The 5 Native Plants You Need in 2020

Get started on your pollinator garden for 2020 early by Growing these 5 Awesome Native Plants! These could be considered our 5 ‘essential’ flowers to bring color, bees and butterflies, and other wildlife to your yard! Click on the link for each plant to all the facts and detail about each of these wonderful flowers! So, if you haven’t tried Native Plant Gardening before, now is your chance to start! Each of these flowers are grown from seed pretty easily, so you can get started on the cheap!

Before you start planning your garden additions for this coming year, you may be wondering WHY NATIVE PLANTS? What is the big deal, why does it matter? Well, we thought you might ask, so find out here:

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE: HOW & WHY NATIVE PLANTS HELP THE ENVIRONMENT

1 – Eastern Red Columbine

One of the earliest blooming flowers you can get for your garden, the Eastern Red Columbine (Aquilegia Canadensis) blooms early, generally starting in April. The bloom period lasts for about a month to six weeks, and this flower attracts hummingbirds as well as other pollinators. It is quite versatile in that it can be grown in full sun or full shade. The main thing is to make sure they don’t dry out, so place them somewhere with medium to moist soil that is well drained. I’ve found that underneath trees are ideal, in that they can generally get morning sun and afternoon shade.

2 – False Sunflower

False Sunflower is one of the longest blooming perennials I’ve ever seen. They begin blooming in June, and continue through August. Although it is short lived, the long bloom time makes them great at bringing in the bees and butterflies. They can get fairly large, being upwards of 4-5′ tall (1.3-1.6 m). But the long lasting color can really add some curb appeal. Plant in full sun for the best results.

3 – Butterfly Weed

Butterfly weed is a long lived perennial that is native to the Milkweed genus. Scientifically known as Asclepias Tuberosa, this orange flower is a larval host to the Monarch Butterfly. Butterfly Weed blooms for a month or two, making it one of the longest blooming flowers you can grow. Its compact size make them very versatile, in that they are only 2-3′ tall (60-90 cm).

4 – Purple Coneflower / Echinacea Purpurea

Purple Coneflower is one of those Perennials that you just have to have! Blooming for a month or longer this flower is great at attracting bumblebees and butterflies. Additionally, once the blooms are done and seed heads have formed they are visited by birds who just love to pick out seeds! Scientifically known as Echinacea Purpurea, this is one the most trouble free flowers you can grow. It is also one of the easiest plants to grow from seed! Growing 3-5′ tall in full sun, the purple blooms make a great focal point of a flower bed. They also make for a great border garden, as they tend to stay erect through the strongest winds.

5 – Spotted Bee Balm

Spotted bee balm is one of the most beautiful and interesting flowers I’ve grown. The blooms are so unique, they almost seem like they belong in a tropical paradise or amazon rainforest! This bee balm is the latest blooming flower of the Monarda genus I’ve seen. It will begin to bloom in late August and continue into October (USDA Zone 6). As it is such a late bloomer, it is heavily visited by bumblebees and late season butterflies. Growing around 3′ tall, makes it a versatile size for most any flower bed. Being able to grow in full sun or partial shade make this a versatile flower. It also is drought tolerant and generally disease free! Oh, and rabbits and deer? They won’t bother this plant as the crushed foliage has a strong aroma of oregano.

Purchase Seed

We have ordered a variety of native flower seeds from Everwilde Farms, which you can order right from Amazon through our link on our RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS PAGE. (We may earn a small commission when you purchase through our links, at no cost to you. This helps support our website.)