8 Fast-Growing Flowers That Will Have Birds and Butterflies Flocking to Your Garden

Zinnias

The red, orange, yellow, and pink blooms of zinnias (Zinnia elegans) will delight both gardeners and pollinators alike. "They’re just so irresistibly pretty and so much fun to grow," says Kendall Frost, content manager at American Meadows. "And they’re the perfect height to grow along a fence, a walkway, or a garden border."

Zinnias are also beautiful as cut flowers so they can fill your home with lovely bouquets. In the meantime, beneficial bugs and birds will love them.

"I always remember my grandmother planting zinnias of many colors throughout her cottage garden in central Illinois," says Tim Pollak, plant production manager at the Chicago Botanic Garden. "I was always amazed by the number of bees and butterflies they attracted."

• Zones: 3 to 10
• Care Requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil
• Size: 12 to 36 inches tall x 8 to 10 inches wide
• Time to Maturity: 60 to 90 days

Sunflowers

Who doesn't love sunflowers (Helianthus annus)? These timeless, bright yellow blooms "act like a magnet to attract bees, butterflies, and more to your yard," says Frost.

"They're quick and easy to grow from seed," she adds. "Their plant family is also a keystone species, meaning it's a plant that supports an abundance of pollinators."

Pollak notes that they're also "fun to grow ... and kids love them!"

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Care Requirements: Full sun; loam, clay, or sandy soil that is fertile and well-drained
• Size: 3 to 8 feet tall x 1 to 3 feet wide
• Time to Maturity: 70 to 100 days

Petunias

Petunias are a wonderful way to bring a splash of color to your garden, whether it's a moody violet or a delicate pink. Pollak has fond memories of his mother growing these flowers in her home garden—not only do they look beautiful, but they're a treat for pollinators.

"Petunia flowers will attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, as their flowers hold a lot of nectar," he says.

• Zones: 2 to 11
  
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil
• Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x 20 to 30 inches wide
• Time to Maturity: 8 to 12 weeks

Sweet Alyssum

As its name would suggest, sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima) has a lovely fragrance that smells like honey. It can quickly fill a garden with white, pink, and purple flowers, and can adapt to a wide range of environments.

"They can be grown in garden beds, containers, hanging baskets, and window boxes," says Pollak. "Put them where you can enjoy the sweet fragrance near a patio, deck, doorway, or window."

• Zones: 5 to 9
• Mature size: 3 to 10 inches tall x 2 to 4 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full to partial sun; well-draining soil
• Time to Maturity: About 2 months

Nasturtium

Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus) are easy to grow and come in a variety of beautiful, vibrant colors. They attract pollinators all season along, says Pollak, providing abundant nectar to these beneficial insects and birds.

"One benefit of growing nasturtiums is that their flowers and leaves are edible, adding bright color to your plate with a peppery flavor," he adds.

• Zones: 2 to 11
• Size: 6 to 24 inches tall x 12 to 24 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to part shade; well-drained soil
• Time to Maturity: 4 to 6 weeks

Cosmos

Cosmos, with their pink, white, and yellow blooms, can fill many spaces in a garden, and are extremely beneficial to pollinators. Pollak notes that they can be planted in "open spots in your perennial borders, in addition to garden beds and containers."

Their large flowers attract bees and butterflies, and they can make for great cut flowers too.

• Zones: 2 to 11
• Care Requirements: Full sun, well-draining soil
• Size: 1 to 6 feet tall x 1 to 3 feet wide
• Time to Maturity: About 2 months

Catmint

Felines love catmint (Nepeta), but so do birds and bees. These purple blooms are a "pollinator powerhouse," says Lauren Carvalho, horticultural manager at High Country Gardens. "It makes a great, carefree filler, with prolific purple-blue blooms and soft grey foliage," she adds.

Carvalho recommends the Little Trudy cultivar for paths, rock walls, and containers. Megan Foster, perennial and bulb expert at American Meadows, loves Walker's Low, which produces blooms "like little blue flower clouds."

• Zones: 3 to 8
• Size: 12 to 24 inches tall; width varies
• Care Requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil
• Time to Maturity: 6 to 8 weeks

Marigolds

"I love growing French marigolds in my garden, because they are so easy to grow from seed, either starting them indoors or directly sowing them outside," says Pollak.

Not only are they a wonderful, beginner-friendly plant, but these marigolds also attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to the garden with their bright orange, red, and yellow colors.

• Zones: 2 to 11
• Care Requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil
• Size: 6 to 36 inches tall x 6 to 12 inches wide
• Time to Maturity: 45 to 50 days