Butterflies
Modern day expansion is rapildy taking over the meadows and fields where butterflies live and breed. Pesticides have also left them with no alternative environment. If you grow a few chosen plants in your yard, you can supply them with a haven to survive and multiply. It can be just a small corner of your yard, hanging pots, wiskey barrels, window boxes or as large an area as you desire. Most of the flowers that attract butterflies are easy to grow and don't take a lot of care. So plant an area for them and enjoy the beauty of the flowers as well as the butterflies. But please don't use any pesticides.
Which ever you decide, it has to be in a sunny location. Butterflies need a shady spot to get relief from the hot scorching days, but most of their time is spent in the sun. Their body temperatures need to be between 86-104 degrees in order for them to fly, so they perch on flowers to catch the rays. It's fun to watch them spread their wings as they sun bathe.
Butterflies have the ability to recognize colors and are mostly attracted by purple, pink, yellow and white. So keep these colors in mind when planting your butterfly garden. Also use plants that provide food for the larvae caterpillars and provide nectar for the butterflies.
Many of the plants that attract butterflies also attact hummingbirds, so you will get more of a benefit from using these flowers in your yard.
PERENNIALS
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Latin Name
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Common Name
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Asclepais tuberosa |
Butterfly Weed
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Buddleia
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Butterfly Bush
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Centaurea macrocephala
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Globe Centaurea
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Dianthus
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Pinks, Sweet William
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Digitalis
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Foxglove
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Echinops
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Globe Thistle
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Eupatorium colestinum
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Mistflower
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Hesperis
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Rocket
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Liatris
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Gayfeather
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Lilium
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Lily
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Lupinus
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Lupine
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Monarda
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Bee Balm
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Rudbeckia
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Gloriosa daisy, golden-glow
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ANNUALS
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Antirrhinum majus
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Snap Dragon
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Cassia
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Cassia
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R3C1
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R3C2
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Helianthus annus
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Sunflower
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Heliotropium
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Heliptrope
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Ipomoea
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Morning-Glory
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Lunaria annua
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Honesty
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Tagetes
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Marigold
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Tropaeolum majus
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Nasturtium
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Viola
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Pansy
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Zennia
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Zennia
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Information about Butterflies, species, feeders and attracting them
Butterflies of North America
Butterfly Host Plants
Butterfly Nectar Plants
Butterfly Gardens
Updated June 25, 1998