Grow Guide to Wildflower Pollinator Blend

47 Flower Varieties to Attract Bees, Butterflies & Hummingbirds

Plant Description

This Pollinator Blend is a stunning, season-long show of 47 different wildflowers—carefully selected to attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to your yard or garden. It includes a mix of annuals and perennials to ensure blooms in the first year and for many years to come.

You’ll see a constantly evolving display of color and shape, from bold sunflowers to delicate poppies and cosmos. A living bouquet that helps support declining pollinator populations while beautifying your space.

Quick Facts

  • Sunlight: Full sun (6+ hours/day).
  • Days to Sprout: 7–21 days.
  • Days to Bloom: First flowers in 40–60 days (annuals bloom first, perennials bloom starting year 2).
  • Bloom Duration: Spring through frost, with overlapping waves of color.
  • Seed Depth: Surface sow or press lightly into soil (do not bury deeply).

Best Planting Locations

  • Open Fields & Meadows: Ideal for large, colorful displays and maximum pollinator attraction.
  • Garden Borders & Edges: Provides a naturalistic edge and supports fruit & veggie pollination.
  • Raised Beds or Containers: Use for concentrated color or small-space biodiversity.
  • Bee Gardens or School Plots: Excellent for habitat education and kid-friendly growing.

Getting Started

  1. Prepare the Area: Clear grass and weeds. Rake or till the top 1 inch of soil.
  2. Sow Seeds Evenly: Broadcast by hand or shaker. Mix with dry sand for even distribution.
  3. Press, Don’t Bury: Lightly press seeds into the soil using a board, feet, or roller.
  4. Water Gently: Mist daily until sprouted (7–21 days). Maintain moisture during establishment.

Companion / Enemy Plants

Good Companions: Vegetables, fruit trees, herbs—this blend helps pollinate everything nearby.

Avoid Planting Near: Aggressive ground covers or turf grass which may choke out seedlings.

Attractants / Repellents

Attracts: Native bees, honeybees, butterflies, hummingbirds, ladybugs, hoverflies, and beneficial wasps.

Repels: Certain flowers in the mix (like calendula or dill) may help deter aphids or whiteflies.

When to Plant

  • Spring: Sow after last frost when soil warms to 60°F.
  • Fall (Mild Climates): Sow in late fall for natural spring germination.

Maintenance

  • Watering: Keep moist until established. Once grown, these flowers are drought-tolerant.
  • Weeding: Weed early and carefully during seedling stage to avoid crowding.
  • Deadheading: Optional. Leave flowers to go to seed to attract birds or mow midseason to encourage regrowth.

Flowering Season

  • Annuals: Begin blooming in late spring and last through summer.
  • Perennials: Some may bloom the first year, but most return and flower from year two onward.
  • Wildflower Rhythm: Expect a rotating cycle of blooms with something flowering at nearly all times.

Uses

  • Pollinator Habitat: Supports bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds with continuous nectar sources.
  • Cut Flowers: Harvest individual blooms or small bundles for bouquets.
  • Soil Health: Improves soil structure and reduces erosion over time.
  • Education & Kids: Provides a living classroom for observing the full life cycle of plants and insects.

How to Store Seeds

  • Unplanted Seeds: Store in a cool, dry, and dark place in a sealed container for up to 2 years.
  • Collected Seeds: Let flower heads dry fully, then shake out and store in labeled envelopes.