Delicate, colorful and full of motion, butterflies add a touch of whimsy to any garden. As temperatures heat up, butterfly activity increases. To see more butterflies in your own yard, consider planting flowers that attract them.
Butterflies need two types of plants: host plants (where eggs are laid and larvae feed) and nectar plants (which fuel adult butterflies with energy). Host plants tend to be specific to butterfly species, while nectar plants support a wide array.
A diverse mix of flowering plants invites a broader mix of butterflies — along with other pollinators like bees and hummingbirds. Butterflies are most active late spring through early fall.
With a little research, you can find out which host plants support which butterflies. Understanding host plants and learning to identify caterpillars that you want to protect are key to butterfly gardening. Though caterpillars can be tough on your plants, they’re a necessary part of the process — no caterpillars, no butterflies.
Numerous trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals provide host support and nectar. Here are the top perennial host and nectar plants for butterflies.
| HOST PLANTS & BUTTERFLY TYPE |
|---|
| Asclepias (milkweed) — Monarch butterflies. |
| Asters — Painted lady and pearl crescent butterflies. |
| Baptisia — Sulphur and skipper butterflies. |
| Parsley, fennel and rue — Black and anise swallowtail butterflies. |
| Passionflowers — Fritillaries and longwing butterflies. |
| Pipevine — Pipevine swallowtail butterflies. |
| Ruellia — Common buckeye butterflies. |
| Verbena bonariensis — Common buckeye butterflies. |
| NECTAR PLANTS & GROWING SEASONS |
|---|
| Anise hyssop — Summer through fall. |
| Coneflower (Echinacea) — Summer through fall if deadheading. |
| Gaillardia — Summer through fall. Deadhead as needed. |
| Garden phlox — Summer bloomer. |
| Goldenrod — Late summer through fall. |
| Ironweed — Mid-to-late summer into fall. Large plant at maturity, so give it room to grow. |
| Joe Pye weed — Mid-summer through early fall. Standard varieties can reach 10 feet tall, but dwarf forms are available. |
| Liatris — Mid-summer to early fall. |
| Monarda (bee balm) — Late spring through fall. Deadhead or cut back if it gets leggy. |
| Rudbeckia (black-eyed Susan) — Summer through fall. |