Which plant is commonly recommended to attract beneficial insects to a garden?

Which plant is commonly recommended to attract beneficial insects to a garden?

• A. Goldenrod
• B. Lupine
• C. Juniper
• D. Cosmos

Answer: (A)

Providing nectar and pollen through the season is the key to attracting beneficial insects. Goldenrod fits this need well because it produces abundant nectar and pollen and stays in bloom from late summer into fall, a time when many other flowers have finished. That long, reliable food source draws a variety of beneficial insects—lady beetles, lacewings, hoverflies, parasitic wasps, and other natural pest controllers—helping with both pest suppression and pollination. The plant’s bright, dense flower clusters are easy for these insects to find, and it generally fits well in garden beds and borders. In contrast, lupine blooms earlier and doesn’t provide the extended late-season nectar that beneficials rely on. Cosmos does attract bees and butterflies, but goldenrod’s late bloom gives sustained support when other forage is scarce. Juniper, being an evergreen, has little to no nectar for insects. So, goldenrod is the most consistent choice for drawing and sustaining beneficial insects in a garden.

Providing nectar and pollen through the season is the key to attracting beneficial insects. Goldenrod fits this need well because it produces abundant nectar and pollen and stays in bloom from late summer into fall, a time when many other flowers have finished. That long, reliable food source draws a variety of beneficial insects—lady beetles, lacewings, hoverflies, parasitic wasps, and other natural pest controllers—helping with both pest suppression and pollination. The plant’s bright, dense flower clusters are easy for these insects to find, and it generally fits well in garden beds and borders.

In contrast, lupine blooms earlier and doesn’t provide the extended late-season nectar that beneficials rely on. Cosmos does attract bees and butterflies, but goldenrod’s late bloom gives sustained support when other forage is scarce. Juniper, being an evergreen, has little to no nectar for insects. So, goldenrod is the most consistent choice for drawing and sustaining beneficial insects in a garden.