More and more gardeners are interested in planting flowers that attract pollinators to their gardens. Pollinators include bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, and a range of other insects and wildlife.
They may consume nectar or pollen for food, and/or may transfer it from one plant to another, aiding in pollination. Some plants produce both nectar and seeds, making them a source of food for both pollinators and songbirds.
One of the best perennial flowers that produces nectar for pollinators and seeds for birds is the coneflower (echinacea).
The native coneflower, Echinacea purpurea, is also known as purple coneflower. Its pink-purple flower petals start out very bright and eventually fade to pastel colors. There is also a white variety, with white petals tinged with green.
The deep orange cone-shaped center, which gives the flower its common name, produces abundant nectar for bees, butterflies, and other insects in the summer. The flower's bright colors attract hummingbirds, fast-flying pollinators who also sip the flower's nectar.
The center cone of the echinacea is also covered with seeds. Once the flower matures and these seeds begin to dry out, they attract birds, who snack on them in the fall.
Squirrels, chipmunks, and other seed-loving rodents may also occasionally eat these seeds, but only if the birds leave any behind.