Happy National Pollinator Week! At Gill Nursery, we know that planting to support and protect pollinators like hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and good bugs creates a healthy local ecosystem. And pollinators return the favor by making our gardens and landscapes so much more beautiful with healthier plants and more blooms. Here are our top 11 summer-tough plants to create a pollinator-friendly habitat in your yard.
Firebush (Hamelia patens)
- Pollinators: Hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees
- Why We Love It: Bright orange-red blooms all summer long!
- Planting Tip: Loves full sun. Foliage dies back in winter. Cut back hard in early spring and it grows back very fast.
Purslane
- Pollinators: Native bees and small butterflies
- Why We Love It: A low-growing, drought-tolerant succulent with vivid blooms in lots of different colors. And Purslane is edible! High in omega-3s and minerals.
- Planting Tip: Tuck it into hanging baskets, borders, or between rocks—just give it sunshine and dry feet.
Esperanza – all varieties
- Pollinators: Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds
- Why We Love It: Comes in several different varieties from the tidy, dwarf ‘Sparklette’ with orange blooms to the large ‘Yellow Bells’ with bright yellow blooms.
- Planting Tip: Full sun and low water needs. Plant in your sunniest spots.
Texas Native Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
- Pollinators: Monarchs (host plant!), bees, and other butterflies
- Why We Love It: Orange or yellow blooming varieties + life support for monarch caterpillars = must-have native!
- Planting Tip: Full sun, well-drained soil, and very little water—this one likes it tough.
Gregg’s Mistflower
- Pollinators: Queen butterflies, monarchs, skippers, bees
- Why We Love It: Soft lavender puffs that butterflies go wild for.
- Planting Tip: Likes part sun to full sun and moderate moisture. Give it some space—it spreads!
Texas Sage (all varieties)
- Pollinators: Bees and butterflies
- Why We Love It: Lavender blooms that pop before and after rain, and it’s practically unkillable.
- Planting Tip: Plant in your hottest, sunniest spots and avoid overwatering.
Firecracker Plant (Russelia)
- Pollinators: Hummingbirds and butterflies
- Why We Love It: Cascading coral-red blooms that hummingbirds can’t resist.
- Planting Tip: Likes moist, well-drained soil and full sun. Looks stunning in containers or hanging over walls.
Pride of Barbados aka Dwarf Poinciana
- Pollinators: Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds
- Why We Love It: Tropical drama with vivid red-orange blooms and feathery foliage.
- Planting Tip: Needs full sun, good drainage, and a little patience in spring—it doesn’t start to perform until temps reach 90!
Texas Native Flame Acanthus
- Pollinators: Hummingbirds and bees
- Why We Love It: Red tubular flowers that keep hummingbirds zipping around all summer.
- Planting Tip: Drought-tolerant and easy-going—cut back in winter and it bounces back fast
Salvia Mystic Spires
- Pollinators: Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds
- Why We Love It: Spiky deep blue blooms and non-stop action from all pollinators. Our best-performing blue salvia for South TX.
- Planting Tip: Plant in full sun and deadhead for more blooms.
Texas Native Frogfruit
- Pollinators: Butterflies (especially Phaon Crescent), bees, and skippers
- Why We Love It: A native groundcover with charming flowers and big ecological value.
- Planting Tip: Use as a living mulch or lawn alternative. Thrives almost anywhere – sun or shade and spreads quickly.
