Planting DesignDiscover the right plants for your garden.
milkweed butterfly butterfly stroke on milkweed plant . Photo by Catherine Avilez .
When it comes to solid food sources for butterfly stroke , not all plants are created equal . Through organic evolution , single butterfly stroke species became extremely selective with the types of plant they feed on . While many plant kind can attract butterfly , some are better than others for providing essential nutrients .
Adult butterflies and their offspring dissent in the manner they consume food for thought . Adults drink through a long tubular tongue , relying solely on fluent origin such as flower nectar , tree sap , and fallen yield . Butterfly larvae have jaw mouth parts , feeding on leafy nutrient sources such as milkweed leaf , herbs , trees , and pasture .
By see which plant and prime are the proficient food for thought source , you’re able to draw and support butterflies in your yard .
Read more about what it takes tocreate a beautiful butterfly gardenthat dish both adult butterfly and caterpillars .
Sapphire Mist aster . exposure by : Proven Winners
ASTER (Symphotrichum)
Butterfly appeal : Among the most valuable butterfly stroke plants , this North American native is a host plant for painted crescent and pearl crescent butterflies . Prolific daisy - like bloom are an essential late - season intellectual nourishment germ for migrating monarchs . Buckeyes , skippers , admiral , and painted noblewoman love the flush , too .
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' Pardon My Cerise ' bee balm . Photo by : Proven Winners
BEE BALM (Monarda)
Butterfly appealingness : Tubular nectar - rich flowers are a nutrient author for a wide kitchen range of pollinating insects and butterfly let in chequer white , silver - recognise skipper , swallowtails , and fritillary . A dependable long - live perennial , bee balm develop in most regions and is virtually care - free .
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Black - Eyed Susan . exposure by : darkmoon1968 / Pixabay
BLACK-EYED SUSAN (Rudbeckia)
Butterfly appeal : aboriginal to open up forest , prairie , meadow , and roadsides , this common wildflower has daisy - like flowers that invoke to many butterflies let in great spangled fritillary , pearl crescent , silvery checkerspot , and spring azure .
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' Floristan Violet ' blazing star Photo by : Walters Gardens
BLAZING STAR (Liatris)
Butterfly appeal : Also call gayfeather , this stout North American prairie native produce spiky flowers throughout summer which attract Ohioan , monarchs , swallowtails , and many other butterflies .
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' Miss Molly ' butterfly bush . Photo by : Proven Winners .
BUTTERFLY BUSH (Buddleia)
Butterfly appeal : Butterfly bush is one of the top plants for attracting an raiment of butterflies , including various eccentric of fritillaries , captain , swallowtail , and painted noblewoman . In areas where butterfly bush is encroaching , non - seeding mixed bag may be interchange .
Read butterfly stroke President Bush .
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' Button bush . Photo by : David Byron Keener / Shutterstock .
BUTTON BUSH (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Butterfly appealingness : jazzy fragrant flowers are a magnet for many species of butterflies including skippers , morning coat , and monarchs . Button bush is also a server plant for several type of good moth . aboriginal to much of the U.S. , this sturdy shrub is a good stand-in in areas where butterfly bush is invading .
' Cat ’s Pajamas ' catmint . Photo by : Proven Winners .
CATMINT (Nepeta)
Butterfly solicitation : This leisurely - care mint relative blooms over an exceptionally long time , pee it a reliable season - long nectar origin for many pollinator including hummingbird , honeybees , and many types of butterflies .
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Pow Wow Wild Berry coneflower . photograph by : Proven Winners .
CONEFLOWER (Echinacea)
Butterfly prayer : Native to prairies , field of view , and undetermined woodlands of North America , coneflower attracts a miscellanea of butterfly stroke specie , including monarchs and dissimilar eccentric of swallowtails , skipper , fritillaries , and admirals .
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grease one’s palms coneflower from Proven Winners .
Sunstar Pink Pentas . exposure by : Proven Winners .
EGYPTIAN STAR FLOWER (Pentas)
Butterfly collection : Flower bunch bloom abundantly all summertime long , bring home the bacon a coherent nectar reservoir for a all-embracing compass of pollinators . Butterflies are especially pull to the eye - catching star - shaped flowers .
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Decadence ® ' Blueberry Sundae ' baptisia . exposure by : Proven Winners .
FALSE INDIGO (Baptisia)
Butterfly appeal : Hardy in most area , this prairie native is a legion plant for California dogface and silver - spy skipper larvae . Tall spiky efflorescence are an early season reservoir of nectar for many mintage of grownup butterflies .
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creative person ® dismal floss flower . pic by : Proven Winners .
FLOSS FLOWER (Ageratum)
Butterfly appeal : This old - fashioned heirloom has cluster of puffy flowers that are attractive to many species of grownup butterflies . Exceptionally long bloom scummy - maintenance plants are useful in containers or bed .
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' firework ' goldenrod . Photo by : Paul S. Drobot / Millette Photomedia .
GOLDENROD (Solidago)
Butterfly appeal : A vigorous wildflower with showy plume - shaped efflorescence , goldenrod grow natively along roadsides , in open hayfield and woodlands . The blooms are an important tardy season nectar source for many butterfly stroke mintage including paint lady , sovereign , viceroy , and red full admiral . Newer goldenrod varieties such as ‘ Fireworks ’ are more succinct and tiresome to diffuse .
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Hollyhock . Photo by : Ole Schoener / Shutterstock .
HOLLYHOCK (Alcea)
Butterfly appeal : Large assailable - confront flowers invoke to a extensive compass of adult butterflies . This popular cottage garden staple fibre is also a host flora for checkered skipper and paint lady caterpillars .
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' Bartered Bride ' Joe Pye weed . exposure by : Rob Cardillo .
JOE PYE WEED (Eutrochium)
Butterfly collection : This wet - loving Eastern US native grow godforsaken in wayside ditches , streams , meadows , and timberland . prominent belated - season flower plume are a source of ambrosia for many butterflies include swallowtail and transmigrate monarchs .
Read Joe Pye weed .
Luscious ® Grape lantana . Photo by : Proven Winners .
LANTANA / SHRUB VERBENA (Lantana)
Butterfly appeal : One of the best flowering plants for attracting a panoptic range of butterfly , shrub vervain blossom endlessly during the time of class when adults are most alive . Cabbage white , crowned head , red admiral , skippers , and swallowtail are just a few of the many different butterfly that will tip on the luscious flowers .
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grease one’s palms lantana from Proven Winners .
Sweet Romance ® lavender . pic by : Proven Winners .
LAVENDER (Lavandula)
Butterfly appeal : Spiky redolent blossom are a favourite summertime food source for adult butterfly including cabbage bloodless , hairstreak , crowned head , sagamore , and ash gray - make out sea captain .
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Milkweed . Photo by : Catherine Avilez / Shutterstock .
MILKWEED, BUTTERFLY WEED (Asclepias)
Butterfly entreaty : One of the most essential butterfly plants , milkweed is the sole solid food source for crowned head larva . nursing home gardeners can play a crucial supporting part by providing a way station for these endangered migratory butterflies . loads of other coinage including various character of morning coat , fritillaries , captain , and admirals are also attracted to the colourful efflorescence .
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Intensia ® Red Hot phlox . Photo by : Proven Winners .
PHLOX (Phlox)
Butterfly entreaty : This turgid mathematical group of flowering plant life , which come in a range of peak colors , form , and sizes , supply a honest generator of nectar . Clusters of long blossom virtuoso - form flowers invoke to many butterflies , including swallow-tailed coat , silvern checkerspot , and clouded sulfur .
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Color Spires ® ' Violet Riot ' salvia . Photo by : Proven Winners .
SAGE (Salvia)
Butterfly appeal : This lot relative with scented foliage is long - lived , reliable , and drought - tolerant . Spiky or cannular flowers appeal to many butterfly species including American madam , cabbage white-hot , and different type of skippers , swallowtails , and sulfurs .
scan salvia .
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Amazing Daisies ® Daisy May ® Shasta daisy . Photo by : Proven Winners .
SHASTA DAISY (Leucanthemum superbum)
Butterfly ingathering : A classical bungalow garden raw material , Shasta daisy is a host plant and nectar source for many butterfly species include painted gentlewoman , cabbage white , easterly tiger swallowtail , and ruby full admiral .
learn Shasta daisy .
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Snapdragon . Photo by : Old Man Stocker / Shutterstock .
SNAPDRAGON (Antirrhinum majus)
Butterfly solicitation : This democratic cottage garden form is a host plant for common buckeye larvae . Tubular flowers come in a range of people of colour , appealing to many butterfly species such as cabbage white , grey hairstreak , pearl crescent , and swallowtail .
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Rock ' n Low ™ ' Boogie Woogie ' sedum . Photo by : Proven Winners .
STONECROP (Sedum)
Butterfly appeal : This divers grouping of carefree drouth - tolerant works is an of import mid to recent season source of ambrosia as well as a host industrial plant . Groundcover and upright chassis are suitable for rock gardens and curbside slip . American painted ma’am , buckeyes , silver gray - spotted skippers , and many other butterfly species gravitate to the nectar - rich star - shaped flowers .
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Suncredible ® sunflower . photograph by : Proven Winners .
SUNFLOWER (Helianthus annuus)
Butterfly appeal : One of the most endearing signs of summertime , sunflower are attractive to a all-encompassing chain of mountains of pollinators . These stately plants with large magnetic disk - shaped blossom are a host works for streamside checkerspot butterfly stroke , while the blooms are a robust nectar informant for dozens of butterfly species including American noblewoman , monarch , and various types of checkerspots and swallowtails .
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' Firefly Peach Sky ' Yarrow . Photo by : Proven Winners .
YARROW (Achillea)
Butterfly appeal : Prolific cluster of brilliantly biased flowers make this a favorite nectar germ of many butterfly stroke , including American copper , Lorquin ’s admiral , West Coast lady , and red - banded hairstreak .
Read Achillea millefolium .
Zinnia . Photo by : Unverdorben Jr. / Shutterstock .
ZINNIA (Zinnia)
Butterfly collection : Zinnias come in a rainbow of bright tropic hues that butterfly love . Use this upbeat warm - season boo-boo in a borderline or kitchen garden to pull in butterflies and bees , which will help pollinate edible crops . This easy - care annual will pay back with months of uninterrupted bloom .
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