There are many fine butterfly plant candidates to choose from that will fill the bill for almost any garden environment. About the only hard to satisfy sections of a landscape are deep shade areas. Prime real estate areas are the sunny spots, but even partial shade will support some plants that are butterfly friendly.
Plants I found to be of great benefit and indispensable for a butterfly garden. Check to make sure they grow in your climate zone:
Buddleia davidii; Buddleia, Butterfly Bush:
Characteristics:
Nectar plant.
Deer tolerant.
Flowers are fragrant.
Water Requirements: Drought tolerant. Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not over water.
Height: 4-6 ft. 6-8 ft.
Spacing: 6-8 ft.
Sun Exposure: Part shade to full Sun.
Bloom Color: From white, runs the gamut of various pinks, mauve, purples, into almost black, plus yellows, salmon, to oranges.
Bloom Time: Early summer through mid fall. Blooms repeatedly.
Foliage: Deciduous. Herbaceous. Grayish green.
Dwarf varieties do well in containers.
Care Notes: Cut back hard to 8-12 inches in late winter/early spring to keep them within bounds and to promote copious blooms.
Slam dunk, the best, most magnetic to butterflies nectar plant one can include in a garden. Soma for little butterfly souls. If one was to plant just one shrub in the garden expressly for butterflies, Buddleia ( also known as Buddleja) would be it.
Buddleia has been cultivated in the Western world for over one hundred years now, the nursery trade offering a myriad of choices in plant sizes and flower colors. The latest hybrids and cultivars give us plants ranging from diminutive 1 foot tall pygmies suitable for ground cover, to the standard sized 6 to 8+ foot tall old tried 'n true standbys. I have personally seen Buddleia plants literally festooned with butterflies of various species.
Pretty much pest free. Will produce viable seed if spent blooms are not dead-headed. If you wish to increase your number of plants, allow a few seed heads to ripen. May be variable; may not come up true to parent. There are numerous trade listings of newer, sterile breeds that are perfect for areas where Buddleia is listed as a noxious weed, such as Oregon and Washington. Safe to plant in SoCal.
Plants I found to be of great benefit and indispensable for a butterfly garden. Check to make sure they grow in your climate zone:
Buddleia davidii; Buddleia, Butterfly Bush:
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Buddleia davidii, Butterfly Bush
Characteristics:
Nectar plant.
Deer tolerant.
Flowers are fragrant.
Water Requirements: Drought tolerant. Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not over water.
Height: 4-6 ft. 6-8 ft.
Spacing: 6-8 ft.
Sun Exposure: Part shade to full Sun.
Bloom Color: From white, runs the gamut of various pinks, mauve, purples, into almost black, plus yellows, salmon, to oranges.
Bloom Time: Early summer through mid fall. Blooms repeatedly.
Foliage: Deciduous. Herbaceous. Grayish green.
Dwarf varieties do well in containers.
Care Notes: Cut back hard to 8-12 inches in late winter/early spring to keep them within bounds and to promote copious blooms.
Slam dunk, the best, most magnetic to butterflies nectar plant one can include in a garden. Soma for little butterfly souls. If one was to plant just one shrub in the garden expressly for butterflies, Buddleia ( also known as Buddleja) would be it.
Buddleia has been cultivated in the Western world for over one hundred years now, the nursery trade offering a myriad of choices in plant sizes and flower colors. The latest hybrids and cultivars give us plants ranging from diminutive 1 foot tall pygmies suitable for ground cover, to the standard sized 6 to 8+ foot tall old tried 'n true standbys. I have personally seen Buddleia plants literally festooned with butterflies of various species.
Pretty much pest free. Will produce viable seed if spent blooms are not dead-headed. If you wish to increase your number of plants, allow a few seed heads to ripen. May be variable; may not come up true to parent. There are numerous trade listings of newer, sterile breeds that are perfect for areas where Buddleia is listed as a noxious weed, such as Oregon and Washington. Safe to plant in SoCal.
Read more: http://acontainerbutterflygarden.blogspot.com/2015/04/gardening-is-cheaper-than-therapy-and.html
Lantana camara and L. montevidensis; Lantana. Trailing Lantana:
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Lantana camara, Lantana
Characteristics:
Nectar plant.
Deer tolerant.
Flowers are not fragrant.
Water Requirements: Drought tolerant. Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not over water.
Height: 36-48 in.
Spacing: 36-48 in.
Sun Exposure: Full sun.
Bloom Color: Yellow, into orange, pinkish, magenta, through red.
Bloom Time: Mid spring through early winter. Blooms repeatedly.
Foliage: Perennial. Herbaceous. Green, aromatic.
Does well in containers.
Care Notes: Don't over-fertilize; give enough fertilizer to keep plants healthy. Can be cut back hard in mid spring to encourage more blooms on new wood.
Lantana camara would be #2 on a top 10 list of the best best plants for a butterfly garden. Will take a fair amount of drought; perks right back up with renewed watering. Visited by many species of butterflies, Lantana is especially attractive to little skippers and swallowtails. Considered an invasive species in Florida and Hawaii. No problems in less tropical climes.
*Hint: I hard cut my lantanas way back to encourage prolific blooming for the new season, usually around the end of March. One thing I've noticed in gardens and parks is that where lantana is grown as a shrub or hedge, and when reaching the desired size, are clipped back throughout the growing season. Unfortunately, that type of care clips developing flower buds, therefor decreasing or even eliminating subsequent flowering. By cutting them hard, they have plenty of room to grow back out without having to sacrifice consistent blooms. Works best for individual shrubs. Plants may look funky for a little bit, but they will reward you with a consistent bounty of beautiful blooms.
Besides L. camara, there is Lantana montevidensis, better known as Trailing Lantana. And recently, hybrids between the two. Care is similar to L. camara. A low grower, Trailing Lantana comes in white, yellow, orange, and the classic (for L. montevidensis) violet/lavender. Excellent on hillsides and for cascading over walls, etc. Swallowtail butterflies often frequent its blooms.
Read more: http://acontainerbutterflygarden.blogspot.com/search/label/Lantana
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Limonium perezii; Statice, Sea Lavendar:
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Limonium perezii, Statice or Sea Lavender
Characteristics:
Nectar plant.
Deer tolerant.
Flowers are not fragrant.
Water Requirements: Drought tolerant. Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not over water.
Height: 18-36 in.
Spacing: 18-24 in.
Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade.
Bloom Color: Violet/Lavender, purple.
Bloom Time: Almost all year. Blooms repeatedly.
Foliage: Perennial. Herbaceous. Green.
Does well in containers.
Care Notes: Don't over-fertilize; give enough fertilizer to keep plants healthy.
Many plant species are drought tolerant. Statice is tough as nails drought tolerant along the SoCal coastal strip. It even grows wild along seaside bluffs, adding a bit of welcome color to the normally dry, brown landscape. A tender perennial, it will succumb to hard frosts of more inland areas. A fast grower, treat as an annual in fringe areas.
Easy peasy, nice 'n easy, this plant is sure to be alluring to any butterfly who happens to come across it. What is exceptionally important with Sea Lavender is that it provides nutrition to overwintering butterfly species and those that don't migrate to warmer climes. Readily reseeds itself, but isn't a nuisance.
Read more: http://acontainerbutterflygarden.blogspot.com/search/label/Statice
Pentas lanceolata; Pentas, Egyptian Star Cluster
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Pentas lanceolata; Pentas, Egyptian Star Cluster
Characteristics:
Nectar plant.
Not deer or bunny tolerant.
Flowers are not fragrant.
Water Requirements: Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not over water.
Height: 24-36 in.
Spacing: 24-36 in.
Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade.
Bloom Color: Pink, red violet/lavender, blue/violet, white/nearly white.
Bloom Time: Almost all year. Blooms repeatedly.
Foliage: Perennial. Herbaceous. Green.
Does well in containers.
Care Notes: Don't over-fertilize; give enough fertilizer to keep plants healthy.
With the right variety choices, Pentas can be an outstanding addition to any self-respecting butterfly garden. In fact, the San Diego Zoo makes extensive use of this plant throughout their grounds to help out butterflies. I've seen quite a few Monarchs and other species linger within zoo boundaries and on Pentas, in part due to their rather prodigious use of butterfly attracting plants.
Be aware though, that most, if not all present day nursery offerings don't produce the amounts of nectar needed to turn a butterfly's head. Today's more compact and tidy plants have been bred without regard to nectar production, therefor of no use to nectar gatherers. Quite beautiful, but they are ice queens. Read more here. If anyone has access to heirloom varieties they can propagate off of, or acquire seedlings, that's great! Seeds are available online for a modern variety, the 'Butterfly' series, which promises to produce copious amounts of nectar.
Read more: http://acontainerbutterflygarden.blogspot.com/search/label/Pentas
Plumbago auriculata, Plumbago
Characteristics:
Nectar plant.
Deer tolerant.
Flowers are not fragrant.
Water Requirements: Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not over water.
Height: 6-10 ft.
Spacing: 6-8 ft.
Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade.
Bloom Color: White, light blue, medium blue.
Bloom Time: Almost all year. Blooms repeatedly.
Foliage: Perennial. Herbaceous. Green.
Does well in large containers.
Care Notes: Warning: this plant gets large, but if one has the room for it, your garden will derive great benefit from it. Takes very well to drastic trimming. Very drought tolerant once established, Plumbago can go for protracted lengths of time between waterings, although looks best with occasional watering and "average" fertilizing. Grows good in poor soils with a little bit of help on the fertilizing end.
Be aware though, that most, if not all present day nursery offerings don't produce the amounts of nectar needed to turn a butterfly's head. Today's more compact and tidy plants have been bred without regard to nectar production, therefor of no use to nectar gatherers. Quite beautiful, but they are ice queens. Read more here. If anyone has access to heirloom varieties they can propagate off of, or acquire seedlings, that's great! Seeds are available online for a modern variety, the 'Butterfly' series, which promises to produce copious amounts of nectar.
Read more: http://acontainerbutterflygarden.blogspot.com/search/label/Pentas
Plumbago auriculata, Plumbago
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Plumbago auriculata, Plumbago
Characteristics:
Nectar plant.
Deer tolerant.
Flowers are not fragrant.
Water Requirements: Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not over water.
Height: 6-10 ft.
Spacing: 6-8 ft.
Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade.
Bloom Color: White, light blue, medium blue.
Bloom Time: Almost all year. Blooms repeatedly.
Foliage: Perennial. Herbaceous. Green.
Does well in large containers.
Care Notes: Warning: this plant gets large, but if one has the room for it, your garden will derive great benefit from it. Takes very well to drastic trimming. Very drought tolerant once established, Plumbago can go for protracted lengths of time between waterings, although looks best with occasional watering and "average" fertilizing. Grows good in poor soils with a little bit of help on the fertilizing end.
Great for slopes or garden corners where it can take over with its wonderful array of gorgeous flower clusters. Pretty much pest free in SoCal. The diminutive Marine Blue, Gray Hairstreaks, and swallowtail butterflies love this plant. 'Imperial Blue' is an especially lovely shade of blue.
Read more: http://acontainerbutterflygarden.blogspot.com/search/label/Plumbago%20auriculata
Read more: http://acontainerbutterflygarden.blogspot.com/search/label/Plumbago%20auriculata
Scabiosa spp., Pincushion Flower
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Scabiosa spp., Pincushion Flower
Characteristics:
Nectar plant.
Deer tolerant.
Flowers are not fragrant.
Water Requirements: Drought tolerant; do not over water.
Height: 18-24 in.
Spacing: 24-35 in.
Sun Exposure: Full sun.
Bloom Color: White, yellow, light blue, medium blue, pink, rose/mauve.
Bloom Time: Late spring through early fall.
Foliage: Perennial. Herbaceous. Green.
Does well in containers.
Care Notes: Nice little perennial for containers, also looks good in alpine gardens, tucked away in garden corners here and there, and along garden pathways. Will take some shade, but beware of powdery mildew when not grown in full sun. Butterflies frequently visit the several species of scabiosas growing in the Butterfly Container Garden. Likes fertilizer, but if you miss a month or two, no biggie.
Read more: http://acontainerbutterflygarden.blogspot.com/search/label/Scabiosa
Verbena bonariensis; Purpletop Vervain, Brazilian Verbena
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Verbena bonariensis; Purpletop Vervain, Brazilian Verbena
Characteristics:
Nectar plant.
Deer tolerant.
Flowers are not fragrant.
Water Requirements: Drought tolerant; Average Water Needs; Water regularly.
Height: 36-48 in.
Spacing: 15-18 in.
Sun Exposure: Full sun.
Bloom Color: Purple.
Bloom Time: Late spring through mid fall.
Foliage: Perennial. Herbaceous. Green, fuzzy, leathery.
Does well in containers.
Care Notes: I love this plant for several-fold reasons. One, it's a butterfly magnet, especially for Monarchs and swallowtails. Two, great for backgrounds and garden corners where a taller plant is perfect. Three, if you let them go to seed, finches love to pick them out of the seed heads. V. bonariensis may tend to flop over a bit or tend to lean some, but a stake or two and some twine will fix that if it bothers you. A short-lived perennial, allow some seeds to fall and sprout to replenish your stock, and to give extras to grateful friends and curious neighbors. There is a dwarf variety available at nurseries, but as of this writing have not tried yet. Anyway, bigger is better, ¿n'est-ce pas?
Miscellaneous butterfly plants to consider:
Passiflora spp., Passion Fruit Vine. Host plant for Gulf Fritillaries, buy P. edulis for its bonus of delicious fruit production. Pretty much most species make good host plants, although P. edulis and P. caerulea and their cultivars are rated tops. Be wary of red-flowered species and varieties, as it is said these vines are toxic to Gulf Fritillary caterpillars. You'd be fine with whites, blues, purples, and yellows. The Container Butterfly Garden is home to a 'Purple Possum' passion vine. 'Purple Possum' is renowned for the delicious fruits it produces. To me, they taste like tropical guavas: delicious!
Ruta Graveolens, Common Rue. Host plant to Anise Swallowtail, Black Swallowtail, and Giant Swallowtail butterflies. Easy to grow from seed if not found at your local nurseries.
Senecio confusus, Mexican Flame Vine. Stunning in bloom, this gorgeous vine is easy to grow. Not too common in nurseries, it nevertheless isn't a rarity and can be special-ordered with ease.
Also consider dill and fennel for attracting Anise Swallowtails and several other swallowtail species. With fennel, you get finocchio to put in your herb pot, and with dill, you could jar up some pickles. Both are readily available in herb sections of nurseries.
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