Gardening Tips

Are you looking for some plants that can subsist dry climate , and still land mickle of pollinators to your yard or garden ? In this article , gardening expert Melissa Strauss shares her favorite pollinator - friendly plant that can bring stack of pollinators to your ironic climate garden !

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drought friendly pollinator plants

As the first butterflies and hummingbirds come for the time of year , everything is uprise and blooming with that fresh spring vigour . For me , spring is the rainy time of year . The locoweed is green , and the flowers are perky . But I know that summer is coming , and with it , the red-hot weather condition and frequent stop of drought that are common to my area .

When you live in a raging clime or one that on a regular basis live long period of drouth , maintain a pollinator garden can be arduous and costly . Collecting rainwater for use during these periods is great if you have the necessary equipment . However , this add even more overhead to maintaining your plants .

go away on a summertime holiday can mean coming home to a garden full of char plants that , at best , need several weeks of regular watering to renovate them . At worst , the plant may be whole done for . This means a return to the nursery to replace all of those industrial plant that you spent time and money nurturing through the bound .

Close-up of many blooming Allium flowers against a blurred background of a green garden. The plant bears large, globular, loose inflorescences consisting of many densely packed, tiny purple star-shaped flowers.

While superfluous lachrymation is a skillful solution to go on your pollinator garden happy , a great choice is to make a pollinator garden with as many drought - patient of plants as potential . Here are 27 of my favored pollinator plants that handle to support blistering summers and can even go a few days without water .

Allium

Botanical Name : Allium sativum

Allium is one of the best flowers for a pollinator garden that does n’t get rain on a regular basis . These ornamental onions prefer soil that is on the dry side , as too much wet will chair straight to root rot . In addition to their drouth tolerance , they are unappealing to deer and rodents , and most pests wo n’t rag them either .

However , pollinators will flock to them . Their pretty , puffy , majestic flowers are brim with sweet nectar to bring bumble bee and honey bee to your garden . Bees are peculiarly attracted to purple flowers as they see this color clearest .

Close-up of many blooming Aster flowers in the garden. The flowers are small, disc-shaped, daisy-like, with central copper and gold discs surrounded by several layers of long thin blue-purple petals. The leaves are blue-green, narrow, lanceolate.

Aster

Botanical Name : Aster

aster are terrific little flowering plant that flower near the end of summer , as many other plant are train for cool weather . They are not picky about soil type , and once institute , they arise like wild flower . They do n’t bear in mind the heat energy and can go for tenacious periods without lacrimation .

I ’m a big fan of any plant that draws Monarch coquet to my garden , and aster do incisively this . Of all the flowers in my garden ( besides one other flush ) , my astersattract the most Monarchs . They fuck these piffling purple flowers so much that they will hang around while I snap pic of them at snug range .

Close-up of blooming flowers of the Beardtongues plant in the garden. The plant has upright stems with many bright pink bell-shaped flowers with a white throat.

Beardtongues

Botanical Name : Penstemon

Beardtongues are a marvelously diverse group of plants . They come in many sizes and quite a few color , admit orange , violet , pink , red , blue , snowy , and yellow . Planting more than one change can keep you flush with blooms throughout the outflow , summer , and downslope months . They also make adorable emasculated flowers .

These plants like sandy , infertile soil that has first-class drain . Once they are established , they are considered extremely drought - tolerant . Beardtongue attracts several types of bees , including leafcutter bee , effort bees , and particularly untested bumblebee . Honeybees will also gossip these industrial plant .

Close-up of flowering Monarda plants in the garden. The plant has tousled flower heads consisting of thin, tubular flowers that are bright pink in color. The leaves are oval, bright green, with serrated edges.

Bee Balm

Botanical Name : Monarda

Bee balmis not the most drought - tolerant on the list , but it certainly is lively as long as it gets some water every 7 - 10 days . It will keep producing bloom that pollinators savour .

This fellow member of the mint syndicate is fast - growing and produce a portion of flowers . It attracts bee , both native and honey bees , hummingbirds , and hawk moths .

Close-up of blooming Gaillardia plants in a sunny garden. The plant has slender, upright stems with large, daisy-like flat flowers with central burgundy-orange discs surrounded by bright red petals with yellow lobed tips.

Blanket Flower

Botanical Name : Gaillardia

Blanket floweris a with child , gloomy - criminal maintenance efflorescence plant that will take pollinator to your garden . This one should not ask much supplementary watering except during extended dry periods . Once every workweek or two in time of drought is plenty , as this plant life does not like blind drunk foot .

The bright red and yellow flowers on this plant are very appealing to all sort of bees and provide them with a vital source of ambrosia in drier weather condition . butterfly are also draw to this fellow member of the aster family .

Close-up of a flowering Ceanothus bush in a sunny garden. The bush is large, lush, blooms with large oval dense inflorescences of blue-violet flowers. The leaves are oval, waxy, shiny, bright green in color with smooth edges.

California Lilacs

Botanical Name : Ceanothus

It in all probability wo n’t surprise you to hear that California Lilacs are aboriginal to the West Coast of North America . The subgeneraCerastesis specially drouth tolerant , and these flora are also evergreen . There are between 50 - 60 coinage in the genus , and they tramp in sizing and ontogenesis use from ground top to shrubs to climbing vine .

Ceanothusproduces bunch of wonderful blue - violet flowers that are sweetly fragrant and attractive to dame , bee , hummingbirds , and butterflies . This extremely versatile plant life is easy to maintain and requires little to no fertilizing or supplemental watering .

Close-up of a Nepeta in bloom against a blurred green background. The plant has vertical narrow inflorescences consisting of purple flowers. The leaves are small, oval, green with serrated edges.

periodic tearing in summertime wo n’t hurt as long as the dirt is allow to dry out completely between watering . In addition to their value as an ornamental and pollinator plant , California Lilacs are nitrogen - fastener , so they are great neighbors !

Catmint

Botanical Name : Nepeta

Catmintis known for being a virtually no maintenance flora . It makes a great border , is virtually pest and disease free , and does n’t require lacrimation except in the most frightening of droughts . It is a hybrid of Nepeta cataria , though , so while it wo n’t attract cervid and rodents , you might catch your kitty rolling around in it from sentence to time .

The purple prime spikes on this flora are highly attractive to all sort of pollinators . Purple is a bee ’s favorite color , and butterflies and hummingbird will also visit catnip . It is a prospicient foul-up , start to develop flowers in late spring , throughout the summertime , and into the fall months .

Close-up of a blooming Aquilegia in the garden. The plant has large bell-shaped flowers with long, thin pink bracts and oval narrow petals surrounding a white bell-shaped flower with yellow stamens in the center.

Columbine

Botanical Name : Aquilegia

Columbine is a beautiful , refined plant with unique and colorful flush . Growing to an average meridian of 18 ” marvelous , Columbine is surprisingly broad of land stipulation and drought liberal for a plant that is typically consider a woodland plant .

Columbine should be kept dampish in its first year but will develop a very prospicient wiretap solution , allowing it to compile more water than many plant of its sizing .

Close-up of blooming Helianthus annuus in a sunny garden against a blurred green background. Sunflowers are tall plants with large, rounded flower heads, having large black central discs with many brown-black tubular flowers surrounded by large, long, oval bright yellow petals.

The often bicolored flowers are endearing and upbeat . These spring bloomers provide a great origin of ambrosia for hummingbird and will also draw bee and butterfly stroke to the garden . Plant Columbine in fond shade for the best results .

Common Sunflower

Botanical Name : Helianthus annuus

Sunflowers of all kinds are wonderfully drouth - tolerant , estrus - have intercourse plant life that flourish on carelessness and are a not bad nutrient source for many types of wildlife .

These burnished , sunny flowering plants have deep root arrangement that allow them to get at deep moisture in the land , as well as anchor them , allowing them to make towering elevation .

Close-up of blooming Coneflowers in the garden. The plant has thin, upright stems at the tops of which grow large daisy-like flowers with drooping pale purple petals surrounding copper cone-shaped centers. Leaves are pale green, lanceolate.

Not only aresunflowersa with child solid food seed for bees , they also provide an fabulously valuable wellness welfare to honey bee hives . Studies show that propinquity to sunflower dramatically boil down the natural event of varroa mites in a hive . Since this is the number one killer of honey bee , sunflowers are an inviolable must for apiculturist .

Coneflower

Botanical Name : Echinacea

Purple Coneflower , orEchinacea , is a great addition to the pollinator garden . Preferring well - drained grime , with no finicky want for a specific soil type , these various plants can survive blistering , dry weather quite well . They are self - sow in and need small upkeep from their proprietor , make them a wonderfullylow - maintenance perennial industrial plant that thrives on neglect .

Echinacea is said to be an resistant friend for humans , and it ’s great for pollinators , too . Hummingbirds , bumble bees , and butterflies will seek out these colorful , daisy - same blooms for their abundance of nectar .

Close-up of flowering Coral Honeysuckle plants in a sunny garden. Lonicera sempervirens, is a woody, climbing vine with clusters of bright red tubular flowers. The leaves of coral honeysuckle are dark green, oval in shape.

Coral Honeysuckle

Botanical Name : genus Lonicera sempervirens

Also known as Trumpet Honeysuckle , this is another plant life that I have savor watching grow and flourish in my yard , and I ca n’t say that I ever watered it beyond the first few workweek after planting .

It takes a class or two to take off to the full , but once it does , give it something to climb , and you will have the most gorgeous trellis in the vicinity .

Close-up of blooming Cosmos flowers in the garden. This unilinear plant bears delicate cupped chamomile-like flowers with a central disc of small tubular flowers surrounded by 8-10 brightly colored petals of pink, pale pink and white.

The horn - shaped flowers on this vine are unmanageable for bees to access , but hummingbird and butterflies will have no problem accessing this plentiful source of ambrosia . In hardiness zona 8 , this vine is evergreen . I ’m impressed with how well it survived lower temperature . It will drop its leaves in the winter in stale climates .

Cosmos

Botanical Name : Cosmos

Cosmos are a drought - patient of fellow member of the Aster family that is native to Mexico . untested plant life should be watered on a regular basis until they lay down root . Once install , Cosmos are nicely drouth tolerant and need no fertilizer . They pronto reseed themselves , cook them a great , low - maintenance flowering plant that will return year after twelvemonth .

The cheerful flowersproduced by the Cosmosare cup - shaped and come in pinkish , red , yellow , orange , white , and Burgundy wine . butterfly are especially attracted to these flowers , but they also attract to bees , both native and honey , as well as hummingbirds .

Close-up of a blooming Delphinium against the backdrop of mountains. It is a perennial plant that produces tall spikes of showy blue-hued spur flowers with a white centre. Delphinium leaves are deeply lobed and palmate in shape, giving them a fern-like appearance.

Larkspur

Botanical Name : Delphinium

Sadly , this is one pollinator plant that is unlikely to boom in my zone , and it is gorgeous . Larkspur is a stately plantwith tall spikes cover in howling pinkish , white , and blue blossom that attract all sort of pollinator . They grow quite grandiloquent , making a wonderful recurrent backdrop in your pollinator garden .

Larkspurs need well - enfeeble grime , as standing water will result to molder . Their fragrant flowers make terrific cut flowers and are very likable to hummingbirds for their teemingness of useable nectar . They will attract butterfly stroke as well .

Close-up of a flowering plant, Odontonema cuspidatum, against a blurred background of green foliage. It is an evergreen shrub that produces bright, bright red tubular flowers in long, dense racemes. The leaves of the Firespike plant are glossy, dark green, pointed, with a prominent central vein.

Firespike

Botanical Name : Odontonema cuspidatum

This plant always surprises me with its resilience . While it will stay evergreen in warmer climate , it is not particularly insensate - broad . Mine dies back to the ground every year , with the first freezing knocking out most of the foliage overnight .

It loves the heat , and this plant performs well in the hottest calendar month of summertime , contact up to 6 ’ tall with brilliant feather of cerise tubular flowers .

Close-up of flowering Digitalis plants in the garden. Digitalis is a genus of biennial or perennial flowering plants that produce tall spikes of showy bell-shaped flowers in shades of pink and purple. The flowers have a characteristic mottled or mottled pattern on the inside. Digitalis leaves are large, ovoid, green, located in the rosette.

Firespike is principally sold as a hummingbird attraction , although I personally see tons of butterflies paying this plant life regular sojourn . bee are pretty indifferent to it as they do not see the color Marxist . Other pollinating worm have sex it , and it is a really telling - calculate plant that makes a great background for other , smaller plants .

Foxglove

Botanical Name : Digitalis

Foxgloves arestunning additions to the pollinator gardenwith their tall spire of bell - shaped flowers . They are very tolerant of sandy or clay - heavy soil , and once establish , they are also drouth - tolerant . That said , they will bloom best with occasional lachrymation . These plant life will appreciate a bit of shadiness in the good afternoon if you know in a very hot climate .

The flowers this plant life acquire are deep tubelike , so they are difficult for shorter - tongued pollinator to access . Their main pollinators are long - tongue bumble bees , but hummingbird will also visit these pretty flowering plants .

Close-up of blooming Globemallow plants against a blurred green background. The plant has bright orange cup-shaped flowers with five petals. The leaves of Globemallow are small and lobed and greyish green in color.

Globemallow

Botanical Name : Sphaeralcea

Globemallow is a superbly tenacious blooming perennial that is also very drought tolerant . Blooming from February through November , it is one of the longest - blooming works on our list , which lay down it an crucial nutrient origin for pollinator . With grayish - green leaf and marvellous stalks of bright orange flowers , this is an interesting and attractive plant .

While it is very drouth - kind , it will bring out even more flowers during wetter years , with plants being all bursting with brilliant blooms . Globemallows really have a particular metal money of bee that is responsible for pollinating their flowers , but they also attract other types of bees and butterflies too !

Top view, close-up of a flowering Solidago plant in the garden. The plant produces tall inflorescences of small bright yellow flowers. The flowers are collected in dense showy inflorescences. Solidago leaves are elongate-lanceolate, with a slightly serrated edge and dark green in color.

Goldenrod

Botanical Name : Solidago

This North American wildflower genus make up about 100 species , 8 of which are domesticate as perennial garden plant . This is a late summer and spill bloomer that is unassuming for most of the year , but during its season , the long slight base are topped with downlike sweet of bright yellow bloom . It is exceptionally drouth patient of and will allow you know when it needs a bit of water when the leaves flag .

These grow bountifully by the roadside in my city , and I often have some growing in my backyard . You see , I adore monarch butterfly stroke , and they screw their goldenrod ! There are a whole group of other pollinators that love the protein - rich pollen that this plant life bring home the bacon , as well .

Close-up of blooming lavender in the garden. The plant has spikes of small purple tubular flowers growing on thin vertical green stems.

Lavender

Botanical Name : Lavendula

I often hear gardeners say thatlavender is hard to grow , and perhaps it has something to do with the humidity here in the South . Lavender is actually very well suited to hot , dry climates , and it expand in poor soil condition . If you live in a more humid mood , I commend grow lavender as a container plant . Mine is very well-chosen in both pots and a raised bed , because it gets good drain this way .

unlike case of lavender grow well in different climates . Once you ascertain your case , it is actually very promiscuous to deal for as it needs no plant food and only call for water now and again .

Close-up of a flowering Asclepias plant against a blurred green background. The plant produces clusters of small, star-shaped flowers that are bright orange. The leaves are broad, oval in shape, with a slightly hairy texture and dark green color.

Both bumblebee and love bee are attract to the fragrant , purple flowers lavender produces , and if you keep bees , as a incentive , lavender can impress the flavor of honey .

Milkweed

Botanical Name : genus Asclepias

If , like myself , you are a Monarch butterfly devotee , this is the top industrial plant to have in your pollinator garden . The reasonableness is that milkweed is thelarval food of the Monarch butterfly , so they actively seek it out and lay testis on it . If you keep milkweed around , you will get to see the Monarch ’s entire lifecycle play out in your backyard .

There are dissimilar coinage of this plant that are native to different part of North and Central America , where Monarchs live . If you go in the Southeast , Swamp Milkweed is the optimal choice as it helps machinate the butterflies for migrating across the Gulf of Mexico .

Close-up of Portulaca grandiflora flowering plants in the garden. Portulaca grandiflora, also known as the moss rose, is a low growing annual plant that produces brightly colored cupped flowers in shades of pink, red, orange, yellow and white. The leaves of the Portulaca grandiflora plant are small and succulent, needle-shaped, arranged in dense clusters along the stem.

I have get a line it say by more than one nurseryman that you do n’t plant milkweed because it looks pretty . A team of 5 or 6 caterpillars can strip a plant bleak in a few sidereal day ’ time , and then you have a bundle of stalk until the leave of absence grow back . In the meantime , though , you have a yard full of butterflies , and that ’s the whole point of a pollinator garden .

Moss Rose

Botanical Name : Portulaca grandiflora

Moss Rose , commonly know as flowering Portulaca , is a low - arise plant aboriginal to South America . Considered semi - succulent , this industrial plant can exist and produce colored flowers with only occasional watering , as they arenative to very red-hot , dry clime . The flower come in many colors and petal formations and commonly resemble roses .

This is a great plant for draw good dirt ball like bees and butterfly . However , you wo n’t see many harmful insects hanging around the Moss Rose . It is quite pest and disease resistant . I think it makes a lovely hanging plant , and I delight all of the different and unique petal formations .

Close-up of flowering Stachytarpheta plants in the garden. Stachytarpheta is a perennial plant with thorns of tubular, five-petalled blue flowers. The leaves of the Stachytarpheta plant are opposite, simple, ovoid, dark green in color and slightly fuzzy in texture and with serrated edges.

Porterweed

Botanical Name : Stachytarpheta

Porterweed is another industrial plant that I will always keep in my pollinator garden . Although it pass back to the footing every winter here in zone 8 , it returns each year in the spring , and by mid - summertime , it is covered in hopeful profane bloom spikes that are always abuzz with my favored pollinators , bumblebees .

Once demonstrate , porterweedis view drouth resistant and will permit you roll in the hay with drooping leaves if it needs a drink . While I love that it bring the bumble bee , my preferred thing about porterweed is its effect on the hummingbird . hummingbird love this industrial plant so much they will confabulate despite human presence . If you want to note hummingbird up closely , this is the plant to bring household .

Close-up of a flowering plant Portulaca oleracea in a sunny garden. This stunted plant has small yellow, white and pink flowers with five petals and yellow stamens in the centers. The leaves of Portulaca oleracea are small and succulent, cylindrical in shape, arranged alternately along the stem.

Purslane

Botanical Name : Portulaca oleracea

Purslane is another type of Portulaca , so it is semi - succulent and does excellently in hot , dry weather with poor soil character and skillful drainage . This low - growing plant life is eatable and commonly used in salad and sauces for human consumption .

It is well-chosen in full sun to part sun , and if it is likely lacking in the bloom department , give it a slight water , and it should bring back the low , jaundiced blooms .

Close-up of five blooming Rudbeckia hirta flowers in a sunny garden. The flowers are large, daisy-like, with bright yellow petals and dark button centers. The leaves of the plant Rudbeckia hirta are alternate, oval, pubescent, dark green in color.

Purslane is toxic to pet , let in dog , qat , and horses , but not to mankind . Its flowers are very rich pollen and nectar producers , attracting a all-embracing berth of pollinator , include bees , butterfly , and other pollinating insects .

Black-eyed Susan

Botanical Name : Rudbeckia hirta

Black - eyed Susans are one of the sturdiest flowering plant life I can think of . They thrive in average , well - run out soil , full Dominicus , and are very drouth - broad once established . This repeated industrial plant is also deer resistant and insubordinate to most destructive pests , except for aphids , which can sometimes be an issue .

This plant life blooms in its first season when plant from seeds , so you wo n’t have to wait long for this one to part attracting pollinator . It attracts dearest bees , beetles , and many varieties of butterfly , include monarch butterflies . Pollinators are draw in to the bullseye - type appearing of the flowers . The dark centers are made up of tiny , nectar - copious flush .

Close-up of a flowering plant Petrovskia atriplicifolia in a sunny garden. The plant has inflorescences of small lavender-blue flowers. The leaves of the Petrovskia atriplicifolia plant are gray-green in color, finely dissected, with a silvery sheen.

Russian Sage

Botanical Name : Petrovskia atriplicifolia

call back that bees are most draw to purple flush , and it ’s not difficult to see why this next plant makes the cut . Russian Sage is a problematical , heating plant - loving , fast - growing perennial that top out around 4 ’ tall with large spray of purpleness , flower - topped stems . This incredibly low - maintenance plant life is immune to pests and deer and has a foresightful summer flower season .

While other timber creatures are not draw in to this plant , pollinator definitely are . Russian salvia feeds many type of bee , butterfly stroke , and hoverflies . This is a nectar plant , so lay it near pollen plants to offer pollinator the winning combination .

Close-up of sage blossoms in a sunny garden. The plant has tall, upright stems with long inflorescences of small tubular lilac flowers. Sage leaves are opposite, simple, lanceolate.

Salvia

Botanical Name : Salvia

Salvia , also known as sage , is a heavy , retentive - time of year bloomer . Many salmagundi come in several sizes and flower colouring . Some have redolent flowers and foliage , such as pineapple salvia with its cherubic - smelling leaf and bright red flowers .

Salvia is bonk for being stalwart and drouth - tolerant , even during the red-hot summertime months . They are felicitous to remain blooming even in the midsection of summer when many blossom plants take a break to survive the heat .

Close-up of a flowering bush Aloysia virgata against a blurred green background. The bush has spikes of small white flowers. The leaves of the plant Aloysia virgata are narrow, lanceolate, light green in color.

I have a purple salvia that attracts tons of hummingbird , bumblebees , and butterfly . I can tell you firsthand that this is a foolproof plant in the garden . They grow quickly and flower prolifically for an lengthy bloom time of year .

Sweet Almond Bush

Botanical Name : Aloysia virgata

This is one of my personal favorites and a industrial plant that I recommend to anyone who likes to check bee at penny-pinching kitchen stove with no worry that they will devote you any brain . It also is implausibly resilient and drouth - liberal . It is only intrepid in zones 8 - 11 , so it ’s best to keep it in a container if you ’re north of that .

Sweet Almond Bush is n’t really related to almonds , but it has the fragrance of ok almond - scented soap , which is where it cause its mutual name .

Close-up of flowering Erysimum plants in a sunny garden. The plant produces spikes of small purple four-petalled flowers. Erisimum leaves are narrow, lanceolate, gray-green in color.

The flower rise in prospicient cluster at the oddment of branches and bloom throughout the summer and evenfall . These are the last flowers in my railyard in hardiness geographical zone 8 ; the bumble bee and honey bee ca n’t get enough . It also match my band together jasmine in how much scent it throws .

Wallflower

Botanical Name : Erysimum

These endearing herbaceous recurrent works have a shrubby appearance and produce clusters of beautiful , brightly colored , fragrant blooms . The flowers can be orangish , downhearted , yellow , red , pink , imperial , or white . This plant raise best in very well - drained soil . It care mostly Sunday in northern climates but prefers a bit of good afternoon shade in the South .

wallflower are groovy nectar producers , luring many types of bee with the promise of a sweet meal . humblebee and aboriginal bee are big fans of the brightly colored flush , although honey bees are not as fond of this works . butterfly stroke and hummingbird will also visit these blossom during their tardy spring blooming time of year .

Final Thoughts

There are a host of wonderful , colored , and pollinator - favorable plant that are also drought - large-minded and heat tolerant . When building a pollinator garden , remember that it is important to let in a wide multifariousness of plant that provide both pollen and ambrosia for bees , butterflies , and hummingbirds , as both are necessary for proper nutrition .

Another tonality to successful pollinator horticulture is to provide pollinators with tidy sum of flowers in close law of proximity , as this will keep them gayly come back to visit . Pollinators , especially bee , like to economise energy . They work firmly collect pollen and nectar to take back to the hive , so they choose to visit areas that put up all they can acquit in a relatively minuscule space .