Butterfly Plants
Perennials, Annuals, Trees and Shrubs
Many plants serves as nectar sources for butterflies also as host plants for caterpillars and as a food source for adult butterflies and larvae.
To increase the numbers of butterflies in your garden, plant as many host plants and nectar Sources as you can.
Wildflowers are always butterfly magnets, but if you don't have room for a native plant garden, butterflies will find other sources. I have "Milkweed", but butterflies found my parsley and fennel for a host plant as well. :)
Here are some plant suggestions with their varying colors, shape and scents. They will not only beautify your urban garden, but also provide essential resources for butterflies and hummingbirds as well.
- Milkweed (Asclepias): This plant is essential for monarch butterflies as it serves as their larval food source. Soft pink flowers with a very pleasant fragrance. This popups everywhere in my yard. I leave some for the butterflies, but I do remove the seedpods.
- Lantana (Lantana camara): Lantana's colorful flowers attract various butterfly species, including swallowtails and monarchs.
- Butterfly Bush (Buddleja davidii): As the name suggests, this plant is a favorite among butterflies for its fragrant blooms. I have seen the blooms in white, pink and purple.
- Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea): Not only does this plant add beauty to your garden, but its nectar-rich flowers also attract butterflies like the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. It's also a good cut flowers and finches love the seeds.
- Bee Balm (Monarda): Its vibrant blooms draw in butterflies and bees alike, adding a splash of color to your garden.
- Verbena (Verbena bonariensis): With its tall, slender stems topped with clusters of small purple flowers, verbena is irresistible to butterflies.
- Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta): This cheerful wildflower provides nectar for butterflies and adds a pop of color to your garden. Lasts a long time in the garden and is a good cut flower with a long vase life.
- Aster (Asteraceae):Asters come in various colors and bloom late in the season, providing a vital nectar source for migrating butterflies such as the Painted Lady. One year my asters will covered in Hairstreak butterflies.
- Sedum (Sedum spectabile): Also known as stonecrop, sedum's flat-topped clusters of tiny flowers are highly attractive to butterflies, especially when other nectar sources become scarce in late summer and fall.
- Goldenrod (Solidago): Contrary to popular belief, goldenrod doesn't cause allergies but instead attracts butterflies with its bright yellow flowers, such as the Clouded Sulphur and the American Painted Lady.
- Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare): This herbaceous perennial not only serves as a host plant for swallowtail butterfly larvae but also produces clusters of small yellow flowers that attract adult butterflies.
- Aster 'Raydon's Favorite' (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium): This cultivar of the native aster species features lavender-blue flowers and is a favorite nectar source for butterflies, including the Red Admiral and the Pearl Crescent.
- Blazing Star (Liatris spicata): This tall, spiky plant produces dense spikes of purple flowers that butterflies, particularly the Monarch, find irresistible.
- Tithonia (Tithonia rotundifolia): Also known as Mexican sunflower, this annual plant produces vibrant orange or red flowers that provide abundant nectar for butterflies like the Painted Lady and the Gulf Fritillary.
- Coreopsis (Coreopsis spp.): With their bright yellow, daisy-like flowers, coreopsis species are excellent additions to any butterfly garden, attracting species like the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and the Clouded Sulphur. Bees love them as well.
- Zinnia (Zinnia elegans): Zinnias come in a wide range of colors and sizes, making them versatile additions to butterfly gardens. Their vibrant blooms attract various butterfly species, including the Painted Lady and the American Lady. Good cut flower and stays in bloom in the garden for a long time.
- Phlox (Phlox paniculata): This perennial produces clusters of fragrant flowers in shades of pink, purple, white, and red, attracting butterflies such as the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and the Silver-spotted Skipper.
- Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima): With its delicate clusters of tiny white, pink, or purple flowers, sweet alyssum is a favorite among butterflies, including the Cabbage White and the Clouded Sulphur.
- Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia): With its silvery foliage and spikes of lavender-blue flowers, Russian sage is a favorite among butterflies, including the Great Spangled Fritillary and the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.
- Oregano (Origanum vulgare): While primarily known as a culinary herb, oregano also produces small clusters of pink or purple flowers that butterflies, including the Common Buckeye and the Red Admiral, find irresistible. Double purpose herb. :)
- Scarlet Sage (Salvia coccinea): With its vibrant red flowers, scarlet sage is a favorite among butterflies such as the Gulf Fritillary and the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, adding bold color and beauty to your garden and candy for hummingbirds.
- Autumn Joy Stonecrop (Sedum 'Autumn Joy'): This cultivar of sedum produces clusters of pink flowers that bloom late in the season, providing valuable nectar for butterflies like the Painted Lady and the Red Admiral as they prepare for migration.
Note: Most of the plants listed above are either perennials or reseed themselves. So it's easy to feed these dancing jewels of the garden.
By incorporating some of these diverse butterfly-attracting plants into your urban garden, you can create a welcoming environment for these beautiful insects while enhancing the beauty and biodiversity of your outdoor space.
Annual and Perennial Butterfly Plants
- Ageratum houstonianium ( ageratum )
- Alcea rosea ( hollyhock )
- Allium schoenoprasum ( common chives )
- Asclepias spp. ( milkweeds, butterfly weed )
- Asclepepias tuberosa (butterfly weed>
- Aster spp. ( asters )
- Buddleia spp. ( butterfly bush )
- Centaurea cyannus ( cornflower )
- Chrysanthemum leucanthemum ( oxeye daisy )
- Chrysanthemum superbum ( Shasta daisy )
- Coreopsis spp. ( coreopsis )
- Cosmos bipinnatus ( cosmos )
- Dichelostemma pulchellum ( wild hyacinth )
- Echinacea purpurea ( purple coneflower )
- Eigeron spp. ( fleabanes )
- Eupatorium spp. ( bonesets, Joe-Pye weeds )
- Grindelia spp. ( Gumweeds )
- Helenium autumnale ( sneezeweed )
- Helianthus spp. ( sunflowers )
- Heliotropium arborescens ( common heliotrope )
- Hemerocallis spp. ( daylilies )
- Lobelia cardinalis ( cardinal flower )
- Lavandula spp. ( lavenders )
- Lobularia maritima ( sweet alyssum )
- Mentha spp. ( Mints )
- Monarda spp. ( bee balms )
- Nepeta cataria ( catnip )
- Phlox spp. ( phlox )
- Rudbeckia spp. ( coneflowers )
- Salvia spp. ( sages )
- Sedum spectabile ( showy stonecrop )
- Solidago spp. ( goldenrods )
- Tagetes patula ( French marigold )
- Thymus spp. ( thymes )
- Tropaeolum spp. ( nasturtiums )
- Verbena spp. ( verbenas )
- Vernonia spp. ( ironweeds )
- Zinnia spp. ( zinnias )
Trees and Shrubs for Butterflies
- Chrysothamus nauseosus ( gray rabbit-brush )
- Ligustrum spp. ( privets )
- Lonicera spp. ( honeysuckles )
- Rhus spp. ( sumacs )
- Salix spp. ( willows )
- Syringa vulgaris ( common lilac )
- Tilia americana ( basswood )
- Vaccinium spp. ( blueberries )
Butterfly Watching
Landscaping 4 Butterflies
Butterfly Garden
Landscaping for hummingbirds
Butterflies
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Canadian Gardening
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