11 Succulents That Will Attract Pollinators
Updated: Jun. 10, 2022Succulents provide food and nectar for pollinators. Watch a bee, butterfly or bird land on a succulent and witness a pollinator in action!
Do Succulents Attract Bees?
Yes! Succulents in the garden will attract bees and other pollinators to the landscape as they search for food and nectar. The pollination process helps the succulents thrive during the growing season. Provide an abundance of colors, flower shapes, heights and scents to attract all kinds of pollinators. You can purchase succulents at a garden center and learn how to propagate succulents to expand your collection.
Hens and Chicks
There’s a reason hens and chicks are widely available at most garden centers. This succulent is popular as a houseplant, but it’s also a go-to addition to the garden. The name is inspired by the rosette shape that grows at the center of the plant and produces numerous small offspring.
Hens and chicks boast star-shaped blooms that attract bees looking to feed. This is a reliable choice for people who are just starting to plant succulents outdoors.
Echeveria
Echeveria is an easy-to-care-for outdoor succulent. This variety will do well in a garden landscape and is also a great for planting in containers. Many gardeners tend to use this plant for leaf color, which can create pleasing visuals in a mixture of plantings. The arching flowers of echeveria are favored by pollinators like hummingbirds and butterflies. See what other flowers attract hummingbirds.
Dudleya
Another plant the hummingbirds will want to visit in your yard are plantings of Dudleya. One variety has sunshine yellow flowers, which act as an attraction for bees in the garden. These succulents are an abundant source of nectar! Dudleya can be found in garden centers as a succulent with a branched or unbranched growing habit. Both types work as lower plantings in the garden and containers.
Sedum
Sedum is one of the first plants to emerge when the garden springs back to life and will offer visual interest well into fall. Bees, birds and butterflies are happy to stop by for a visit on the clusters of tiny star-shaped flowers. They are available in many varieties, ranging from a bold garnet color to soft pinks. Find more pink succulents for your garden.
Crassula
Talk to gardeners who work with succulents and they will tell you how easy crassula is to care for. This plant grows well in decorative patio pots and the garden bed. The plant forms clusters of wispy flowers that have a light, sweet scent that are favored by bees.
This familiar succulent produces deep green leaves and is a popular choice in the plant center.
Haworthia
This succulent likes the benefit of a bit of shade. Hawthoria will provide a display of colorful foliage if you have an area that gets a bit of shade from a fence or cover from larger bushes. The haworthia plant will bring pollinators to your garden as their flowers reach a diameter of approximately 1 inch, making them an interesting stop for bees and butterflies in search of food.
Graptopetalum
A bright sunny garden spot with a bit of shade relief will be a good location for graptopetalum. A lack of light may cause this succulent to become leggy and drop its leaves. Hot weather is not a problem for this succulent, though, and it makes an attractive addition to raised garden beds and patio containers. Graptopetalum love the outdoors and honeybees will be happy to visit.
Kalanchoe
Many people are fans of this succulent as a houseplant but kalanchoe can be a colorful accent to an outdoor garden. These plants are fairly drought-tolerant but monitor water needs as a lack of water can stunt the development of the brightly hued flowers.
Euphorbia
The appeal of Euphorbia is that they aren’t fussy when it comes to growing requirements. They like to be planted in a spot that will provide full sun but can do well in areas with partial shade. These plants can even find ways to thrive in areas that are considered to be spots with poor soil conditions. They make a statement in the garden with showy flowers that you and the bees will enjoy for their honey-like scent.
Aeonium
Aeonium plants are popular with gardeners as their growing habits provide continuous interest—new rosette shapes will emerge when spent flowers are done blooming. It grows in a stalk-like habit, making it a good choice for visual interest in a border. You can plant aeonium in container garden to attract hummingbirds, too.
Delosperma
The honeybees will be sure to visit your succulent garden if you have planted delosperma! This succulent provides an abundant source of nectar. It grows colorful dime-sized flowers which make a showy display in the garden and provide a place for pollinators to perch.
Up Next:Â This is what I wish I knew before planting my succulent garden.
