Butterflies
Goals: Nectar-rich flowers + larval host plants

• Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) – Host plant for monarchs

• Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata) – Long-blooming and cheerful

• Pawpaw tree (Asimina triloba) – Zebra Swallowtail host, affordable as a sapling

• Lantanas (Lantana camara) – Nectar rich, popular garden plant 

• Wild Bergamot/Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa) – Supports multiple pollinators

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Bees
Goals: Continuous bloom, easy landing spots, single flowers (not double)

• Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) – Long bloom time, attractive to many bee species

• Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) – Hardy and drought-tolerant

• Sundrops (Oenothera fruticosa) – Vibrant and beneficial for bees and other insects

• Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) – Spreads easily, low maintenance

• Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) – Late-season nectar source

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Songbirds
Goals: Berries, seedheads, cover for nesting

• Purple Coneflower & Black-eyed Susan – Provide seeds in fall

• American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) – Colorful, easy to grow

• Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) – Small tree, blooms early, edible berries

• Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) – Nesting cover and seeds

• Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) – Fast-growing vine, good berries

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Fireflies
Goals: Moist soils, leaf litter, nighttime-friendly spaces

• Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) – Spreads well, low-growing

• Ferns (e.g., Cinnamon Fern) – Prefer shady, damp areas

• Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensibilis) – Good for damp corners

• Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium) – Grass-like with tiny flowers

• Golden Ragwort (Packera aurea) – Semi-evergreen groundcover

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Hummingbirds

Goals: Tubular red blooms, long bloom period, nectar source

• Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) – Bold red tubular flowers; thrives in moist soil and partial shade

• Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) – Native vine with red-orange blooms; long blooming season; attracts hummingbirds without spreading invasively

• Beebalm (Monarda didyma) – Bright, nectar-rich blooms in red or pink; supports hummingbirds and pollinators; prefers moist, sunny areas

• Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans) – Vigorous climber with orange-red trumpet flowers; loved by hummingbirds; best used in controlled spaces

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Beneficial Insects

Goals: Support predatory and parasitic insects, dense nectar, multi-season bloom

• Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea) – Host plant for black swallowtail caterpillars

• Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) – Flat-topped blooms attract lacewings, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps; drought-tolerant and long-blooming

• Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum) – Dense nectar source for beneficial wasps, bees, and flies; aromatic and deer-resistant

• Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum) – Late-blooming nectar plant that draws in predatory flies and native bees

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Bats
Goals: Evening bloomers, night-pollinator support, insect-attracting plants

• Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis) – Opens at dusk, self-seeds

• Common Yarrow – Brings in insects

• Wild Petunia (Ruellia humilis) – Compact and colorful

• Tall Phlox (Phlox paniculata) – Good scent for night insects

• Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata) – Long bloom and supports moths