Flowering Plants That Attract Butterflies
To attract butterflies to your garden, you need to know exactly what they are looking for in the nectar. Plant annual flowering plants in between your perennial flowering plants to ensure continuous nectar throughout the year. Asters and Parsleys are two of the perennial plants that provide food for the hosts of the larvae. Remember that the more food you provide, the more species of butterflies you will attract. Plant a garden that provides continuous blooming as the butterflies are active from spring through fall.
In addition, they like sunny open spaces, shelter from the wind and fresh water. Specifically, they search for host plants to lay their eggs on. Grasses are very attractive to butterflies because they provide an excellent environment for their eggs.
The following are some of the many flowering plants that are attractive to butterflies:
Lilac – It comes in seven different colors, but most of us are familiar with the color lilac. They are perfect for your garden because of their pleasant fragrance. Most lilacs bloom in the northern states for 2 weeks in late May. They also bloom early, mid, and late in the season. They can grow from 5 to 15 feet. They need full sun exposure.
Ironweed: It is a late summer bloomer. Ironweed ships flower stalks up to 7 feet. It lasts well into the fall season. Provides nectar for butterflies that mate in later seasons. Some species can be used as edible leafy vegetables, such as Vernonia Calvoana, Vernonia Amygdalina, and Vernonia Colorata. Lastly, Ironweed is known to be a larval host of the American Painted Lady butterfly.
Parsley: It is the favorite food of the black swallowtail caterpillars. It looks beautiful as a border in your flower bed or spilling out of a hanging planter. Parsley is a familiar herb that provides attractive garnish and special flavor and nutritional value to dishes.
Coneflower – It is easy to grow and provides large amounts of tall purple flowers. It is also known as a butterfly magnet for its wide variety of colors and preferred by gardeners for its beauty.
Marijuana: it is essential in all gardens. It tolerates dry soil well, is low maintenance, and has a beautiful flower that can be used as green foliage in your garden when not blooming.
Sunflower: Attracts butterflies, hummingbirds, and songbirds. They are easy to grow as long as the soil is not soggy. They make an excellent cut flower.
Citrus: They are a common place for butterflies to lay their eggs. Popular citrus plants for butterflies include lemons, limes, and oranges.
Dahlia: They are large and beautiful plants that shine in the garden.
Joe-pye weed: Clusters of pink-purple flowers with a vanilla-like fragrance. They bloom well into the fall season. Joe-pye herb looks great in a bed of cultivated flowers. The entire plant, including the root and fresh flower, can be used to make an herbal tea.
Pentas: These are plants that have hairy green leaves and clusters of flowers. They come in many shades of white, red, pink, and purple. Pentas are attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds.