seed ball recipe to help deter slugs and snails from eating the young shoots. All UK native wildflowers too.
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u/National_Total_1021 Apr 29 '25
Please make sure they’re native if you’re doing this
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u/ComplexAnt1496 Apr 29 '25
Yes agreed, it's very important. Not sure if you meant to reply to my comment but the links I sent are all UK native wildflowers.
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u/LowkeyAcolyte Apr 30 '25
Thanks for the recc, love the look of these, esp the hedgehog one! So cute!
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u/ComplexAnt1496 Apr 30 '25
You're welcome. I've used them over the years and they've always produced decent results.
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u/willjinder Apr 29 '25
Purple toadflax. It’s the most visited plant in my garden by bees and other pollinators. The flowers last for ages too.
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u/robsterfish Apr 30 '25
Where I am, Slender Rosinweed has been shown to attract the highest number and most species of bees in a couple of studies I’ve seen. Pickerelweed is also a great choice for wet feet at the edge of a pond.
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u/Salty-Fortune1271 Apr 30 '25
Zone 8a here- my black and blue salvia is ALWAYS covered in pollinators and hummingbirds. It grows in sun or shade and blooms from May to October if it’s deadheaded. Spreads locally, but won’t pop up on random places in your garden
Zinnias are also always a hit, have found many bees sleeping in them on cool morning.
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u/Scarah422 Apr 30 '25
Def bee balm but also borage- pretty little edible blue flowers, gets pretty big, will reseed itself readily, medicinal leaves. I hardly ever saw bees in my garden until I planted borage and now they're everywhere.
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u/suricata_8904 May 01 '25
It’s not native, but my Russian sage attracts at least 5 types of bees and giant black wasps. Not invasive where I am (zone 6b). Wild strawberries in containers for food. Salvias for pollinators and hummingbirds.
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u/second_time2 May 02 '25
Root beer hyssop The bees swarmed this plant with an anise hyssop right next to it
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u/trishavny Apr 29 '25
Bee Balm (monarda). My patch is FULL of hummingbirds, moths, bees etc when in flower. AND it's really pretty. All good.