Summersweet Companion Plants: A Guide to Creating a Beautiful Garden

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Summersweet is a beautiful plant that adds color and fragrance to any garden. It blooms in late summer and early fall, producing spikes of white or pink flowers that attract bees and butterflies. However, to create a truly stunning garden, it's important to choose the right companion plants. In this blog post, we'll discuss some of the best summersweet companion plants and how to grow them.

What are Summersweet Companion Plants?

Companion planting is a gardening technique where two or more plants are grown together for mutual benefit. In the case of summersweet companion plants, these are plants that complement the beauty and characteristics of summersweet, while also providing benefits such as pest control or soil enrichment.

Choosing the Right Companion Plants

When choosing summersweet companion plants, it's important to consider their growing requirements, including light, soil pH, and moisture levels. You also want to select plants that will bloom at different times than your summersweet to provide year-round interest in your garden. Here are some excellent options to consider:

15 Best Summersweet Companion Plants

1. Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

Black-eyed Susan is a hardy perennial that blooms in late summer and early fall, making it an ideal companion plant for summersweet. Its bright yellow flowers provide a striking contrast against the white or pink blooms of summersweet. Plus, it attracts pollinators like bees and butterflies.

How to Grow Black-eyed Susan

Black-eyed Susan prefers full sun and well-draining soil. It tolerates drought well, making it a low-maintenance plant. You can seeds indoors in the spring or sow them directly in the garden after the last frost.

2. Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum)

Joe-Pye weed is a tall perennial that blooms in mid-summer to early fall, providing a beautiful backdrop for your summersweet. Its fluffy pink or purple flowers are attractive to butterflies and bees.

How to Grow Joe-Pye Weed

Joe-Pye weed prefers moist soil and partial shade but can also tolerate full sun. It's a low-maintenance plant that requires little care once established.

3. Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Butterfly weed is a bright orange perennial that flowers in mid-summer, attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies. Its vibrant color makes it an excellent contrast to the white or pink flowers of summersweet.

How to Grow Butterfly Weed

Butterfly weed prefers well-draining soil and full sun. It's drought-tolerant once established and requires little maintenance.

4. Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Coneflower is a hardy perennial that blooms in mid-summer to early fall, producing large pink or purple flowers that attract pollinators. Its height and texture make it an ideal companion plant for summersweet.

How to Grow Coneflower

Coneflower prefers full sun and well-draining soil. It's drought-tolerant and requires little maintenance.

5. Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)

Bee balm is a hardy perennial that blooms in mid-summer to late summer, producing clusters of pink, red, or purple flowers that attract bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. Its height and color make it an excellent complement to summersweet.

How to Grow Bee Balm

Bee balm prefers full sun to partial shade and moist soil. It's a low-maintenance plant that requires little care once established.

6. Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)

Goldenrod is a hardy perennial that blooms in late summer to early fall, producing clusters of bright yellow flowers that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. Its height and texture make it an ideal companion plant for summersweet.

How to Grow Goldenrod

Goldenrod prefers full sun and well-draining soil. It's drought-tolerant and requires little maintenance.

7. Liatris (Liatris spp.)

Liatris is a tall perennial that blooms in mid-summer to early fall, producing spikes of pink or purple flowers that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. Its height and texture make it an excellent complement to summersweet.

How to Grow Liatris

Liatris prefers full sun and well-draining soil. It's drought-tolerant and requires little maintenance.

8. Sedum (Sedum spp.)

Sedum is a hardy succulent that blooms in late summer to early fall, producing clusters of pink or white flowers that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. Its low-growing habit and texture make it an ideal groundcover around your summersweet.

How to Grow Sedum

Sedum prefers full sun and well-draining soil. It's drought-tolerant and requires little maintenance.

9. Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)

Russian sage is a tall perennial that blooms in mid-summer to early fall, producing spikes of lavender-blue flowers that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. Its height and texture make it an excellent complement to summersweet.

How to Grow Russian Sage

Russian sage prefers full sun and well-draining soil. It's drought-tolerant and requires little maintenance.

10. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Yarrow is a hardy perennial that blooms in mid-summer to early fall, producing clusters of pink or white flowers that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. Its low-growing habit and texture make it an ideal groundcover around your summersweet.

How to Grow Yarrow

Yarrow prefers full sun and well-draining soil. It's drought-tolerant and requires little maintenance.

11. Helenium (Helenium spp.)

Helenium is a hardy perennial that blooms in late summer to early fall, producing daisy-like flowers in shades of orange, yellow, and red that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. Its height and texture make it an ideal companion plant for summersweet.

How to Grow Helenium

Helenium prefers full sun and well-draining soil. It's drought-tolerant and requires little maintenance.

12. Phlox (Phlox paniculata)

Phlox is a hardy perennial that blooms in mid-summer to early fall, producing clusters of pink, purple, or white flowers that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. Its height and texture make it an excellent complement to summersweet.

How to Grow Phlox

Phlox prefers full sun to partial shade and moist soil. It's a low-maintenance plant that requires little care once established.

13. Astilbe (Astilbe spp.)

Astilbe is a hardy perennial that blooms in mid-summer to early fall, producing feathery plumes of pink, red, or white flowers that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. Its height and texture make it an excellent companion plant for summersweet.

How to Grow Astilbe

Astilbe prefers partial shade and moist soil. It's a low-maintenance plant that requires little care once established.

14. Geranium (Geranium spp.)

Geranium is a hardy perennial that blooms in mid-summer to early fall, producing clusters of pink, purple, or white flowers that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. Its low-growing habit and texture make it an ideal groundcover around your summersweet.

How to Grow Geranium

Geranium prefers full sun to partial shade and well-draining soil. It's a low-maintenance plant that requires little care once established.

15. Catmint (Nepeta spp.)

Catmint is a hardy perennial that blooms from late spring to early fall, producing spikes of lavender-blue flowers that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. Its height and texture make it an excellent complement to summersweet.

How to Grow Catmint

Catmint prefers full sun and well-draining soil. It's drought-tolerant and requires little maintenance.


Summersweet is a beautiful plant that can be complemented by a variety of other plants in your garden. Whether you're looking for height, color, or texture, there are plenty of options to choose from. By selecting the right summersweet companion plants, you can create a stunning garden that will provide year-round interest and attract pollinators.

FAQs

1. Are there any plants that should not be grown with summersweet?

There are no specific plants that should not be grown with summersweet. However, it's important to consider the growing requirements of each plant to ensure they are compatible.

2. Can I grow summersweet in containers?

Yes, summersweet can be grown in containers as long as the container is large enough to accommodate its root system. Make sure the soil stays moist and fertilize regularly.

3. How often should I water my summersweet?

Water your summersweet deeply once a week, or more often during periods of drought.

4. Do I need to prune my summersweet?

Summersweet does not require pruning, but you can prune it after flowering to maintain its shape.

5. Can I propagate summersweet?

Yes, summersweet can be propagated by taking softwood cuttings in early summer or hardwood cuttings in late fall or winter.

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