Pasque Flower
Pulsatilla patens
A bee plant first and foremost — feeds the specialist bees that depend on it — reaching 6–12 in, blooming in Mar and Apr.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Utah · Zones 4–8
Native Plants for Bees in Utah
The native flowers that feed honey bees, bumblebees, and the hundreds of solitary native bees most gardeners never notice. Every species here is genuinely native to Utah and the wider flora of the Mountain West and hardy through zones 4–8 — proven performers for Utah's arid, cold winters, high sun climate across Wasatch Range & Colorado Plateau, not a generic list. Local standouts include Pasque Flower and Rocky Mountain Penstemon. Most of our native bees are solitary and unfussy, but they depend on a steady supply of pollen-rich, single (not double) flowers. Open daisy and umbel shapes are easiest for short-tongued bees, while tubular flowers reward the long-tongued bumblebees. Skip pesticides entirely and leave some bare, undisturbed ground and pithy stems where ground- and stem-nesting bees raise their young.
The plants
21 native species for Utah
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 4–8 · see this collection in other states.
Rocky Mountain Penstemon
Penstemon strictus
Pollen-rich and bee-friendly — feeds the specialist bees that depend on it, along with hummingbirds and native bees — for sand, rocky, and loam ground, blooming from May to Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
A bee plant first and foremost — feeds the specialist bees that depend on it, along with hummingbirds and butterflies; 1.5–2 ft wide, it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Bee fuel — pollen-rich, single flowers — feeds the specialist bees that depend on it, along with butterflies and native bees, good through zone 9 and flowering from May to Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Western Columbine
Aquilegia formosa
Bee fuel — pollen-rich, single flowers — feeds native bees and hummingbirds — happy in rocky and loam soil, blooming from Apr to Jul.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jul
Desert Marigold
Baileya multiradiata
A bee plant first and foremost — feeds native bees and butterflies, hardy in zones 7–11 and flowering from Mar to Oct.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 12–18 in
- Blooms Mar–Oct
Anise Hyssop
Agastache foeniculum
Bee fuel — pollen-rich, single flowers — feeds native bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies — reaching 2–4 ft, blooming from Jun to Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Prairie Smoke
Geum triflorum
A bee plant first and foremost — feeds the specialist bees that depend on it; reaching 6–16 in, it flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 6–16 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Desert Willow
Chilopsis linearis
One the bees find first — feeds native bees and hummingbirds; spreading 10–20 ft, it blooms May through Sep.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms May–Sep
Blanketflower
Gaillardia aristata
A bee plant first and foremost — feeds native bees and butterflies — for sand, rocky, and loam ground, blooming from Jun to Sep.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Firecracker Penstemon
Penstemon eatonii
Pollen-rich and bee-friendly — feeds native bees and hummingbirds, scarlet tubes flowers and flowering from Mar to May.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Gregg's Mistflower
Conoclinium greggii
A bee plant first and foremost — feeds native bees and butterflies; 1–2 ft tall, it blooms May through Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms May–Oct
Apache Plume
Fallugia paradoxa
A bee plant first and foremost — feeds native bees; for sand and rocky ground, it blooms Apr through Sep.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 3–6 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Chocolate Flower
Berlandiera lyrata
Bee fuel — pollen-rich, single flowers — feeds native bees and butterflies, cold-hardy to zone 4 and flowering from May to Sep.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms May–Sep
Autumn Sage
Salvia greggii
A bee plant first and foremost — feeds native bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies, for sand, rocky, and loam ground and flowering from Apr to Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Apr–Oct
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
One the bees find first — feeds native bees — for sand, clay, rocky, and loam ground, blooming in Mar and Apr.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Purple Prairie Clover
Dalea purpurea
Pollen-rich and bee-friendly — feeds the specialist bees that depend on it, happy in sand, rocky, and loam soil and flowering in Jun and Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Bearberry
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Bee fuel — pollen-rich, single flowers — feeds native bees and hummingbirds — for sand and rocky ground, blooming in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Red-Twig Dogwood
Cornus sericea
A bee plant first and foremost — feeds native bees; white, white berries flowers, it flowers in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 6–9 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Showy Milkweed
Asclepias speciosa
Pollen-rich and bee-friendly — feeds native bees and butterflies — reaching 2–4 ft, blooming in Jun and Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Oregon Grape
Berberis aquifolium
A bee plant first and foremost — feeds native bees and hummingbirds, good through zone 9 and flowering in Mar and Apr.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 3–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Sourcing
Where to find these in Utah
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.