While not an exhaustive list of all the great bee magnets, this is a great start. We luv, love, lurve perennial Agastache … never seen anything like the attraction of bees to Agastache. We have other favorites like African Blue Basil (which is more for the bees and less for the humans), as well as annual pentas which attract the bees far and wide. The most amazing pollinator ever is holly that blooms unbeknownst to most human in early February, when there are no other sources of nectar. If you’ve never seen a bee feeding frenzy on holly, come to Martin Garden Center in February … absolutely amazing and life changing to see the bees out feeding before the first spring flower has even deigned its presence.
We hope this list helps all our guest who are trying to lure in pollinators.
| Bee Magnets, Martin Garden Center | |||||
| Location | Botanical name | Common Name | Best Varieties | Other Info | Location |
| Perennials | Agastache | Hummingbird Mint | Blue Boa | Perennials | |
| Agastache | Hummingbird Mint | Blue Fortune | Perennials | ||
| Allium | Blue Play House | ||||
| Aster | Fall Blooming | Perennials | |||
| Coneflower | Perennials | ||||
| Coreopsis | Tickseed | Perennials | |||
| Delphinium | Larkspur | Perennials | |||
| Echinops | Globe Thistle | Aphid Magnet | Perennials | ||
| Eupatorium | Joe Pye Weed | Fall Blooming | Blue Play House | ||
| Gaillardia | Blanket Flower | Blue Play House | |||
| Helenium | Sneezeweed | Perennials | |||
| Liatris | Gayfeather | Blue Play House | |||
| Monarda | Bee Balm | Perennials | |||
| Nepeta | Catmint | Perennials | |||
| Phlox paniculata | Garden Phlox, Tall Phlox | Perennials | |||
| Rudbeckia | Black-Eyed Susan | Perennials | |||
| Salvia | Hot Lips | Perennials | |||
| Salvia | Black & Blue | Perennials | |||
| Solidago | Goldenrod | Fall Blooming | Blue Play House | ||
| Yarrow | Perennials | ||||
| Bidens | Golden Empire | Courtyard | |||
| Annuals | Cosmos | Courtyard | |||
| Helianthus | Sunflower | Blue Play House | |||
| Heliotrope | Mall & Courtyard | ||||
| Lobularia | Sweet Allysum | Courtyard | |||
| Marigold | Courtyard | ||||
| Pentas | Starflower | Courtyard | |||
| Tithonia | Mexican Sunflower | Torch (AAS) | Blue Play House | ||
| Zinnia | Courtyard | ||||
| Herbs | Basil | African Blue | Courtyard | ||
| Borage | Courtyard | ||||
| Callendula | Courtyard | ||||
| Chives | Courtyard | ||||
| Fennel | Courtyard | ||||
| Lavender | Courtyard | ||||
| Lemon Balm | Courtyard | ||||
| Marjoram | Courtyard | ||||
| Shrubs | Abelia | Sun Evergreen | |||
| Syringa | Lilac | Deciduous | |||
| Ilex | Holly | Very early spring | Sun Evergreen | ||
| Other | Dandelion | Very early spring | NA | ||
| Primrose | Very early spring | Mall | |||
| Crocus | Very early spring | Mall | |||
| Galanthus | Very early spring | Mall | |||