Maximilian Sunflower
Helianthus maximiliani
Pollen-rich and bee-friendly — feeds native bees and butterflies — 2–4 ft wide, blooming from Aug to Oct.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Aug–Oct
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South Dakota · Zones 3–5
Native Plants for Bees in South Dakota
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 South Dakota and the wider flora of the Great Plains and hardy through zones 3–5 — proven performers for South Dakota's continental, semi-arid climate across Black Hills & mixedgrass prairie, not a generic list. Local standouts include Maximilian Sunflower and Dense Blazing Star. 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
42 native species for South Dakota
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 3–5 · see this collection in other states.
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
One the bees find first — feeds the specialist bees that depend on it, along with butterflies and native bees; good through zone 9, it flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Pollen-rich and bee-friendly — feeds native bees and butterflies, 2–4 ft tall and flowering from Jun to Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
Pollen-rich and bee-friendly — feeds the specialist bees that depend on it, along with butterflies and native bees — chartreuse-gold flowers, blooming from Apr to Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
Bee fuel — pollen-rich, single flowers — feeds native bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies, reaching 2–4 ft and flowering in Aug and Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
Bee fuel — pollen-rich, single flowers — feeds native bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies; 12–18 in wide, it flowers in Aug and Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Blanketflower
Gaillardia aristata
One the bees find first — feeds native bees and butterflies, good through zone 10 and flowering from Jun to Sep.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Showy Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa
A bee plant first and foremost — feeds the specialist bees that depend on it, along with butterflies and native bees — good through zone 8, blooming in Sep and Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Bee fuel — pollen-rich, single flowers — feeds native bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies, happy in clay and loam soil and flowering from Jun to Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Anise Hyssop
Agastache foeniculum
Bee fuel — pollen-rich, single flowers — feeds native bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies, good through zone 9 and flowering from Jun to Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
Pollen-rich and bee-friendly — feeds the specialist bees that depend on it, along with butterflies and native bees; 20–30 ft tall, it flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 20–30 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
New England Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
Bee fuel — pollen-rich, single flowers — feeds the specialist bees that depend on it, along with butterflies and native bees — royal purple flowers, blooming in Sep and Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Prairie Smoke
Geum triflorum
A bee plant first and foremost — feeds the specialist bees that depend on it — 12–18 in wide, blooming in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 6–16 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
Pollen-rich and bee-friendly — feeds native bees and butterflies, happy in sand, clay, rocky, and loam soil and flowering from Jun to Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
One the bees find first — feeds the specialist bees that depend on it, along with hummingbirds and native bees; reaching 1–2.5 ft, it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
One the bees find first — feeds native bees and butterflies — sky blue flowers, blooming from Sep to Nov.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Nov
Chocolate Flower
Berlandiera lyrata
A bee plant first and foremost — feeds native bees and butterflies, 1–2 ft tall and flowering from May to Sep.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms May–Sep
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Pollen-rich and bee-friendly — feeds the specialist bees that depend on it, along with butterflies and native bees; spreading 1.5–2 ft, it blooms May through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Prairie Blazing Star
Liatris pycnostachya
One the bees find first — feeds the specialist bees that depend on it, along with butterflies and native bees, purple-magenta flowers and flowering in Jul and Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Pasque Flower
Pulsatilla patens
Pollen-rich and bee-friendly — feeds the specialist bees that depend on it, spreading 8–12 in and flowering in Mar and Apr.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed
Eutrochium maculatum
Pollen-rich and bee-friendly — feeds the specialist bees that depend on it, along with butterflies and native bees, reaching 4–7 ft and flowering from Jul to Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
A bee plant first and foremost — feeds native bees and butterflies — hardy in zones 3–8, blooming in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
One the bees find first — feeds the specialist bees that depend on it, along with hummingbirds and native bees — spreading 1–2 ft, blooming in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Pollen-rich and bee-friendly — feeds native bees and butterflies, bright gold flowers and flowering from May to Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
18 more also qualify: Culver's Root, Black-Eyed Susan, Wild Bergamot, Cup Plant, Swamp Milkweed, Purple Prairie Clover, Common Boneset, Ninebark, Stiff Goldenrod, Blue Vervain, Compass Plant, New Jersey Tea, Red-Twig Dogwood, Rattlesnake Master, Showy Milkweed, Common Milkweed, Fragrant Sumac, American Elderberry.
Sourcing
Where to find these in South Dakota
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.