10 Plants That Attract Dragonflies for a Mosquito-Free Garden

Dragonflies are nature’s ultimate mosquito hunters, capable of devouring hundreds of mosquitoes daily. If you’re looking for a natural and beautiful way to control mosquitoes in your garden, attracting dragonflies is a fantastic solution. These stunning insects not only help keep your outdoor space comfortable but also add an enchanting presence to your garden.

By selecting the right plants, you can create an inviting habitat for dragonflies, encouraging them to stay and thrive. This guide will explore ten plants that attract dragonflies and how you can design a dragonfly-friendly garden.

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Why Attract Dragonflies to Your Garden?

Dragonflies are beneficial predators that consume various pests, particularly mosquitoes. Here’s why you should encourage them to visit your garden:

Mosquito Control: A single dragonfly can eat hundreds of mosquitoes in a day.
Pest Reduction: Dragonflies also feed on gnats, flies, and other nuisance insects.
Biodiversity: A dragonfly-friendly garden attracts other beneficial insects and birds.
Aesthetic Appeal: Their iridescent wings and agile flight patterns add beauty to any garden.

To make your garden dragonfly-friendly, it’s essential to provide food, water, and the right plants.

10 Best Plants That Attract Dragonflies

1. Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

A field of vibrant yellow Black-eyed Susan flowers under bright sunlight

Black-eyed Susan, with its bright yellow blooms, thrives in warmer climates, typically lasting about two years. In cooler areas, however, these wildflowers will die off when winter hits. Black-eyed Susan is very adaptable and can flourish in nearly any soil type. For optimal growth and bloom, these plants require full sunlight and regular watering.

2. Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

Swamp milkweed buds on the verge of blooming

Swamp milkweed, a perennial favorite, produces a stunning display of white and pink flowers every year. The eye-catching blossoms are great for attracting dragonfly prey like wasps and bees, making it an essential addition to any garden aiming to support local wildlife. As the name implies, swamp milkweed grows best in wetland areas, favoring moist, clay-rich soil.

3. Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium purpureum)

Joe-Pye weed with fluffy pink blossoms and a visiting bee

Joe-Pye weed flowers from mid-summer to fall with a display of pink-purple blooms. It attracts a variety of pollinators—a dragonfly feast. This pretty plant can reach heights between 3 and 12 feet, so it’s perfect for dragonflies that prefer tall perches. Additionally, its flowers give off a light vanilla fragrance, adding a pleasant aroma to your outdoor space. Joe-Pye weed grows best in full or partial sunlight and is commonly found in moist woods or meadows.

4. Meadow Sage (Salvia nemorosa)

Vivid purple meadow sage flowers in full bloom

Meadow sage is a stunning perennial that boasts striking purple flowers and thrives in full sunlight. Once planted, meadow sage requires minimal watering, making it a great choice for drier climates. This plant’s drought-resistant qualities and its ability to flourish with little maintenance make it a practical and beautiful addition to any landscape aiming to enhance biodiversity.

5. White Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Close-up of white yarrow flowers with delicate petals against a green background

White yarrow is a robust perennial with a multitude of large, flat clusters, each about 5 inches across and packed with 20-25 creamy-white blossoms. These clusters attract insects such as tiny parasitic wasps, which dragonflies love to eat. This plant does best in full sun and well-drained soils ranging from dry to medium moisture. White yarrow is easy to grow, so you don’t need a green thumb!

Note: White yarrow can resemble poisonous hemlock. You can distinguish yarrow by its fern-like leaves and flat clusters of small white flowers. If needed, consult a reliable guide to stay safe.

Pond & Shoreline Plants

If you have a pond or are thinking about adding a water feature to your landscape, consider planting these five types of plants in and around such features. These plants will enhance the aesthetic appeal of your pond or water feature and create an inviting habitat for dragonflies, helping to naturally control the insect population in your outdoor space.

6. Arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia)

A close-up of arrowhead plant leaves with translucent green veins

Arrowhead, or duck-potato, is a versatile aquatic perennial that grows to heights of three feet. Its leaves are distinctively shaped like arrowheads (surprise, surprise) with tiny white flowers growing from the top of the stem. This marsh plant is a favorite among dragonflies for gathering and laying eggs. One trick with planting arrowhead—you’ll need to anchor the plant down, as it tends to float when placed in underwater soil. Don’t worry if the leaves are completely submerged. They will quickly rise above the water’s surface as they grow.

7. Wild Celery (Vallisneria americana)

Submerged wild celery plants in clear water

Wild celery is a type of tape grass that provides an excellent aquatic habitat for dragonflies. This plant is fully submerged and grows upwards until it reaches the water’s surface. When planting wild celery, make sure that there is at least eighteen inches of water and plenty of sunlight penetrating the surface. Like planting arrowhead, wild celery needs to be anchored so it remains at the pond’s bottom long enough to take root.

8. Water Horsetail (Equisetum fluviatile)

Water horsetail stems with brown-tipped shoots against a green backdrop

Much like arrowhead and wild celery, water horsetail roots itself to the pond floor and produces leaves that penetrate the water’s surface. This plant is critical for dragonfly larvae, helping them reach the surface as they grow into adults. Water horsetail is typically grown from nursery plants, not seeds, and loves partial to full sunlight. Once established around the perimeter of your pond, this plant is fairly resilient and can withstand short periods of dry weather.

9. Cattail (Typha latifolia)

Tall cattails standing among green reeds under a cloudy sky

Cattails, or bull rushes, love moist soil, swampy environments, and full sunlight. These plants are particularly appealing to dragonflies, which often gather around them to lay eggs. Cattails are very hardy and fairly easy to transplant. This is especially useful if you want to expand your existing pond, install a new one, or even if you’re seeking a cost-effective option by sourcing cattails from a local water body (with permission, of course!) and relocating them to your own backyard pond.

10. Water Lily (Nymphaea spp.)

A vibrant pink water lily with yellow stamens floating on a pond

A classic floating plant, water lilies provide an ideal habitat for dragonfly larvae. These plants grow from tubers planted beneath the pond’s surface. Once again, to ensure they stay submerged, it’s helpful to weigh them down with rocks or other heavy materials. As water lilies mature, the tubers send up leaves that produce beautiful star-shaped blossoms.

By attracting dragonflies to your backyard, you will create an ecosystem where these natural predators help maintain balance, allowing you to enjoy your outdoor areas without the annoyance of mosquitoes. Embrace the beauty and utility of these plants, and transform your outdoor space into a vibrant, pest-free retreat this summer.