10 Beautiful Autumn Plants That Will Keep Bees And Butterflies Thriving

1EchinaceaHelaine Weide//Getty Images

Also known as coneflower, these colourful, conical-shaped blooms thrive until late autumn. Pollinators are drawn to their spiky centres, which are packed with nectar.

2Salvia saliva wulingyun//Getty Images

Thanks to their vibrant tubular flowers, salvias are magnets for bees and butterflies. They bloom well beyond summer, which makes them ideal for bridging the ‘nectar gap’ and attracting pollinators to your garden.

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3Dahlias dahlia Jacky Parker//Getty Images

Single-flowered dahlias are highly valuable to pollinators in autumn as their central discs remain open and rich in nectar, making them a great food source for pollinating insects.

4Japanese Anemone anemone hupehensis, or commonly called japanese anemone, is native to china and has long been cultivated in japan for hundreds of years. it flowers from summer to autumn, with its colors ranging from white to dark pink and purple. Nobutoshi Akao//Getty Images

With an extended flowering period, Japanese anemones provide a late burst of pink and white flowers to brighten the days, while their open, pollen-filled centres offer a feast for a range of insects.

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5Verbena bonariensis vanessa cardui painted lady butterfly resting on a tall stem of verbena bonariensis against an out of focus natural garden background paulafrench//Getty Images

Not just a great choice to add height to your garden, this perennial produces clouds of tiny purple flowers from late summer into autumn. Verbena bonariensis is full of nectar and therefore highly attractive to butterflies and bees.

6Crocosmia red crocosmia growing in public garden Jasenka Arbanas//Getty Images

This exotic-looking flower sports vibrant red and orange blooms in late summer and early autumn. Crocosmia’s blossoms, which are rich with nectar, are beloved by bees and butterflies, while their curved stems add interest to autumn borders.

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7Aster aster Albert Fertl//Getty Images

A classic autumn flower, asters come in hues of purple, pink and white. Their spiky centres offer abundant nectar, attracting bees until the first frost.

8Kniphofia the bright fire colored flower called red hot poker or torch lily, (latin name is kniphofia), flowers from march to november and is an exotic looking perennialimage taken in west sussex, uk july 2022 Tim Stocker Photography//Getty Images

Best known as Red Hot Poker, these striking, fiery flowers bloom from late summer and into autumn. Kniphofias produce plenty of nectar that attracts a variety of pollinators and add a vibrant splash of colour to your garden.

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9Sedum sony dsc schnuddel//Getty Images

Bees and butterflies adore this pretty plant as their flat flower heads are perfect landing pads and their nectar offers an essential food source.

10Mahonia mahonia x media in bloom seven75//Getty Images

Mahonia’s long spires of yellow bloom in late autumn and even winter, making this plant one of the few shrubs that bridge the seasonal nectar gap. Later in the year, its berries provide food for birds, making a late season wildlife champion.

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Headshot of Wanda Sachs

Wanda Sachs is the Daily Writer for House Beautiful and Country Living, exploring the latest in interior design, home trends, property news, wellbeing and sustainable living. With a keen eye for style and a passion for storytelling, she previously served as an Associate Editor at The Berliner in Berlin, where she launched and led the magazine’s monthly style vertical, covering emerging fashion trends. Wanda holds a combined BA in English and German from Goethe University Frankfurt.

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