3
later in the day and to take
enough time to find suitable
egg-laying spots, as well as
decreasing the time it takes for
eggs and caterpillars to develop.
Flat rocks and evergreens
added to your garden will absorb
the sun’s warmth, and
butterflies will enjoy basking on
the stones to raise their body
temperature more quickly.
Water is Critical
As with all wildlife, water is
essential. You can create a mud
puddle in a corner of the garden,
or sink a bowl in the ground and
fill it with wet sand. Mud and
sand are sources of nutrients,
and sometimes you will see a
bunch of male butterflies
congregating at mud puddle
areas after the water has
evaporated, eating salt and
other concentrated minerals.
It is also helpful if the
butterfly garden can be
protected from the wind. This
will keep the temperature higher,
and reduce the effort required
to fight air currents as the
butterflies feed. Taller flowers
also benefit because they won’t
be blown over, and many plants
will warm up and bloom at an
earlier date.
Protect From Wind
The wind can be broken by a
line of shrubs, a fence, or a wall.
For those that overwinter, there
are commercial butterfly
hibernation boxes, or you can
provide nearby trees with
crevices, or create a log pile.
Although we may be
attracted to the nectar-
producing flowers because of
their striking beauty, it is
important not to neglect host
plants. These are often native
plants, and will lure female
butterflies in to lay eggs, then
provide food for the
caterpillars.
Host Plants
Some species will search out
and accept only one or two
kinds of host plants, and in
fact some caterpillars will
Plants for the Butterfly Garden
This list is by no means complete, but will give you a good start
in selecting plants for your garden. Your local nurseries will be able
to tell you which ones will do best in your area, and may offer
additional selections. Those with an asterisk (*) are especially
effective in attracting butterflies.
SHRUBS: *Butterfly bush ............................ (Buddleia)
*Buttonbush ................................. (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Glossy abelia ................................ (Abelia x Grandiflora
Mountain laurel
Lilac ................................................. (Syringa vulgaris)
Sweet pepperbush ....................... (Clethra arborea)
Flame azalea ................................. (Rhododendron spp.)
Mountain laurel ............................ (Kalmia)
Honeysuckle shrub ...................... (Lonicera tatarica)
Bluebeard ....................................... (Caryopteris x clandonensis)
Privet ............................................... (Ligustrum)
PERENNIALS: *Joe-Pye weed .............................. (Eupatorium spp.)
*Purple Coneflower....................... (Echinacea purpurea)
*Anise Hyssop .............................. (Hyssopus officinalis)
*New England aster .................... (Aster spp.)
*Butterfly weed ............................ (Asclepias tuberosa)
*Black-eyed Susan ...................... (Rudbeckia spp.)
Coreopsis ....................................... (Coreopsis spp.)
Veronica .......................................... (Veronica spp.)
Verbena ........................................... (Verbena canadensis)
ANNUALS: *Lantana ........................................ (Lantana camara)
*Pentas ........................................... (Pentas lanciolata)
*Cosmos ......................................... (Cosmos sulphureus)
Heliotrope ...................................... (Heliotrope arborescens)
Mexican sunflower ....................... (Tithonia rotundifolia)
Flowering tobacco ....................... (Nicotiana alata)
Pincushion flower ......................... (Scabiosa atropurpurea)
French marigold ........................... (Targetes patula)
Impatiens ....................................... (Impatiens wallerana)
Zinnia ............................................... (Zinnia elegans)
