Want a quick and easy way to attract wildlife with plants?

Try these annual flowers for sunny places:

1. Cosmos

Characteristics

Perhaps the easiest species of cosmos is Cosmos sulphureus. It's available in a range of yellows, oranges, and red and blooms in late summer.

What It Attracts

Cosmos may attract birds like finches, juncos, doves, and sparrows. It may also attract butterflies, including the Monarch and Painted Lady.

What Cultivar?

Find a cultivar that fits your pot size, as cultivars range in height from 18" to 7'. If your balcony, porch, patio, or deck is swept by high winds, or if you chose a tall variety, you'll need to stake the plants.

What Soils?

Try soils that are't very rich, or you may end up with tall, lanky plants. Don't water it too much, either.

2. Zinnia

Zinnia elegans

Characteristics

As with cosmos, pick your zinnia cultivar to match your pot size. Zinnias range from 6" to 4' in height.

Zinnias are weather-resistant and tolerate poor soil.

What Cultivar?

Zinnias with single blooms and more flat surface may work better for attracting wildlife than zinnias with double-blooms or pompoms.

What It Attracts

Zinnias may attract butterflies like the Black, Tiger, or Palamedes Swallowtail, Monarch, Painted Lady, Zebra Longwing, and Cloudless Giant Sulphur.

Let the flowers develop seed heads, and you may see goldfinches, sparrows, chickadees, and other birds feeding on the seeds.

See my article on zinnias for more information

Coreopsis bigelovii

3. Coreopsis

Characteristics

In general, this flower likes good drainage and some fertilizer. It ranges in height from 2-5' and blooms for most of the summer. The flowers are typically yellow, although red-flowered species are available.

What It Attracts

It attracts butterflies and other pollinators. Goldfinches and other birds like to feast on the seed heads.

What Cultivar?

Some commonly available species include Coreopsis grandiflora (4'), Coreopsis lanceolata at (18"), Coreopsis roseus (pink-bloomed, 18'), and Coreopsis verticillata (18").