6 Best Sage Seeds For Attracting Beneficial Insects Old Farmers Swear By

You’ve spent weeks tending your tomato plants, only to find the first blush of red marred by a swarm of aphids. Or maybe your squash vines are producing plenty of flowers, but very few are setting fruit. These are the moments that test a farmer’s resolve, but the solution isn’t always a spray bottle; often, it’s a seed packet.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Thank you!

Why Sage Is a Farmer’s Best Pollinator Ally

Sage is more than just a seasoning for your holiday roast. On a small farm, it’s a multi-purpose workhorse that pulls double, even triple, duty. Its primary job, beyond the kitchen, is to ring the dinner bell for the most important workers on your land: the beneficial insects.

Many sage varieties boast long bloom times, offering a reliable nectar source from late spring through fall when other flowers have faded. This sustained food supply keeps pollinators like bees and butterflies visiting your property consistently. More importantly, it also attracts predatory insects like lacewings and hoverflies, which are your frontline defense against pests like aphids and mites.

The structure of sage flowers—often tubular and arranged on tall spikes—is perfectly designed for specific pollinators. Long-tongued bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies can easily access the nectar that other insects can’t. Plus, most sages are famously drought-tolerant and thrive in the full sun and lean soil that many other plants despise, making them a low-maintenance, high-reward addition to any farmscape.

Common Sage (Salvia officinalis) for Honeybees

When you think of sage, this is probably the one that comes to mind. Its pebbly, gray-green leaves are a staple in countless recipes. But let it flower, and you’ll see its true value in the garden.

Salvia officinalis produces beautiful whorls of purple-blue flowers that are an absolute magnet for honeybees. If you keep hives or simply want to support local bee populations to ensure your crops get pollinated, planting a patch of common sage is a no-brainer. The bees will work the flowers tirelessly from late spring into early summer.

This is a hardy, woody perennial that gets better with age. Plant it once in a sunny, well-drained spot, and it will provide for you and your pollinators for years to come. It’s the definition of a reliable ally.

Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea) Attracts Lacewings

Clary sage is a bit of a different animal, and that’s its strength. This plant is a biennial, meaning it focuses on leafy growth its first year and sends up dramatic, candelabra-like flower spikes in its second. Patience is required, but the payoff is huge.

The large, pale lilac flowers are attractive to a range of bees, but its real secret weapon is its appeal to lacewings. Green lacewings are voracious predators of soft-bodied pests, with their larvae famously earning the nickname "aphid lions." Planting clary sage near your brassicas or roses is a strategic move to establish a standing army against aphid infestations.

Be prepared for its size and strong, musky scent. This isn’t a plant that hides in the background. It’s a statement piece that also happens to be one of the best biological pest control assets you can grow.

Blue Sage ‘Victoria Blue’ for Bumblebees

Sometimes a specific cultivar is so good, it becomes the standard. That’s the case with Salvia farinacea ‘Victoria Blue’. Its deep, intense blue flower spikes are impossible for bumblebees to ignore.

Bumblebees are pollination powerhouses, especially for crops like tomatoes and peppers that benefit from "buzz pollination." Planting ‘Victoria Blue’ nearby ensures these essential workers are always in the neighborhood. They are drawn to the vibrant color and the sturdy flower spikes that can support their weight as they forage.

While technically a tender perennial, most of us in colder climates grow this sage as an annual. Don’t let that deter you. It blooms profusely from a single spring planting all the way until the first hard frost, providing one of the longest-lasting nectar sources in the garden.

Pineapple Sage (Salvia elegans) for Late Season

Just when you think the season is winding down, Pineapple Sage is just getting started. This plant is your key to supporting pollinators late in the year when food sources become scarce. Its timing is its superpower.

The brilliant, fire-engine red, tubular flowers don’t typically appear until late summer or early fall, triggered by the shortening days. They are perfectly shaped for hummingbirds, providing a critical fuel stop during their fall migration. Late-season bees and butterflies will also flock to it.

As its name suggests, the leaves have a remarkable pineapple fragrance when crushed. It is very frost-sensitive, so it acts as an annual in most growing zones. Think of it as a short-term, high-impact investment for the tail end of your growing season.

Meadow Sage ‘May Night’ for Diverse Pollinators

If you’re looking for an all-around MVP, Salvia nemorosa ‘May Night’ is a top contender. This hardy perennial is one of the earliest sages to bloom in the spring, providing a crucial first meal for a wide variety of emerging pollinators.

Its deep indigo-purple flowers attract an incredible diversity of insects. You’ll see honeybees, bumblebees, tiny native bees, and several types of butterflies all visiting the same plant. This diversity is key to building a resilient farm ecosystem.

One of the best features of ‘May Night’ is its ability to rebloom. After the first flush of flowers fades, shear the plant back by about a third. This will encourage a second, and sometimes even a third, wave of blooms, extending its value well into the summer.

Cleveland Sage (Salvia clevelandii) Native Pick

Planting natives is one of the smartest things a farmer can do. These plants are already adapted to your local climate, soil, and, most importantly, your local pollinators. For those in drier, western climates, Cleveland Sage is an absolute champion.

This California native is incredibly drought-tolerant once established, requiring almost no supplemental water. Its whorled, lavender-like flowers are a favorite of native bees and hummingbirds that have co-evolved with it. The entire plant is intensely fragrant, releasing a classic chaparral scent into the air.

Choosing a native sage like this isn’t just about attracting insects; it’s about supporting the right insects for your specific region. It strengthens the local food web from the ground up, creating a more balanced and self-sufficient environment on your farm.

Planting Sage for Maximum Insect Activity

Just having the right seeds isn’t enough; placement is everything. Don’t just stick one sage plant in a corner and hope for the best. To create a real hub of activity, you need to think like an insect.

Plant in drifts or clumps of at least three to five plants. A large block of color and scent is far more visible and attractive to a foraging bee than a single, isolated plant. This creates a reliable "foraging station" they will return to again and again.

Location matters. Interplant your sage patches near the crops that need the most help.

• Place ‘Victoria Blue’ near your tomato patch for the bumblebees.
• Tuck Clary Sage at the end of a row of kale to draw in aphid-eating lacewings.
• Use Meadow Sage as a border for your squash patch to bring in a variety of pollinators.

Finally, remember the basics. All these sages need full sun and well-drained soil to thrive. Soggy roots are a death sentence. And it should go without saying, but never spray pesticides on or near your flowering sage. You’d be poisoning the very allies you’ve worked so hard to attract.

Choosing the right sage is a strategic decision that pays dividends all season long. It’s a simple act of putting the right plant in the right place to build a more productive, self-regulating, and vibrant farm. You’re not just growing a plant; you’re cultivating an ecosystem.