Bee Plants

Spikes of deep royal purple fragrant flowers are held at the ends of sturdy stems against a backdrop of soft gray-green foliage from summer to fall. MONARCH® Dark Dynasty Butterfly Bush is a deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub with a densely branching compact habit that mature to about 3'H x 3-4'W. The fragrant dark flowers attract butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other garden beneficals with their nectar rich flowers.This Walter's Gardens introduction is part of the MONARCH® Butterfly Bush series that have been selected for rich colors, excellent flower power, and a midsize habit. Provide a well-drained soil in a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and flowering. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12061

The 7-12" long conical panicles are composed of numerous fragrant icy periwinkle blue flowers that attract pollinators of all shapes and sizes throughout summer and into fall. MONARCH® Glass Slippers Butterfly Bush is a deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub with gray-green foliage and a densely branching compact, mounding habit that matures to about 3'H x 4-5'W. The nectar rich flowers attract butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other garden beneficals. Provide a well-drained soil in a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and flowering. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12836

Large conical clusters of deep cerise red, to 10" long, composed of tiny fragrant nectar rich flowers sit atop the sturdy stems of this well-branched Butterfly Bush from summer through fall are held against softly contrasting a backdrop of gray green foliage. Prince Charming Buddleia is a vigorous hybrid and a 2018 Walter's Gardens introduction that is part of the MONARCH® Butterfly Bush series that have been selected for rich colors, excellent flower power, and a midsize habit. The flowers attract loads of butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Sterile Variety.  Item# 11783

The 6-8" long conical panicles are composed of numerous fragrant showy medium pink flowers that attract pollinators of all shapes and sizes throughout summer and into fall. MONARCH® Princess Pink Butterfly Bush is a deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub with medium green foliage and a densely branching, moderately vigorous habit that matures to about 5'H x 5-6'W. The nectar rich flowers attract butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other garden beneficals. Provide a well-drained soil in a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and flowering. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12837

The 7-9" long conical panicles are composed of numerous fragrant magenta flowers that attract pollinators of all shapes and sizes throughout summer and into fall. MONARCH® Queen of Hearts Butterfly Bush is a deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub with a densely branching compact habit that matures to about 3'H x 3-4'W. The fragrant dark reddish-pink flowers attract butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other garden beneficals. This Walter's Gardens introduction is part of the MONARCH® Butterfly Bush series that have been selected for rich colors, excellent flower power, and a midsize habit. Provide a well-drained soil in a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and flowering. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12062

1" wide deep blue to deep purple flowers with a contrasting yellow eye are held atop the fine-textured iris-like foliage in spring to early summer attracting bees and other smaller pollinators. Moody Blues Macoun's Blue-Eyed Grass, a selection of Sisyrinchium idahoense var. macounii, is a small herbaceous clump-forming native perennial well suited to the edge of a sunny perennial border or other naturalistic settings. Use the Blue-Eyed Grasses near the front of the perennial border, tuck them among the rock garden as an accent, as an informal border along paths, as well as part of naturalistic settings with other plants of similar size. The flowers are likely mainly bee pollinated and the plants can reseed though it never seems to do so aggressively and unwanted seedlings are easily removed. Provide a full sun to partly shaded site in average to well-drained soils. Easy and sweet. Image courtesy of Jelitto© Perennial Seed, www.jelitto.com, all rights reserved. Item# 13282

A 2016 Louisiana Super Plant selection! The dense neat mound of deep green glossy foliage and red tinged stems is topped by clusters of white flowers in spring which make way to red berries ripening through purple and finally black. The flowers attract a variety of pollinators and the fruit attract songbirds and smaller fructivores. Mrs. Schiller's Delight Viburnum is a selection of the southeastern native Walter's Viburnum, Viburnum obovatum, and its dense mounding habit lends it to use anywhere a small compact shrub is desired in the landscape. It is generally evergreen into zone 8A and tends to be deciduous to semi-evergreen in zones 6 and 7. Use this tough little native shrub in place of Dwarf Yaupon, Indian Hawthorne, or anywhere a small, disease resistant, low maintenance shrub is desired. Provide a full sun to part shade site in an average to well-drained soil for optimum vigor. Images shown are an example of what to expect with this cultivar but are of the common Walter's Viburnum, Viburnum obovatum. Item# 12728

The single 2" flowers open a creamy yellow, change to orange, then deep pink, and finally to crimson, with all of these blooms open at the same time it gives the appearance of a multitude of butterflies are covering the bush. Mutabilis Rose is a conversation starting repeat flowering heirloom garden rose with good disease resistance and average vigor. In time, and especially in the warmer parts of its range, you can expect this rose to build to 5-6' high and equally as wide. Provide a full to mostly sunny position in a moderately fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 523

Wow! Possibly THE darkest purple Salvia on the market today! Dark colored spikes of deep royal purple, sometimes with a hint of red, two-lipped tubular flowers are produced from spring to fall on a compact well-branched vigorous plant. Nachtvlinder Salvia is a perennial Salvia with excellent vigor and flower power growing to about 24" high and wide and is adorned with glossy green fragrant foliage. Nachtvlinder translates to "night butterfly" or "moth" and was discovered as a chance seedling in the gardens of Hessenhoff Nursery in the Netherlands and is reported to have withstood temperatures as low as -4^oF. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a well-drained, average moist, fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Nachtvlinder Salvia is compact enough for low-maintenance specimens or add it to the garden and landscape for a summer long show. The nectar rich flowers attract hummingbirds, bees, and the occasional butterfly. A Royal Horticulture Society 2015 Award of Garden Merit Winner. Item# 12474

A superb butterfly nectar plant! Masses of large pinkish-purple daisy-like blooms are often born from late spring to fall. An excellent cut flower that can last for up to a week in a vase. These seedlings originated from a vigorous native Louisiana population of this beautiful perennial. Item# 9256.

A butterfly and pollinator magnet and the standard in Trailing Lantanas! This low growing, groundcovering Lantana produces an endless display of deep golden yellow flowers from late spring to fall. The clusters of brilliant yellow flowers positively shine against the glossy dark green foliage. New Gold Lantana rarely fruits and its mostly sterile pollen make this long popular selection a gardener and landscapers dream with its impressive flower power and reliability! New Gold creates a low maintenance colorful groundcover or use it as a spring to fall filler, spiller, or specimen for medium to large containers. Item # 3032.

Clusters of purple frilly flowers are produced atop tall sturdy stems providing late summer and fall color as well as nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. New York Ironweed, Vernonia noveboracensis, is a vigorous growing clump forming native perennial preferring moist to wet to average moist, fertile soils where it grows 5-8' high providing a tall safe platform for pollinators. This tough and easy perennial is well suited to moist naturalistic areas like meadows and prairies where it can mix with fall flowering sunflowers and asters. Tolerant of periodic drought once well-established and can be grown in average moist garden soils. Reseeds, deadhead to prevent unwanted seedlings. Images courtesy of North Creek Nurseries, all rights reserved. Item# 12109

You can see why they named this series NIMBUS™! Dense cloud-like masses composed of hundreds of frilly lavender-pink flowers are held atop sturdy dark colored stems and the fine-textured Columbine-like bluish-green foliage beginning in mid-spring and continuing into summer. NIMBUS™ Pink Thalictrum is a clump-forming perennial that was selected for its more compact habit than the species as well as for its denser showier flower clusters. *They are tolerant of full sun in areas with cool summers but may do best with midday and afternoon shade or filtered shade in hot summer climates. We actually grow them under deciduous shade to good effect here in 8B. Meadow-Rue generally prefers a moist, well-drained, fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Flowering may be limited the first season but will increase with each year as the plants become better established. Photos courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc., www.terranovanurseries.com, all rights reserved. Item# 12871

You can see why they named this series NIMBUS™! Dense cloud-like masses composed of hundreds of frilly white flowers are held atop sturdy dark colored stems and the fine-textured Columbine-like bluish-green foliage beginning in mid-spring and continuing into summer. The flowers are followed by lavender-pink seedheads adding further interest. NIMBUS™ White Thalictrum is a clump-forming perennial that was selected for its more compact habit than the species as well as for its denser showier flower clusters. *They are tolerant of full sun in areas with cool summers but may do best with midday and afternoon shade or filtered shade in hot summer climates. We actually grow them under deciduous shade to good effect here in 8B. Meadow-Rue generally prefers a moist, well-drained, fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Flowering may be limited the first season but will increase with each year as the plants become better established. Photos courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc., www.terranovanurseries.com, all rights reserved. Item# 12870

Beginning as early as midsummer the branching stems are cloaked in 1/2" wide white daisies with a contrasting yellow eye eventually becoming reddish. The nectar and pollen laden flowers attract mainly smaller pollinators like bees providing an important late summer source for winter stores. The Ontario Aster, Symphiotrichum ontarionis, is a native perennial that colonizes via rhizomes and grows to about 30-40"H. It is found mainly in the central US from coastal Louisiana north to Canada commonly in semi-shaded sites along stream banks, bogs, and similar consistently moist locations. Deadhead once flowering is complete to minimize reseeding if desired but songbirds may enjoy the small seeds if they are left to ripen. This species is very similar to and is often confused with other white flowered late summer and fall flowering asters. Caterpillar host: Field Crescent, Pearl Crescent, Texan Crescent, Roadside Checkerspot, Hoffman's Checkerspot, and American Lady. Item# 12775

The exceptionally dark purple to near black foliage provides the perfect foil for the numerous 2-3' high spikes of light lavender tubular flowers that appear white against their backdrop. Onyx and Pearls Penstemon or Beardtongue begins flowering in late spring to early summer providing weeks of color and a feast of nectar for hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. Even when not in flower the cloak of dark foliage provides a wonderful contrast for its neighbors. This easy to grow, clump-forming perennial is a selection of our native Foxglove Beardtongue, Penstemon digitalis, and will perform best in a moist to average moist, well-drained soil and a full to mostly sunny site will provide the darkest foliage color. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12308

Add a little tropical punch to your summer! Brilliant orange, 5-6" wide, full rounded flowers centered by a narrow pink halo that surrounds the deep magenta eye and is centered by a contrasting red tipped staminal column adorned with bright yellow stamens. Orange Lagos Tropical Hibiscus is a deservedly popular Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cultivar that begins flowering even at a very young age and over a long period throughout the warmer months to potentially year-round under warm tropical conditions. This is a naturally evergreen, heat and sunloving tropical shrub that develops into a well-branched, small to medium-sized plant which is perfectly suited to container culture and also makes an excellent garden and landscape shrub in areas with mild winter climates. Provide a full to partly sunny location in an average moist, rich fertile soil for optimum vigor and ocntinuous flowering. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Item# 12644

Tall dense spikes of golden-orange nectar rich flowers are produced throughout the year in mild winter climates atop an upright growing shrub with dense velvety gray foliage. Orange Sceptre Butterfly Bush is a hybrid Buddleja that remains evergreen in mild winter climates like zone 9 and warmer. The flowers attract larger bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Provide a full to mostly sunny location in an average moist well-drained soil for optimum health and flowering. Developed by Jon Lindstrom at the University of Arkansas by crossing Buddleja stachyoides x B. tubiflora. Item# 11664

A 2020 Missouri Botanic Gardens Plant of Merit selection! 3-5" wide light pale pink to purplish pink coneflowers with drooping petals are held well above the rosette of narrow foliage on sturdy stems. Flowering normally occurs in late spring and summer and the nectar rich disk flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. The Pale Purple Coneflower, Echinacea pallida, closely resembles the Sanguin Purple Coneflower, E. sanguinea, and like its cousin it is a taprooted, clump-forming perennial found mainly in the central US in meadows, glades, and other open areas. Its clump forming habit lends it to use in the garden and landscape as well as in naturalistic settings. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 12392

Tall spikes growing to 36" high are adorned in whorls of deep fuchsia, foxglove-like flowers beginning in mid to late spring and contuing into fall and attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Parade of Parrots Penstemon or Beardtongue is a clump-forming, herbaceous perennial developed from US native species and was selected for its brilliant color, excellent flower power, and vigor. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Remove spent flowering stems to help keep the plants flowering and looking clean. Parade of Parrots Penstemon is small enough to enjoy as a container plant but will also make a statement in the garden and landscape. Photos courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc., www.terranovanurseries.com, all rights reserved. Item# 13324