18 Best Flowers for Attracting Pollinators to a Vegetable Garden (2024)

Blooms can be your veggies’ best friend! Surprised? Read on to find the Best Flowers for Attracting Pollinators to a Vegetable Garden.

Companion planting with flowers is the easiest technique to have a healthy harvest with the least effort. So, if you are planning one, check out the handpicked list of the Best Flowers for Attracting Pollinators to a Vegetable Garden!

Here are the best tips on vegetable companion planting

Best Flowers for Attracting Pollinators to a Vegetable Garden

1. Marigold

Botanical Name: Tagetes

The vibrant color and the strong scent of the beautiful marigolds attract a swarm of nectar hunting bees while keeping beetles and cabbage worms away.

Best Vegetables to Grow With: Kale, Eggplant, Potato, Broccoli

Learn how to grow unlimited marigolds from petals here

2. Borage

Botanical Name: Borago officinalis

The star-shaped blooms are rich in nectar that attract pollinating bugs and bees to cabbage, tomato, strawberry, squash, pepper, and other vegetable crops.

Best Vegetables to Grow With: Squash, Tomato, Zucchini

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3. Coneflower

Botanical Name: Echinacea

The lance-shaped purple flowers attract butterflies, birds, and bees. Unlike other plants, coneflowers pump out nectar throughout the day.

Best Vegetables to Grow With: Broccoli, Eggplant, Brussels sprouts, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Peppers, Tomatoes, and Chilies.

Check out some fantastic daisy-like flowers here

4. Butterfly Bush

Botanical Name: Buddleja

The white, pink, and lavender blooms are an excellent choice for attracting hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies to your vegetable garden.

Best Vegetables to Grow With: Lettuce, Spinach, Rhubarb, Carrots, Beets, Onions

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5. Cow Parsnip

Botanical Name: Heracleum maximum

Cow Parsnip is another flower that can attract many pollinators, specifically wasps and tiny bees. The plant thrives in clusters keeping your vegetables healthy.

Best Vegetables to Grow With: Onion, Garlic, Radish, Potato, Bush bean, Peas, Pepper

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6. Lavender

Botanical Name: Lavandula

This pretty flowering herb attracts bees and other pollinators with its calming fragrance and nectar-rich flower clusters while keeping the unwanted flies, mosquitoes, and fleas away.

Best Vegetables to Grow With: Lettuce, Onions, Oregano, Chamomile, Tomatoes, Squash, Brassicas

Learn how to grow lavenders in pots here

7. Sunflower

Botanical Name: Helianthus

This cheerful flowering plant is an excellent choice for attracting birds and bees while adding a vibrant hue to your vegetable garden.

Best Vegetables to Grow With: Squashes, Zucchinis, Courgettes, Spring Onions, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Lettuces, Kale, Peppers, Onions.

Learn how to grow sunflowers on the balcony here

8. Cosmos

Botanical Name: Cosmos bipinnatus

Cosmos helps in pollination as it acts as a magnet for insects like green lacewings that keep scales, thrips, and aphids away, besides attracting hoverflies, bees, butterflies.

Best Vegetables to Grow With: Tomato, Eggplant, Chilli, Pepper

Check out the best fall flowers here

9. Dahlia

Botanical Name:Dahlia

With the ability to attract helpful bugs that keep the pesky, unwanted ones away, it makes for a stunning choice to grow in the vegetable garden.

Best Vegetables to Grow With: Eggplants, Tomatoes, and Squash.

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10. Zinnia

Botanical Name: Zinnia

These nectar-rich flowers are great for butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. The pastel paler varieties also attract Japanese Beetles.

Best Vegetables to Grow With: Tomatoes, Potatoes, Cauliflowers, Beans

Have a look at the best Zinnia varieties here

11. Dandelion

Botanical Name: Taraxacum

Dandelions bloom for an extended period from early spring to late summers attracting several pollinators to the yellow feathery blooms. They also release ethylene which ripens fruits faster.

Best Vegetables to Grow With: Beans, Apples, Tomatoes

Check out the natural ways to kill aphids here

12. Bee Balm

Botanical Name: Monarda

Its foliage has a delightful fragrance that helps in repelling pests while drawing in beneficial insects and pollinators.

Best Vegetables to Grow With: Squashes and tomatoes.

Learn how to grow Bee Balm here

13. Lupine

Botanical Name: Lupinus

Lupine looks pretty, helps fix nitrogen in the soil, and attracts pollinators. The spiky, tall blooms start blooming in late spring to late summer.

Best Vegetables to Grow With: Cucumber, Spinach, Broccoli, and Squash

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14. Nasturtium

Botanical Name: Tropaeolum

This lush groundcover with vibrant blooms is an excellent choice for attracting pollinators and repelling squash bugs, aphids, cabbage loopers, whiteflies, and many more.

Best Vegetables to Grow With: Cucumbers, Broccoli, Squash, Radish, Kale, and Tomato

Learn how to grow Nasturtium in containers here

15. Pansy

Botanical Name: Viola tricolor var. hortensis

With a subtle citrusy smell, this low-maintenance flowering plant is one of the best plants to attract pollinators in the winter months.

Best Vegetables to Grow With: Cabbages, Swiss Chards, Parsley, and Rosemary

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16. Flowering Thyme

Botanical Name: Thymus vulgaris

The aromatic foliage and fragrant purple flowers attract bees and other pollinators while serving as a tasty culinary herb.

Best Vegetables to Grow With:Brassicas, Eggplants, Potatoes, Shallots, Broccoli, Cabbage, Shallots, and Brussels Sprouts

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17. Alium

Botanical Name: Allium

Alium features clusters of oval flower stalks that attract bees and birds to your garden while keeping it free from leaf eaters such as deer and rabbits.

Best Vegetables to Grow With: Carrot, Lettuce, and Radish

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18. Lantana

Botanical Name: Lantana camara

The vibrant red, pink, blue, and orange flower clusters release sweet nectar that will attract masses of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to your garden.