5 Container Plants That Attract Nighttime Pollinators, According to Experts

Bring beneficial moths to your yard with these beautiful blooms.

Closeup of moonflowers surrounded by green foliage
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Christine_Kohler / Getty Images

Daytime pollinators, like hummingbirds, are often top-of-mind when it comes to curating a garden—and rightfully so. These important birds are essential to the life cycle of many flowers, and help promote biodiversity in an ecosystem. However, pollinating doesn't end when the sun goes down. Many vital pollinators, like moths or beetles, will only emerge at night.

Catering to these beneficial bugs is good for your garden and for the overall environment. Best of all, the plants they flock to can be easily grown in containers. Here are a few that both nighttime pollinators and gardening experts love.

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Evening Primrose

Evening primrose wildflower with soft evening light
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Boxie61 / Getty Images

There are many different varieties of evening primrose that will attract moths, including little, tufted, and bigfruit.

"The flowers are pale (white or yellow) and visible in low light for moth eyesight; the nectar flows at dusk and into the night," says Stephanie Frischie, agronomist and native plant material specialist with the Xerces Society. "They are fragrant ... the scent also helps moths to find flowers."

  • Zones: 4 to 9
  • Size: Depends on variety
  • Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade, well-drained soil
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Tobacco

Flowering tobacco, a tall, bushy tender perennial with white flowers
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Tobacco plants have long, trumpet-shaped flowers that are perfectly designed for moths to access the nectar, says Helen Bostock, senior wildlife expert at the Royal Horticultural Society.

Frischie recommends the desert and coyote varieties in particular, which are native to the southwest and California.

  • Zones: 8 to 11
  • Size: About 3 feet tall, depending on the variety
  • Care requirements: Full sun, well-draining soil
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Yucca

A natural garden with a flowering yucca in Laguna Altacosas in Texas.
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Moelyn Photos / Getty Images

The yucca moth is the sole pollinator for this perennial, so, naturally, growing it will attract these pollinators to your yard.

"Plant it in a solo container and allow time for it to grow into a large, more impactful bloom," says Chester Jankowski, senior horticulturist at the Chicago Botanic Garden. "It can take some shade."

  • Zones: 4 to 11
  • Size: 6 to 30 feet tall x 2 to 3 wide
  • Care requirements: Full sunlight, allow to dry between watering
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Honeysuckle

Lonicera periclymenum against dark background
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m-kojot / Getty Images

Evening pollinators will find honeysuckle irresistible.

"Choose a deep planter for this vigorous climber, and be sure to keep it well watered in hot or dry spells to keep powdery mildew at bay," says Jankowski. " Insert a tall obelisk into the pot to train it, or position the pot against a trellis."

Note that there are a few kinds of honeysuckle that are considered invasive in North America—Bostock recommends the summer-flowering variety (Lonicera periclymenum), which is safe.

  • Zones: 5 to 9
  • Size: 10 to 20 feet tall x 3 to 6 feet wide
  • Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil
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Moonflower

Moonflower
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nickkurzenko / GETTY IMAGES

As their name suggests, moonflowers (Ipomoea alba) bloom in the evening and are pollinated by moths. Their beautiful white blossoms are a lovely addition to a nighttime garden.

"Moonflower needs a deep container with something to grow on," says Jankowski. "[It's] a fast grower, and needs a trellis for support."

  • Zones: 3 to 9
  • Size: 1 to 3 feet tall x 1 to 4 feet wide
  • Care requirements: Full sun; moist, well-draining soil

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