Bee-Friendly Plants by Season: Example Bloom Calendar

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You don't need a hive to help bees. What a pollinator garden needs is something in bloom from early spring to fall. Here's how the sources suggest planning that, plus an example calendar from one region.

Start with where you live

Plant lists depend heavily on region. The Xerces Society publishes regional native plant lists with bloom periods, covering regions from Florida and the Southeast to the Great Basin, Great Lakes, Midwest, Northeast and others, and it says its lists aren't exhaustive. The Pollinator Partnership has ecoregional planting guides and a Find Your Roots tool. Use those for your own area; the example below is for the Northeast only.

The planning rules the sources give

Something blooming in every season. Minnesota's Board of Water and Soil Resources recommends at least three flowering species in each bloom period (spring, summer and fall) so there's continuous food through the seasons. That's written for conservation projects, but it's a handy yardstick for a yard.
Plant in masses. BWSR says planting forbs in masses makes them easier for pollinators to find, and a range of flower colors and shapes benefits a variety of pollinators.
Don't forget trees and shrubs. BWSR says flowering trees and shrubs can be important sources of pollen and nectar, particularly early in spring.
Native plants. BWSR says plants native to an area provide the most benefit to local pollinators.

Easy-to-find plants (nursery-available)

The Pollinator Partnership lists plants commonly available at nurseries, including lavender, rosemary, sage, coneflower, sunflower, redbud, catnip, penstemon, lamb's ears, verbena, phacelia, aster, rudbeckia, oregano and yarrow. It says they are not known to be invasive, but to always research invasive plants in your area.

Example bloom calendar: Xerces Society, Northeast

From the Xerces Society's Northeast native plant list. Other regions have different plants and bloom times. We grouped the seasons by when each plant's bloom starts.
Season	Plant (native to the Northeast)	Bloom
Spring	Pussy willow	Feb–Apr
Spring	Red maple	Mar–Apr
Spring	Allegheny serviceberry	Mar–Apr
Spring	Red columbine	Apr–May
Spring	American plum	Apr–May
Summer	Common yarrow	May–Jul
Summer	Wild bergamot	May–Sep
Summer	Purple coneflower	Jun–Aug
Summer	Butterfly milkweed	Jun–Aug
Summer	Black-eyed Susan	Jun–Aug
Summer	Joe Pye weed	Jul–Sep
Summer	Dense blazing star	Jul–Sep
Fall	Stiff goldenrod	Aug–Sep
Fall	New England aster	Aug–Oct
Fall	Calico aster	Aug–Oct
Fall	American witchhazel	Sep–Nov
Fall	Common sneezeweed	Sep–Nov

Buying plants: ask about pesticides

The Xerces Society says nurseries may sell plants that have been treated with pesticides. It suggests seeking USDA certified organic plants and seeds, avoiding plants grown with neonicotinoids and similar systemic insecticides, and asking the nursery what steps it takes. If you can't find safe plants, it suggests growing your own.

Choosing seed? See choosing a wildflower seed mix.

Source: Xerces Society, Native Plants for Pollinators and Beneficial Insects: Northeast; Xerces Society, pollinator-friendly plant lists; Xerces Society, Bee-safe nursery plants; Pollinator Partnership, planting guides; Pollinator Partnership, Find Your Roots; Minnesota BWSR, Pollinator toolbox. Checked Oct 26, 2026.