11 Plants That Will Attract Dragonflies To Your Garden This Spring

You may have heard about attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds into the garden…but dragonflies? What do they even do?

Dragonflies are an excellent natural replacement for pesticides in the garden as they feed on pests and insects and help bring mosquito populations under control.

In simpler terms, you can just say that they’re beneficial to the entire garden ecosystem and should be given as much importance as pollinators. 

11 Plants That Will Attract Dragonflies To Your Garden

Let’s go over 11 plants that can help attract dragonflies to your garden this spring: 

1: Arrowhead

If you take a look at arrowhead plant foliage, you’ll notice that the leaves resemble large arrowheads. Keeping them outdoors, will draw in dragonflies, especially in spring when the temperatures are favorable. 

2: Swamp Milkweed

Although swamp milkweeds are popular for attracting butterflies, they still work incredibly well for dragonflies too. They offer clusters of tiny pink flowers all bunched up together on the edge of stems. 

I planted tons of swamp milkweeds in mymom’s backyard garden for the sole purpose of attracting dragonflies so that mosquitoes in the area can be reduced, and let’s just say they haven’t disappointed. 

3: Black-Eyed Susan

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, to me, black-eyed susans resemble sunflowers from a distance. Close up…yeah you can tell they have huge gaps between petals.

Anyhow, black-eyed susans are ideal for attracting dragonflies and other pollinators to the garden. They’re bright, meaning they draw attention easily and contain abundant nectar that pollinators love. 

4: Joe-Pye Weed

You’ll notice that Joe-pye weed blooms closely resemble swamp milkweed blooms due to their cluster blooming quality. These too offer tiny pink and purple flower clusters on the edge of stems and can grow super tall, attracting both dragonflies and pollinators to the garden. 

I would personally suggest planting Joe-pye weeds around the outer edges of the garden so they can act like a tall boundary. They’re much more beautiful and productive this way. 

5: Pickerelweed

Pickerelweed is a hardy perennial that blooms flower spikes in various shades of purple and blue. The most beautiful thing about this plant is its large, green foliage and how it complements the flowers almost majestically. 

Pickerel Weeds work wonders for attracting dragonflies to the garden and should be watered heavily to promote meaningful growth. 

6: Yarrow

As soft and delicate as yarrows look, you’ll be surprised to find out that they’re actually quite resilient and drought-tolerant. Their clusters of tiny flowers draw in pollinators and dragonflies to the garden, positively impacting the garden ecosystem. 

7: Bee Balm

Something you’ll notice right off the bat with bee balm is that it’s extremely fragrant. Yeah…that sweet floral fragrance can fill up your entire garden. The plant offers tubular blue, pink, and purple blooms that add this very unique texture and appearance to the garden. 

Dragonflies love bee balms because the plant attracts bees and other pollinators that dragonflies prey on. 

8: Cardinal Flower

Striking red cardinal flowers can bring your spring garden to life. These grow relatively tall and attract lots of hummingbirds and dragonflies. 

Something you need to keep in mind with cardinal flowers is that they thrive in wet soil and need lots of moisture to grow to their fullest potential. 

9: Goldenrod

Goldenrods offer bright yellow flower clusters that grab attention and attract tons of pollinators as well as dragonflies to the garden. Because goldenrods are perennials, they return every year and can fill your spring garden with vibrant color and beauty.

10: Water Lily

Water Lilies thrive in moist environments and their floating quality makes them even more special. Not only is water lily foliage beautiful but the flowers are equally as majestic. 

Due to their preference for growing around watery conditions, these perennials attract tons of dragonflies on a regular basis. 

11: Meadow Sage

Meadow sage is a tall-growing and resilient perennial that offers purple and blue flower spikes. Many people like planting meadow sage around the front porch or driveway, and the perennial is famous for attracting dragonflies.