5 Amazing Native Flowers for Your Garden

Gardeners across the country are searching for flowers to make their gardens pop! While there are lots of considerations when it comes to choosing plants, one big one is whether they are native to your region!

Native plants are essential to support local wildlife like butterflies, bees, birds, and more. Check out some of our favorite native flowers for beginner and expert wildlife gardeners alike. Adding even just one or two of these native species into your garden could go far in supporting wildlife!

Milkweed

Bloom time: Summer

Botanical Name: Asclepias spp.

Native Range: Various native species across the continental United States. Find milkweed species native to your state here.

What makes it great: Milkweed is an amazing choice for your garden because it is the only host plant for monarch caterpillars. With recent numbers showing that monarch butterflies are continuing to decline, planting milkweed is more important than ever!

These gorgeous plants often have pink or orange blooms that attract all kinds of pollinators like bees and butterflies.

Just be sure to select milkweed species that are native to you and avoid tropical milkweed which is not native to the United States.

Purchase native milkweed online here! This link will redirect to a third party site.

Goldenrod

Bloom Time: Summer-Fall

Botanical Name: Solidago spp.

Native Range: Various native species across the continental United States. Find goldenrod species native to your zip code here.

What makes it great: Not only do goldenrods light up your garden with their bright yellow blooms, but they are a keystone plant! This means that they support a huge number of wildlife species like butterflies and bees that depend on them. There are many native species of goldenrod that can make a great addition to your garden.

Many gardeners are under the impression that goldenrod is the source of their fall allergies, but we’re here to debunk this plant myth! The fall allergies that many people suffer from are often caused by ragweed, a wind pollenated flower that blooms at the same time as goldenrod. Since goldenrods are pollinated by bees and other pollinators, it is unlikely to put a bunch of pollen in their air that would make you sneeze. Learn more about this allergy myth here!

Purchase native goldenrod online here! This link will redirect to a third party site.

Asters

Bloom Time: Summer-Fall

Botanical Name: Aster spp.

Native Range: Various native species across the continental United States. Find aster species native to your zip code here.

What makes it great: Are you a fan of striking blue, purple, and white blooms in your garden? Asters are an amazing way to add these gorgeous colors and a lot of texture to your garden. Plus, they can be a great source of blooms in the fall when a lot of other plants have finished flowering.

These beautiful native species aren’t just pretty for humans, they are a great source of nectar and pollen for many pollinators. Plus, they are even host plants for many caterpillars!

Purchase native asters online here! This link will redirect to a third party site.

Frogfruit

Bloom Time: Late Spring-Fall

Botanical Name: Phyla nodiflora

Native Range: Much of the southern United States. Find out if it is native to you here!

What makes it great: One of the biggest questions we get from gardeners looking to incorporate more native plants is: “Are there native plants that can serve as a ground cover?” The answer is, of course, yes! Frogfruit is one great option for a native ground cover.

Not only is this plant low maintenance and drought tolerant, but it is a great choice for wildlife! Its blooms will attract pollinators, and it serves as a host plant to many caterpillars including the white peacock butterfly larva.

Purchase native frogfruit online here! This link will redirect to a third party site.

Cardinal Flower

Bloom Time: Summer-Fall

Botanical Name: Lobelia cardinalis

Native Range: Much of the Eastern and Southwestern United States. Find out if it is native to you here!

What makes it great: Are you a fan of hummingbirds? Then the cardinal flower may be a perfect fit for your garden. This gorgeous native species has showy red blooms that provide an amazing nectar source for hummingbirds during their migration period. Many gardeners enjoy watching the hummingbirds come and visit these striking flowers.

Purchase native cardinal flower online here! This link will redirect to a third party site.

Join the National Wildlife Federation’s Garden for Wildlife® and Certified Wildlife Habitat® movement!