Zone 9 · winter lows 20°F to 30°F

Pollinator Plants for Zone 9

6.1k pollinators plants that are hardy through Zone 9, ranked by how many gardeners actually save and grow them.

6.1k plantsLast frost ~late FebruaryFirst frost ~early December

Most-saved pollinators plants for Zone 9

Butterfly Weed#1 most saved

Butterfly Weed

Asclepias tuberosa

Zones 4–9· 604 saves· from $10
Cheyenne Spirit Coneflower#2 most saved

Cheyenne Spirit Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea 'Cheyenne Spirit'

Zones 4–9· 574 saves· from $13
Pink Muhly Grass#3 most saved

Pink Muhly Grass

Muhlenbergia capillaris

Zones 5–10· 403 saves· from $16
Butterfly Weed

Butterfly Weed

Asclepias tuberosa 'Gay Butterflies Mix'

Zones 4–9· 382 saves
Butterfly Weed Gay Butterflies Milkweed

Butterfly Weed Gay Butterflies Milkweed

Asclepias tuberosa 'Gay Butterflies'

Zones 4–9· 376 saves· from $50
Hello Yellow Butterfly Weed

Hello Yellow Butterfly Weed

Asclepias tuberosa 'Hello Yellow'

Zones 4–9· 369 saves· from $16
Butterfly Milkweed

Butterfly Milkweed

Asclepias x hybrida

Zones 4–9· 366 saves· from $16
Old Farmyard Hollyhock

Old Farmyard Hollyhock

Alcea rosea 'Old Farmyard'

Zones 4–9· 360 saves
May Night Sage

May Night Sage

Salvia nemorosa 'May Night'

Zones 4–9· 358 saves· from $6
Black-eyed Susan

Black-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta 'American Gold Rush'

Zones 4–10· 353 saves· from $17
Pugster Amethyst Butterfly Bush

Pugster Amethyst Butterfly Bush

Buddleja davidii 'Pugster Amethyst'

Zones 5–9· 351 saves· from $19
Pugster Pink Butterfly Bush

Pugster Pink Butterfly Bush

Buddleia davidii 'Pugster Pinker'

Zones 5–9· 342 saves· from $19
Blanket Flower

Blanket Flower

Gaillardia x grandiflora 'Mixed Border'

Zones 4–10· 340 saves
Incrediball Hydrangea

Incrediball Hydrangea

Hydrangea arborescens 'Incrediball'

Zones 4–9· 339 saves· from $21
Zinnia Raggedy Ann

Zinnia Raggedy Ann

Zinnia elegans 'Raggedy Ann'

Zones 5–10· 338 saves
Cinderella Milkweed

Cinderella Milkweed

Asclepias incarnata 'Cinderella'

Zones 4–9· 336 saves· from $22
Prairie Phlox

Prairie Phlox

Phlox pilosa

Zones 4–9· 335 saves
Cheyenne Spirit Coneflower

Cheyenne Spirit Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea 'Cheyenne Spirit Mix'

Zones 4–9· 332 saves
Common Milkweed

Common Milkweed

Asclepias syriaca

Zones 4–9· 329 saves· from $10
Wild Lupine

Wild Lupine

Lupinus perennis

Zones 4–9· 324 saves
Purple Coneflower

Purple Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea

Zones 4–9· 321 saves· from $8
Black-eyed Susan

Black-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm'

Zones 4–9· 318 saves· from $7
Trio Butterfly Bush

Trio Butterfly Bush

Buddleja davidii 'Trio'

Zones 5–9· 317 saves
Dahlia

Dahlia

Dahlia variabilis

Zones 5–10· 315 saves

Showing the 24 most-saved of 6.1k. See all pollinator plants

Pollinator Plants in Zone 9

What are the best pollinators plants for Zone 9?

The 24 above are the most-saved pollinators plants that are also rated hardy through Zone 9. Ranking by real gardeners — not by catalog marketing — surfaces the ones gardeners keep coming back to.

Will these survive Zone 9 winters?

Every plant listed here is rated for Zone 9, where winter lows reach 20°F to 30°F. Site conditions still matter: drainage, wind exposure, and a good layer of mulch make the difference between a rated-hardy plant and a happy one.

What makes a plant good for pollinators?

Single (not double) flowers with accessible nectar and pollen, long bloom windows, and planting in groups of three or more so foragers can work efficiently. Native species tend to support the widest range of local pollinators.

When should pollinator plants bloom?

Aim for a relay: early-spring bloomers feed emerging queens, summer plants carry the colony season, and late-fall asters and goldenrods fuel migration and overwintering. A good pollinator bed has something open from March to frost.

Keep exploring

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