4
starve rather than eat another
type of vegetation. Since
individual females can lay up to
1600 eggs in their lifetime,
providing appropriate host
plants is one of the most reliable
ways to increase the numbers of
butterflies in your garden.
If they are too informal to suit
your flower bed, plant them in an
area away from your blossoms.
Since many are native shrubs
and wildflowers, they may already
exist nearby.
Single, Not Double
When choosing plants for your
butterfly garden, choose single
rather than double-flowered
species. These allow easier
access to the nectar.
Many butterflies prefer the
colors of purple, yellow, orange,
and red, especially with clusters
of flat-topped or tubular
blossoms.
Butterflies can see more colors
than we can, including ultraviolet.
For the greatest attraction,
plant groups of the same plant
and color, rather than one or two
of each flower.
Butterflies also have a very
sensitive sense of smell and will
Butterflies are insects and thus are at risk when you use
insecticides. Consider putting up with some leaf-chewing,
removing unwanted insects by hand, or using a homemade
spray such as crushed garlic cloves in liquid soap.
Crawling insects dislike both the smell of the garlic and the
stickiness of the soap.
home in on their favorite flower
even from far away.
Check bloom times to provide
blossoms throughout the
growing season. Different
heights are also important,
since certain butterflies prefer
to feed near the ground, while
others like flowers atop tall
stems.
Tall Goes In Back
Plant your taller species to
the back of the bed, gradually
working down to the shorter
ones in the front. Combining
perennials (those that come
back every year) and annuals
(the ones that die in the
winter) will give you a full, lush
garden with a long bloom time.
While butterflies don’t care
about the actual design of your
garden, that may be of
importance to you.
Decide where you will be when
viewing your flowers and plan
around that perspective. Think
about what color scheme
appeals to you. Colors are
generaly classified as “warm"
(red, orange, yellow) or “cool"
(purple, blue, white).
A garden is most often
pleasing if it draws primarily
from one group, with a few added
accents from the other. To a
palette that is primarily orange
and red, add a touch of purple or
blue; to the cool colors add a
splash of yellow.
Warm colors are showy and
vibrant, showing up best against
a strong green background. Cool
colors are restful, benefiting
Host Plants and the Butterflies They Attract
Butterfly weed, Milkweed.............................. Monarch
Parsley, Dill, Copper Fennel........................... Black Swallowtail
Blue Passionflower.......................................... Gulf Fritillary
Spicebush (Lindera)....................................... Spicebush Swallowtail
Tulip Tree (Liriodendron) ............................... Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Vegetable plants, mustards ........................ Whites
Pea family, marigolds, clovers ..................... Sulphurs
Dogwood, clovers, vetches ........................... Blues
Snapdragons ................................................... Buckeyes
Everlastings, thistles .................................... Painted Ladies
Violets ................................................................ Frittilaries
Willows, poplars ............................................... Admirals
