9 Flowers That Draw Bats to Your Garden (and Why That’s a Good Thing)

Spotted Bee Balm

Spotted bee balm (Monarda punctata) produces small, tubular blooms framed by large, showy bracts in shades of pink and cream. According to Tess Renusch, native plant habitat content and certifications coordinator at the National Wildlife Federation, these impressive, colorful blooms create a powerful visual signal that attracts the moths, beetles, and other insects that bats hunt.

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

Whorled Milkweed

Milkweed is a pollinator plant that attracts a wide range of insects and birds. Renusch notes that the whorled variety (Asclepias verticillata) yields white, fragrant blooms that are particularly attractive to the bugs that are active at night when bats are feeding, bringing the pollinators to your garden.

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Size: 1 to 3 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; clay, sandy, or rocky, well-draining soil

Evening Primrose

The pale, sweet-smelling flowers of evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) open at dusk, making them highly visible and attractive to moths and other nocturnal insects. Bats, which are also nocturnal, flock to the garden to feast on these bugs, says Renusch.

• Zones: 4 to 9
• Size: 2 to 5 feet tall x 2 to 3 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; tolerant of most soil types as long as they are well-draining

Elderberry

Elderberry (Sambucus spp.) is a small shrub or tree with several native species. "It has beautiful white flowers that bloom all day and night, so it's perfect for attracting nighttime pollinators," says Erin Cord, community engagement manager at Bat Conservation International. "It's also the larval host plant for a few species of moths, including the beautiful Cercopria moth and Polyphemus moth."

• Zones: 4 through 9
• Size: 5 to 12 feet tall x 6 to 10 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; loamy, acidic, well-draining soil

Four O-Clock

Four o-clock (Mirabilis spp.) is a fragrant annual that adds beauty to the garden, while also attracting bats. "There are four different species of Four o-clocks that are native in the U.S.," says Cord. "These flowers are known for opening in the early evening—perfect timing to attract insects when bats are just waking up to hunt."

• Zones: 7 to 10
• Size: 24 to 36 inches tall x 18 to 24 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; average to rich, well-draining soil

Goldenrod

Goldenrod (Solidago sp.) is a star in the fall garden. "When gardening to support wildlife, including bats, it helps to try to have something blooming at different times during the year," says Cord. "There are over 100 species of goldenrod in the U.S. and it comes in all different shapes and sizes. All sport beautiful yellow flowers that are absolutely packed with insect visitors."

Joe Pye Weed

Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium spp.) is a larval host plant for many moth species, which in turn attracts the bats that feed on these insects. "It's easy to grow and there are five different species in the U.S., so there is a good chance there is one native to your area," says Cord.

• Zones: 4 to 8
• Size: 4 to 8 feet tall x 2 to 4 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-draining soil

Common Yarrow

Common yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is a native plant with charming yellowish-white blooms that attract many moth species and other insects. "The flowers stay open throughout the night, and the leaves of the plant are a beautiful shade of dark green," says Cord. At night, bats will visit your yard to eat the moths feeding on your yarrow plant.

• Zones: 3 to 8
• Size: 36 inches tall x 36 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil

Oak Trees

While not a flower, oak trees (Quercus spp.) support more species of moths (a beloved snack for bats) than any other plant. "Oaks are the larval (caterpillar) host plant for hundreds of moth species, as well as sometimes providing nectar for adult moths," says Cord. "The U.S. has over 85 different species of oak trees, so it's easy to find ones that are native to your area." She adds that oak trees provide a roosting habitat for 25 different bat species across the country.

• Zones: 3 to 10
• Size: 50 to 100 feet tall x 40 to 90 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; well-draining soil