Create Your Own Butterfly Garden
Flowers provide a good source of nectar to attract the adults. When a butterfly detects something sweet, it will extend it's coiled proboscis and probe into the flower for nectar. It is important when choosing plants to select a variety that will bloom at different times of the season to make your garden more attractive to a wider assortment of butterflies. Plant the flowers in clusters of each species and create a garden that includes several different colors and flower heights. Clusters of flowers are easier for the butterflies to locate than individual plants. A mixture of annuals, perennials and biennials will allow you to experiment with different flower combinations each year as you discover which species work best for your area.
Most caterpillars are specific about the plants they feed on, and female butterflies will only lay their eggs on the caterpillar food plants. Since you cannot have butterflies without caterpillars, be sure to provide a variety of caterpillar food plants to meet the needs of the species in your area. Some plants, like milkweed and alfalfa, provide both nectar for adults and food for many species of caterpillar.
Another important aspect of butterfly gardens is the need to provide sources of shelter for the butterflies. Tall trees can provide a place for butterflies to roost at night or during cloudy weather (willows, ash, and chokecherry are also caterpillar food plants for some species). Or, try one of our beautiful butterfly houses. Plant your garden in a sunny place to increase blooming, and provide rocks for butterflies to bask in the sun. Butterflies bask to heat up their wing muscles for flight. Most Important: DO NOT USE PESTICIDES in or near your garden.
See our Hand-blown Glass Butterfly Feeders
REGIONAL PLANTINGS FOR BUTTERFLY GARDENS
Mid-Atlantic
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BUTTERFLIES Monarch (Danaus plexippus) Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax) Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele) Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice) Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
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HOST PLANTS milkweeds willow, poplar, cherry (Viola) species willow, poplar, elm various mallows, thistles clovers clovers and other legumes willow, poplar, alder Dutchman's Pipe (Aristolochia)
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NECTAR PLANTS Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) Monarda (Monarda) species Goldenrods (Solidago) species Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) Verbena (Verbena) species Joe-pye Weed (Eupatorium purpureum) Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii)
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California
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BUTTERFLIES Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus) Anise Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon) West Coast Lady (Vanessa annabella) Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) Variable Checkerspot (Euphydryas chalcedona) Sara Orangetip (Anthocharis sara) Acmon Blue (Plebejus acmon) Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
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HOST PLANTS willow, poplar, elm various parsleys various mallows willow, poplar, elm Scrophularia, Mimulus various mustards buckwheats passion vine milkweeds
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NECTAR PLANTS Heliotrope (Heliotropum arborescens) Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon californicum) Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii) Thistles (Cirsium species) Lantana (Lantana camara and others) Statice (Limonium species) Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia California Buckeye (Aesculus californicus) Yarrow (Achillea species)
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Florida
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BUTTERFLIES Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Papilio glaucus Queen (Danaus gilippus) Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) Palamedes Swallowtail (Papilio palamedes) Zebra Longwing (Heliconius charitonius) Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus) Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
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HOST PLANTS willow, poplar, alder milkweeds citus, hop tree, prickly ash redbay and other laurels Passion vine mallows and legumes Dutchman's Pipe Passion vine milkweeds
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NECTAR PLANTS Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii) Verbena (Verbena braziliensis) Blazingstar (Liatris species) Joe-pye Weed(Eupatorium fistulosum) Phlox(Phlox drummondi) Firewheel Blanketflower(Gallaridia pulchella)
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Great Lakes
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BUTTERFLIES Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax) Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice) Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia) Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele) Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
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HOST PLANTS willow, poplar, cherry willow, poplar, elm clovers plantago, snapdragons various violets various mallows and thistles Dutchman's Pipe citrus, hop tree, prickly ash willow, poplar, alder milkweeds
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NECTAR PLANTS Butterfly Bush(Buddleia davidii) False Indigo(Baptisia leucantha) Lilac(Syringia vulgaris) Yarrow(Achillea millefolium) Purple Coneflower(Echinacea purpurea) Blazingstars(Liatris species) Phlox(Phlox paniculata)
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Midwest
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BUTTERFLIES Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax) Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele) Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme) Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) Silver-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene) Pipevine Swallowtail(Battus philenor) Giant Swallowtail(Papilio cresphontes) Eastern Tiger Swallowtail(Papilio glaucus) Monarch(Danaus plexippus)
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HOST PLANTS willow, poplar, cherry various violets clovers and other legumes various mallows and thistles various violets Dutchmans' Pipe citrus, hop tree, prickly ash willow, poplar, alder milkweeds
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NECTAR PLANTS Butterfly Bush(Buddleia davidii) Black-eyed Susan(Rudbeckia hirta) Butterfly Weed(Asclepias tuberosa) Purple Coneflower(Echinacea purpurea) Swamp Milkweed(Asclepias incarnata) Mexican Sunflower(Tithonia rotundifolia) Joe-pye Weeds(Eupatorium species)
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New England
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BUTTERFLIES Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax) Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele) Baltimore Checkerspot (Euphydryas phaeton) Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) Mourning Cloak(Nymphalis antiopa) White Admiral(Limenitis arthemis) Sriped Hairstreak(Satyrium liparops) Eastern Tiger Swallowtail(Papilio glaucus) Monarch(Danaus plexippus)
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HOST PLANTS willow, poplar, cherry carrot family various violets penstemon, plantago, ash, viburnum various mallows, thistles willow, poplar, elm willow, birch, poplar oak, willow, blueberry, cherry willow, poplar, alder milkweeds
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NECTAR PLANTS Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) Wild Indigo (Baptisia tinctoria) Lance-leaved Goldenrod (Solidago graminifolia) Common Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia serotina) Thistles (Cirsium species) Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota)
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Rocky Mountains
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BUTTERFLIES Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice) Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) Weidemeyer's Admiral (Limenitis) Orange Sulphur (Colias philodice) Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus) Melissa Blue (Lycaeides melissa) Clodius Parnassian (Parnassius clodius) Western Tiger Swallowtail(Papilio rutulus) Anise Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon)
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HOST PLANTS Scrophularia, mimulus clovers willow, poplar, elm willow, poplar clovers and other legumes legumes, mallows legumes Bleeding Hearts willow, poplar, elm parsleys
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NECTAR PLANTS Butterfly Weed(Asclepias tuberosa) Pincushion Flower(Scabiosa species) Butterfly Bush(Buddleia davidii) Buckwheats(Eriogonum species) Verbena(Verbena species) Lantana(Lantana camara)and others Purple Coneflower(Echinacea purpurea)
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Southeast
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BUTTERFLIES Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax) Silver-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene) Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice) Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele) Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) Monarch (Danaus plexippus) Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
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HOST PLANTS willow, poplar, cherry Viola species clovers Dutchman's Pipe Viola species carrot family willow, poplar, alder milkweeds willow, poplar, elm
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NECTAR PLANTS Butterfly Weed(Asclepias tuberosa) Butterfly Bush(Buddleia davidii) Lilac(Syringia vulgaris) Hoary Mountain Mint(Pycnanthemum incanum) Purple Coneflower(Echinacea purpurea) Lanceleaf Coreopsis(Coreopsis lanceolata) Phlox(Phlox subulata)
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Pacific Northwest
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BUTTERFLIES Mourning Cloak(Nymphalis antiopa) Sara Orangetip(Anthocharis sara) Painted Lady(Vanessa cardui) Common Buckeye(Junonia coenia) Westo Coast Lady(Vanessa annabella) Gary Haristreak(Strymon melinus) Clodius Parnassian(Parnassius clodius) Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus Anis Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon) Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
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HOST PLANTS willow, poplar, elm various mustards mallows, thistles plantago, snapdragons mallows mallows and legumes Bleeding Hearts willow, poplar, elm parsleys milkweeds
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NECTAR PLANTS Butterfly Weed(Asclepias tuberosa) Butterfly Bush(Buddleia davidii) Globe Amaranth(Gomphrena globosa) Annual Statice(Limonium species) Verbena (Verbena bonarensis) Golden Marguerite(Anthemis tinctoria)
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Southwest
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BUTTERFLIES Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) Queen (Danaus gilippus) Marine Blue (Leptotes marina) Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) Sara Orangetip (Anthocharis sara) Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus) Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) Two-tailed Swallowtail (Papilio multicaudata Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
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HOST PLANTS mallows, thistles milkweeds Plumbago Passion Vine various mustards mallows and legumes Dutchman's Pipe citrus, hop tree, prickly ash choke cherry, hop tree, milkweeds
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NECTAR PLANTS False Indigo (fruticosa) Lantana (Lantana camara) Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) Narrowleaf Milkweed (Asclepias angustifolia) Wooly Butterfly Bush (Buddleia marubifolia) Yarrow (Achillea species) Verbena (Verbena species)
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Texas
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BUTTERFLIES Red-spotted Purple(Limenitis arthemis astyanax) Gulf Fritillary(Agraulis vanillae) Clouded Sulphur(Colias philodice) Queen(Danaus gilippus) Marine Blue(Leptotes marina) Pipevine Swallowtail(Battus philenor) Giant Swallowtail(Papilio cresphontes) Eastern Tiger Swallowtail(Papilio glaucus) Zebra Longwing(Heliconius charitonius)
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HOST PLANTS willow, poplar, cherry Passion Vine clovers milkweeds Plumbago Dutchman's Pipe citrus, hop tree, prickly ash willow, poplar, alder, tulip tree Passion Vine
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NECTAR PLANTS Antelope Horn(Asclepias asperula) Butterfly Bush(Buddleia davidii) Viburnum(Viburnum rufidulum) Verbena(Verbena species) Purple Coneflower(Echinacea purpurea) Tall Boneset(Eupatorium altissimum) Elbow Bush(Foresteria pubescens)
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