Insect-friendly flowers for the balcony and garden

Flowers are not only a delight for the eyes and nose, but also an important food source for insects. You can find out here which insect-friendly flowers are suitable for the garden and balcony.

What would a garden be without flowers? The colorful plants can be found in almost every garden and on every balcony and enchant us with their beauty and their wonderful fragrance. Insects are also fascinated by the colorful flowers, after all they are an important source of food. Unfortunately, there are more and more insect-unfriendly plants in the garden: breeding roses (pink) block the way for the insects with their filled flowers so that they cannot get to the nectar. The forsythia (Forsythia × intermediate) is even sterile and offers the beneficial insects no food at all - this means that the insects cannot find a suitable habitat despite the blooming splendor. Anyone who wants to take action against this can actively help: numerous native flowers are not only insect-friendly, but also beautiful to look at. We will tell you here which insect-friendly flowers should not be missing in the garden.

Insect friendly spring flowers

Early bloomers are particularly important for insects because they are the first source of food after the harsh spring. Some of the particularly insect-friendly flowers include the following.

1. spring crocus (Crocus vernus): The spring crocus is one of the first to bloom in spring and is particularly popular with bees.

2. daisies (Bellis perennis): With its extremely long flowering period from early February to late October, the daisy is one of the most insect-friendly flowers. Although the flower only gives a little pollen and nectar, thanks to its long flowering period it can be an important source of nourishment when there are gaps in the nectar flow.

3. gold lacquer (Erysimum cheiri): Whether on the balcony or in the bed - the gold lacquer attracts bees and other beneficial insects with its sweet honey scent. From April to June, the plant provides nectar and pollen with its blossom.

4. coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia): With its bloom from March to April, the cone flower is a welcome spring bloomer, which is particularly popular with bees.

5. snowdrop (Galanthus): With a bloom that can start as early as January, that is snowdrop one of the first early bloomers and therefore particularly interesting for insects. Its pollen is gratefully accepted, especially by smaller wild bee species.

6. star hyacinth (Scilla sect. Chionodoxa): the bluebell begins to bloom as early as February and is therefore one of the insect-friendly flowers. It is particularly popular with bees and bumblebees.

7. winterling (Eranthis): With its early flowering from the end of January to April, the winterling a particularly valuable flower for insects: butterflies, bees and bumblebees fly at it, as do hoverflies and wild bees.

Insect friendly summer flowers

In summer there are a lot of flowers in bloom. The most important insect flowers include:

1. knapweed (Centaurea montana): With its long flowering period from June to October, the knapweed indispensable for many insects. Butterflies in particular, but also bees and bumblebees like to use the plant as a source of food.

2. bluebell (campanula): bluebells belong to the balcony flowers, which not only look beautiful, but are also an important source of food for insects. Numerous insect species like to use the plant, scissor bees are even specialized in them.

3. cornflower (Centaurea cyanus): With its high proportion of pollen and nectar, the cornflower popular with many insects. In addition to butterflies, hoverflies and bumblebees, the honey bee is often found as a guest on the cornflower.

4. girl's eye (Coreopsis verticillatea): Its extremely long and rich flowering makes the Maideneye the favorite flower of many insects. But be careful: only unfilled varieties can reliably provide food for bees, butterflies and the like.

5. purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea): As a flower for beneficial insects, the purple coneflower is particularly popular with bees, bumblebees and hoverflies. With its long flowering from May to October, the plant is particularly valuable.

6. vanilla flower (Heliotropium arborescens): One of the most insect-friendly balcony plants is definitely the vanilla flower: When the sun shines, its scent attracts numerous insects, which it provides a nutritious meal.

7. violet (viola): It's not just people who love the sweet scent of violets: butterflies that fly early, such as the painted lady, find the plant a suitable source of food.

8. zinnia (zinnia): unfilled zinnias are known as insect-friendly flowers for the balcony. Their bloom from July to October attracts numerous beneficial insects such as bees and bumblebees.

Insect friendly autumn flowers

Insect-friendly autumn flowers on the balcony and in the garden have a special meaning as they are often the last source of food before winter. The most important include:

1. Erika (Calluna): With its late flowering, which depending on the variety lasts from December to May, the heather is an important plant for many insects. Butterflies in particular, but also wild bees like to use the Erika.

2. autumn aster (symphytricum): Myrtle, cushion or borage asters with their late flowering in autumn provide a richly laid buffet, which is gratefully accepted by bees and bumblebees in particular.

3. autumn anemone (Anemone hupehensis): With its late flowering, which lasts from August to October, the autumn anemone to the insect-friendly flowers. It supplies the animals particularly well with pollen, but contains hardly any nectar.

4. Single varieties of dahlias (dahlias): dahlias are not known as an insect friendly flower. But if you decide on an unfilled variety, the plant can become a real asset for bees and Co. because it has an unusually long flowering period, which lasts until the first frost suffices.

5. Unfilled marigolds (tagetes): As an insect-friendly balcony plant, the tagetes known for its long flowering period, which lasts until the first frost. However, only unfilled varieties can serve as pollen and nectar donors.

tip: With seed mixes like that Plantura beneficial insect magnet plant a lot of flowers right away, which will support the insects with their large number and long flowering period. In addition, the mixture is particularly easy to care for and can simply be sown in beds or balcony boxes.

With an insect-friendly garden, you are also doing your feathered garden dwellers a favor. We have more tips for designing one bird friendly garden compiled for you.