An Organic Gardening Resource

The following plants attract beneficial insects to your garden. In general, beneficial insects have short mouthparts and so need plants with small flowers containing easy to reach pollen and nectar. Plants that produce clusters of small flowers are especially attractive.

Some of the beneficials listed below feed on insect pests, not on nectar. The plants that attract them provide a suitable habitat. Plant a variety of such plants in or near your garden--and include plants that will span the seasons--so that something will always be in bloom during your growing season.

Plant Name	Beneficial Insects It Attracts
Achillea spp. (Yarrow)	Honeybee, hover fly, parasitic wasp, ladybug
Alfalfa	Ladybug, assassin bug, bigeyed bug, damselfly
Aster (Aster)	Honeybee, spiders
Angelica archangelica (Angelica)	Lacewing, ladybug
Borago officinalis (Borage)	Honeybee
Cosmos bipinnatus (Cosmos)	Praying mantis
Hydrangea arborescens (Hydrangea)	Soldier beetle
Iberis spp. (Candytuft)	Syrphid fly
Ipomoea purpurea (Morning Glory)	Ladybug, syrphid fly
Monarda (Bee Balm)	Honeybee
Nemophila menziesii (Baby Blue-Eyes)	Syrphid fly
Nerium oleander (Oleander)	Lacewing, ladybug, parasitic wasp, assassin bug, syrphid fly
Oenothera biennis (Evening Primrose)	Ground beetle
Solidago spp. (Goldenrod)	Ladybug, predaceous beetles, parasitic wasps, lacewing, honeybees assassin bug, spiders
Zinnia (Zinnia)	Honeybee

Every home should have an aloe vera plant in the kitchen. It's nature's first aid kit. Break open a "leaf" and rub the gel on burns or scalds. The gel stops cuts from bleeding and forms a clear "band aid". Aloe vera gel can also be used to soothe a sunburn and some people take it internally to calm an ulcer or as a general tonic for the digestive system.

Aloe vera is a truly indispensable plant.

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