One of the best things you can do to help preserve Delaware’s native species of birds, butterflies, and bees is to plant a pollinator garden with plants that grow well in Delaware. Not only will you be rewarded with beautiful blooms, but you’ll attract all sorts of helpful critters to your yard! All of the plants below are perfect for your Delaware pollinator garden. These Delaware native plants attract a variety of native bees, butterflies, and birds. You should be able to easily find them at local garden centers.

1. Common Milkweed
Flickr / Tim Lumley
Milkweed may be the most important plant to grow in your Delaware pollinator garden. Monarch butterflies rely on milkweed in order to fuel their migration, and they are struggling in a world where parking lots are becoming more common than wildflower fields. Common milkweed is one of the best perennials for Delaware.
2. Giant Sunflower
Flickr / Jerry and Pat Donaho
Add a BIG splash of color to your yard when you plant Giant Sunflowers. These quick growing annuals call butterflies and bees to feast.
3. New England Aster
Flickr / Joshua Mayer
Asters are among the most beautiful blooms you'll find. These pretty purple flowers attract all sorts of pollinators right to your yard.

Related Stories

Most People Don't Know About This Magical Sunflower Field Hiding In Delaware

Most People Don't Know About This Magical Sunflower Field Hiding In Delaware

 A Trip To Delaware's Neverending Tulip Fields Will Make Your Spring Complete

A Trip To Delaware's Neverending Tulip Fields Will Make Your Spring Complete

 A Mansion Was Built And Left To Decay In The Middle Of Delaware's Largest City

A Mansion Was Built And Left To Decay In The Middle Of Delaware's Largest City
4. New York Ironweed
Flickr / Penn State
Ironweed is another pretty flower that butterflies seem to love. It's a taller flower that many plant to complement smaller pollinator plants like phlox.
5. Great Blue Lobelia
Flickr / Ted
The beautiful Great Blue Lobelia provides important nectar to butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. If you're having trouble attracting hummingbirds to your feeder, plant a few of these and watch them gather.
6. Goldenrod
Flickr / Karen Lewis
Goldenrod is a common plant that's easy to grow and maintain. Once you plant it, sit back and watch the show as critters flock to your Delaware pollinator garden.
7. Black-Eyed Susan
Flickr / John Munt
Black-Eyed Susans are big, common flowers that attract birds, bees, and butterflies. They also make great cut flowers, so they're a wonderful addition to any flowering garden.

Want to plant the perfect pollinator garden? Take a look at the University of Delaware’s brochure all about gardening with Delaware native plants.

If you can’t get enough of wildflowers, plan a trip to visit the Mt. Cuba Center in Hockessin to see more of the most beautiful native plants in Delaware.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More to Explore

Plants That Grow Well In Delaware

Meghan Byers | June 03, 2022

What are the best wildflower hikes in Delaware?

One of the best places to see wildflowers in Delaware is at the Mt. Cuba Center. There are over two miles of trails through the center’s 1,000 acres, and in the spring and summertime you’ll find all kinds of native plants in bloom. Gordons Pond Trail in Cape Henlopen State Park also has wildflowers along its path, which is an easy route suitable for beginners. You’ll also find wildflowers along the moderately challenging but beautiful Brandywine Creek River Loop Trail at Brandywine Creek State Park.

What are the best botanical gardens to visit in Delaware?

Aside from Mt. Cuba Center, Delaware has quite a few beautiful gardens to visit. The Delaware Botanic Gardens at Pepper Creek, located in Dagsboro, has its own wildflower meadows you can wander through, along with boardwalks you can follow over coastal marshland. Winterthur, set within 1,000 acres, has a stunning and colorful 60-acre naturalistic garden, a museum, and a library. At the Hagley Museum, visit the much smaller but still beautiful and charming Eleuthère Irénée du Pont Garden. The University of Delaware, meanwhile has its own botanical gardens and arboretum that are free to enter. And the lovely Marian Coffin Garden at Gibraltar is a hidden oasis in Wilmington.

What are some other beautiful places to visit in Delaware?

It may be a small state, but Delaware is home to plenty of beauty, both natural and man-made. Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge is well-known for its scenic views of coastal marshland, and it’s one of Delaware’s best natural wonders. Cape Henlopen State Park, Trap Pond State Park, and Brandywine Creek State Park are all worth a visit as well, with plenty of wilderness to explore. Nemours is a French-style du Pont estate in Wilmington, with stunning gardens, fountains, and aristocratic architecture that’ll make you feel like you’re walking through royal grounds. Check out our guide to explore more beautiful places in Delaware.

Related Articles

Explore Delaware