Five Medicinal Plants Pollinators Love
- Andree Noye
- Aug 11
- 6 min read
By Eldrick Murphy, Airmid's Healing Gardens + Greenhouse Steward. Reading Time: ~8 minutes
If you caught last week’s post, you already know that pollinators aren’t just “nice to have”. They’re essential to the health of our gardens and our plates.
But not all flowers are created equal in the eyes (or the proboscis) of a bee. The right plants can mean the difference between a quick sip of nectar and a true feast that keeps pollinators healthy and coming back.
Today, we’re digging into five medicinal plants native or naturalized to Nova Scotia that will make your garden a pollinator paradise while giving you a herbalist’s pantry worth of benefits. These plants are well adapted to our climate, thrive in organic growing conditions, and carry a deep history of traditional use.
1. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Why Pollinators Love It: Yarrow’s broad, flat flower clusters are like an all-you-can-eat buffet for bees, wasps, hoverflies, and butterflies. The tightly packed florets make it easy for insects of all sizes to land and feed. It blooms for an impressively long period, often from June through September, giving pollinators a steady nectar source across much of the growing season.
Medicinal Uses: Yarrow is one of the great multipurpose herbs in the Western tradition. Traditionally used as a wound herb for its styptic and antiseptic properties, it’s also valued for supporting digestion, regulating menses, and easing fevers. Herbalists often use it in teas, tinctures, and topical preparations.
How to Grow in NS: Yarrow thrives in poor, sandy, or rocky soil, making it perfect for low-maintenance gardens and areas where other plants might struggle. Full sun is best, though it can tolerate partial shade. Once established, it’s drought-resistant – a great choice for climate-adaptive gardening.
2. Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)
Why Pollinators Love It: The clue is in the name. Bee balm is a magnet for bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. Its tubular flowers are perfectly designed for pollinators with longer feeding parts, like hummingbirds and bumblebees. It also emits a strong, minty aroma that seems to call pollinators from a distance.
Medicinal Uses: Bee balm is a member of the mint family and has a long history of medicinal use by Indigenous peoples of North America. It’s known for its antimicrobial, carminative, and diaphoretic properties, making it a go-to for digestive upset, colds, and sore throats. Its leaves can be brewed into a tea that is both fragrant and therapeutic.
How to Grow in NS: Bee balm prefers moist, rich soil and full sun but will tolerate part shade. Keep it well-watered, especially in dry spells, and divide every few years to keep it vigorous. As a bonus, it adds a spectacular splash of red, pink, or purple to the garden.
3. Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata)
Why Pollinators Love It: This tall, graceful plant produces slender spikes of tiny purple-blue flowers that open progressively from the bottom up, extending the blooming period. It’s particularly attractive to native bees and small butterflies. The abundant nectar supply also supports beneficial predatory insects that help with natural pest control.
Medicinal Uses: Blue vervain has a long history in North American and European herbal traditions. It’s often used as a nervine to calm stress and anxiety, as well as a bitter digestive tonic. Traditionally, it has also been valued for easing tension headaches and supporting liver health.
How to Grow in NS: Blue vervain prefers moist soils and sunny locations, though it can adapt to average garden conditions with regular watering. It’s an excellent choice for rain gardens, pond edges, or low spots in the yard where the soil stays damp.
4. Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
Why Pollinators Love It: Cousin to bee balm, wild bergamot offers a softer lavender to pink flower but with the same irresistible appeal to pollinators. Bumblebees, solitary bees, and butterflies flock to its nectar-rich blooms. It flowers in mid- to late summer, helping bridge the nectar gap between early and late bloomers.
Medicinal Uses: Wild bergamot shares many medicinal properties with bee balm – antimicrobial, digestive, and respiratory support – but its chemistry leans slightly more toward carvacrol-rich oils, making it especially useful in steam inhalations for colds and congestion.
How to Grow in NS: Wild bergamot is more tolerant of dry soils than bee balm and can handle lean, sandy ground. Plant it in full sun for the best flowering, and enjoy its ability to thrive with minimal fuss.
5. Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
Why Pollinators Love It: Common milkweed is a superstar for pollinators, especially monarch butterflies, whose larvae depend on it exclusively. The spherical clusters of pink to mauve flowers are also rich in nectar for bees, moths, and other butterflies. The blooms have a heady, sweet scent that’s almost intoxicating on warm summer days.
Medicinal Uses: Milkweed has a history of medicinal use among Indigenous peoples, though it must be handled with care due to its potent chemistry. Traditionally, parts of the plant were used for lung health, fevers, and as a diuretic. Today, it’s more commonly planted for its ecological role than for direct medicinal use – but as part of a bioregional herbal garden, it’s a reminder that not all valuable plants are for the teacup.
How to Grow in NS: Milkweed thrives in sunny, well-drained spots and will naturalize over time. Give it room to spread, as it can be vigorous. Avoid moving established plants – their deep taproots don’t take well to disturbance.
Planting for Pollinators – and for You
A garden that serves pollinators also serves people. By including plants that are native or well-adapted to Nova Scotia, you’re creating habitat, supporting biodiversity, and giving yourself access to fresh, medicinal herbs right outside your door.
The key is to grow them in clean, chemical-free soil. Even the most pollinator-friendly plant can become a hazard if it’s drawing up toxins from contaminated ground. That’s why we at Airmid’s Healing Gardens prioritize healthy soil above all else – compost-rich, organically managed, and free from synthetic pesticides or herbicides.
When you plant these five species, you’re doing more than decorating your yard. You’re providing forage for pollinators across the season:
Yarrow opens early and keeps going for months.
Bee balm and wild bergamot bring the midsummer nectar rush.
Blue vervain and milkweed bridge into late summer.
This staggered blooming means your pollinator friends never hit a “hungry gap.”
A Note on Harvesting
As herbalists and gardeners, it can be tempting to take all the flowers for ourselves. But part of pollinator stewardship is sharing the harvest. When you pick, leave plenty of blooms behind. That way, pollinators still have access to the nectar and pollen they need, and you’ll still get your medicine.
You may even find that the act of leaving some flowers unharvested creates a more abundant garden in the long run – both for you and for the creatures that keep your plants producing.
Final Thoughts
Pollinator gardening isn’t charity work. It’s a partnership – one that’s been going on for millions of years. By planting native and medicinal species like yarrow, bee balm, blue vervain, wild bergamot, and milkweed, you’re stepping into that ancient agreement.
The payoff? Healthier gardens, healthier pollinators, and a richer connection to the land we call home.
Next time you see a bee lingering on a flower, take a moment to appreciate the exchange happening right in front of you: nectar for the insect, pollination for the plant, and a stronger food web for all of us.
Because when we plant for pollinators, we’re planting for the future.
