Butterflies
Host Plants — for eggs & caterpillars
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
Host for Spicebush Swallowtail
Passionvine / Maypop
Passiflora incarnata
Host for Gulf & Variegated Fritillaries
Wild Senna
Senna hebecarpa
Host for Cloudless Sulphur
Milkweed / Butterflyweed
Asclepias tuberosa
Essential host for Monarchs
Pawpaw
Asimina triloba
Host for Zebra Swallowtail
Nectar Plants
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
A reliable workhorse for many species
Joe Pye Weed
Eutrochium purpureum
Late summer bloomer; draws tigers & swallowtails
Ironweed
Vernonia noveboracensis
Vivid purple; extremely attractive to swallowtails
Black-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Long blooming, easy to establish
Fall Asters
Symphyotrichum spp.
Critical fuel for fall migrants like Monarchs
Dragonflies
Dragonflies need water first, plants second. A pond as small as a half whiskey barrel works. These plants go at the water's edge to provide emergence structure for larvae.
Pickerelweed
Pontederia cordata
Excellent emergence structure; bonus bee attractor
Blue Flag Iris
Iris virginica
Larvae cling to stems for emergence
Lizard's Tail
Saururus cernuus
Loves wet East TN conditions
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
Wet-tolerant; also draws hummingbirds
💧 Water Feature Tips
- Aim for at least 18–24 inches depth in one area; sloped or rocky edges for emergence
- Add a small solar pump for gentle surface circulation — deters mosquitoes, fine for dragonflies
- Use Mosquito Dunks (Bt israelensis) monthly — kills mosquito larvae, safe for everything else
- Consider gambusia (mosquitofish), native to Tennessee waterways — voracious mosquito larvae eaters
- Leave bare, flat stones and dead upright stems nearby for perching and thermoregulating
Hummingbirds
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
Best single choice for the region
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
Blooms early spring — catches arriving migrants
Beebalm / Oswego Tea
Monarda didyma
Native to Appalachia; also draws butterflies & bees
Fire Pink
Silene virginica
Underused but highly effective native wildflower
Crossvine
Bignonia capreolata
Native vine; plant on its own trellis, separate from roses
Bees
Already Established in Your Garden
Established
Coreopsis
Coreopsis spp.
Long-blooming summer workhorse; excellent for native bees
Established
Beebalm / Oswego Tea
Monarda didyma
Also draws hummingbirds & butterflies — triple duty
Established
Daisies
Various
Open, flat flowers accessible to many bee species
Established
Hyssop
Agastache spp.
One of the best bee plants you can grow; long bloom period
Established
Phlox
Phlox spp.
Especially valuable for long-tongued native bees
Recommended Additions — Fill the Gaps
Early Spring
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
One of the earliest native bloomers; feeds emerging queen bumblebees
Early Spring
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
Beloved by early bees; stunning blue flowers in March–April
Early Spring
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
Excellent early native; also draws hoverflies
Mid-Season
Mountain Mint
Pycnanthemum muticum
If you add only one new plant, make it this — attracts an extraordinary variety of native bee species
Mid-Season
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
More drought-tolerant than beebalm; beloved by long-tongued bees
Late Fall
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
One of the last things blooming in October; absolutely covered in bees
Late Fall
Goldenrod
Solidago spp.
Backbone of fall pollinator support in the region; critical pre-winter fuel
Plants Doing Double Duty
These earn their space by attracting multiple types of visitors — prioritize these if space is limited.
| Plant | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Cardinal Flower | Dragonfly pond edge + hummingbirds + butterflies |
| Passionvine / Maypop | Butterfly host plant + nectar source |
| Milkweed / Butterflyweed | Monarch host + general pollinator nectar |
| Beebalm | Hummingbirds + native bees + butterflies |
Where to Source Plants
📍 Local & Regional Nurseries
Native Gardens of Tennessee
Greenback, TN (~1.5 hrs northwest)
nativegardens.com
Reflection Riding Arboretum
Chattanooga (~1 hr south); native plant nursery & sales events
TN Native Plant Society
Plant sales in Knoxville (~45 min north)
tnps.org
Athens/Etowah Farmers Markets
Check in spring for local native plant vendors
📦 Online Sources
Prairie Moon Nursery
Bare root & plugs; excellent quality
prairiemoon.com
Izel Native Plants
Ships larger plugs; good Appalachian-appropriate selection
izelnativeplants.com
American Meadows
Seed mixes and plugs
americanmeadows.com
Herbs & Foliage
The key with herbs is letting them flower — most pollinator value comes from the blooms, not the leaves. Your raised beds are ideal for mixing these in with your flowers for texture, height, and fragrance.
Already in Your Garden
Established
Rosemary
Salvia rosmarinus
When it flowers, honeybees and native bees are all over it — let it bloom
Established
Parsley
Petroselinum crispum
Biennial — let it flower in year two; hosts Black Swallowtail caterpillars. Plant extra as a "sacrifice" plant
Pollinator Herbs to Add
Herb
Catmint 'Walker's Low'
Nepeta × faassenii
Best bed-edge choice for East TN heat — drought tolerant, long blooming, bees love it. Not a true mint; won't spread invasively. Cut back after first flush for a second round of flowers
Herb
Moss Verbena
Verbena tenuisecta
Low and spreading; handles East TN heat and humidity exceptionally well. Covered in small flowers all summer that bees and butterflies both use
Herb
Thyme (Upright)
Thymus vulgaris
Upright culinary type handles summer heat better than creeping thyme — better airflow and dries faster after rain. Bees love the flowers
Herb
Oregano
Origanum vulgare
Let it flower for bees, hoverflies, and small wasps — one of the best bee herbs in the garden
Herb
Anise Hyssop
Agastache foeniculum
Close relative of your existing hyssop; longer bloom period and one of the very best plants for honeybees
Herb
Lavender
Lavandula spp.
Not native but extremely well-behaved; bumblebees and honeybees are obsessed with it. Drought-tolerant — suits raised beds that dry out faster
Herb
Lemon Balm
Melissa officinalis
Honeybees love the flowers. Keep contained in its own section — spreads enthusiastically
Herb + Butterfly Host
Fennel
Foeniculum vulgare
Tall & architectural (4–5 ft); hosts Black Swallowtail like parsley. Bronze fennel is stunning as foliage. Yellow umbel flowers draw a wide range of beneficials
Herb
Lovage
Levisticum officinale
Impressively tall back-of-bed plant (5–6 ft); architectural presence and flowers draw beneficials
Foliage for Texture & Dimension
Foliage
Bronze Fennel
Foeniculum vulgare 'Purpureum'
Feathery dark copper foliage is stunning against bright flower colors; beautiful even before it blooms
Foliage
Purple Basil
Ocimum basilicum var.
Deep purple foliage as a seasonal filler; let some flower and bees will find it. Annual — replant each year
Foliage
Lamb's Ear
Stachys byzantina
Silvery velvety foliage as front-of-bed edging; contrasts beautifully with greens and flower colors. Woolly flower spikes are harvested by wool carder bees for nesting
Foliage
Society Garlic
Tulbaghia violacea
Strappy blue-green foliage with lavender flowers; well-behaved, deer-resistant, pollinators like it
⚠️ Keep Mint Out of Beds
- Mint will take over everything if planted directly in a raised bed — roots spread aggressively underground
- Instead, sink a pot into the bed with the rim at soil level to contain the roots, or keep it in a standalone container nearby
- Bees do love mint flowers, so it's worth having — just contained
Invasive Plants to Avoid
These plants are commonly sold at garden centers but are invasive in Tennessee — they crowd out native plants, provide little to no pollinator value, and can escape into natural areas. Each entry includes a native swap that does the same visual job without the harm.
In Your Garden
Creeping Jenny
Lysimachia nummularia
On Tennessee's invasive watch list. Spreads aggressively by runners, crowds out native groundcovers, and can escape into stream banks. Almost no pollinator value.
✦ Native swap: Green-and-gold (Chrysogonum virginianum) or Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)
Japanese Honeysuckle
Lonicera japonica
Highly invasive throughout Tennessee — smothers native vegetation and displaces wildlife habitat. Also a known allergen for some people.
✦ Native swap: Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) or Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata)
Japanese Pachysandra
Pachysandra terminalis
Extremely common groundcover that forms dense monocultures, blocking native plant regeneration. No meaningful pollinator value.
✦ Native swap: Allegheny Spurge (Pachysandra procumbens) — the native equivalent
Trumpet Vine (unmanaged)
Campsis radicans
Technically native but behaves invasively in most garden settings — spreads by suckers far from the original plant and is extremely difficult to remove. Only plant with a very sturdy isolated structure and commitment to annual management.
✦ Native swap: Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata) — same hummingbird appeal, far better behaved
English Ivy
Hedera helix
One of the most damaging invasives in Tennessee woodlands. Climbs and kills trees, forms dense ground mats that eliminate all other plants. No pollinator value.
✦ Native swap: Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) for coverage; Wild Ginger for shade groundcover
Burning Bush
Euonymus alatus
Popular for fall color but invasive throughout the eastern US — seeds spread readily by birds into natural areas. Banned in some states.
✦ Native swap: Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) or Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) for spectacular fall color
Mimosa / Silk Tree
Albizia julibrissin
Very common in East Tennessee roadsides — spreads prolifically, outcompetes native trees, and is toxic to livestock. Despite its flowers attracting some pollinators, the ecological harm outweighs the benefit.
✦ Native swap: Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) for a beautiful small native tree with pollinator value
📋 Tennessee Invasive Species Resources
- Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council (TN-EPPC) maintains the official invasive plant list for the state — tneppc.org
- iNaturalist app lets you photograph any plant and get an ID — useful for checking unknown plants in your garden
- When in doubt at a nursery, ask specifically whether a plant is native to Tennessee or has invasive potential in the region
General Tips for East Tennessee
Plan for succession blooms April through October so something is always flowering for migrating visitors.
Avoid pesticides entirely, especially near water — they are harmful to dragonfly larvae and native bees.
Leave dead stems standing over winter — 70% of native bees nest in hollow or pithy stems.
Add a bare or sandy soil patch — most native bees are ground-nesters and need open soil to nest.
Leave leaf litter in at least one corner for beetles, moth pupae, and overwintering beneficials.
Full sun is preferred by both butterflies and dragonflies — site plants and water features accordingly.
Your Yard — Planting Map
Corner lot at Tellico Ave W & Sliger St, Athens, TN — DR Horton Macon model. Use this map as a reference when deciding where to place pollinator plantings around your property.
🌿 Your Yard at a Glance
- 4 raised boxes (backyard) — Already your most productive growing area. Great candidates for herbs like Anise Hyssop, Lavender, or Lemon Balm that double as pollinator magnets. Keep Mint in its own contained box.
- Front bed — Part sun depending on house orientation. A good spot for lower-growing natives like Green-and-gold, Lamb's Ear for edging, or compact coneflowers. This is where Creeping Jenny should be replaced.
- Back bed (north fence) — Sheltered and private, gets morning sun. Good for a more informal wildflower mix, shade-tolerant natives like Wild Ginger, or taller back-of-border plants like Joe Pye Weed.
- East yard (Sliger St side) — Your biggest open lawn area and fullest sun. Strong candidate for a naturalistic pollinator meadow strip along the fence line, or a future rain garden given corner-lot drainage patterns.
- West side yard — Narrower, partly shaded by the garage. Works well for ferns, Wild Ginger, or other shade-tolerant groundcovers that don't need much sun.