April 17, 2019

Best Plants to Attract Butterflies

Planting a Garden to

Support Butterflies

When it comes to butterflies, the most attractive landscapes possess a wide variety of host plants and nectar-rich plants throughout the growing season. Host plants, like perennial Butterfly Weed, support the egg, chrysalis, and caterpillar food cycle, while nectar-rich plants, like Butterfly Bush, offer adult butterfly food. It’s important to keep diversity of plant material in mind when creating a garden for pollinators.

The Importance of

Host Plants

It’s no secret that flowering, nectar-rich plants are great for attracting butterflies. But did you know the Herb family plays an important role in supporting butterflies as well? Herbs like Dill, Parsley, Mint, and Chives act as host plants for butterflies and their larvae. Incorporating these plants, in addition to flowering plants, is a great way to support all stages of a butterfly’s life cycle.

Attracting Butterflies with

Perennials

Planting perennials is a sustainable way to support pollinators year after year. If you’re not sure where to start, perennials in the daisy family are fantastic for butterflies because their large, open flowers act as a landing pad. Perennials in the mint family are also frequented by pollinators because they are fragrant, full of nectar, and tend to have open, tubular flowers.

Perennial Blooms for Butterflies:

Try filling your garden with early, mid, and late-season bloomers. It’s a great way to keep pollinators happy all season long.

Learn More about Perennial Bloom Times

Pollinator Powerhouse

Milkweed

Often one of the last perennials to emerge each spring, milkweed is a fantastic, native plant, perfect for pollinators. It performs best in sunny spaces in the landscape with well-draining soil. Planting milkweed is also the #1 way to help Monarch Butterflies in Northeast Ohio as it is essential in all stages of their lifecycle.

Attracting Butterflies with

Flowering Trees & Shrubs

Similar to bees, butterflies have a “nectar guide” meaning they are able to identify the middle of a flower for landing and then find the target nectar source. This trait comes in handy as they flutter over the garden in search of a desirable food source.

Flowering Trees and Shrubs for Butterflies:

THE IMPORTANCE OF

PROVIDING SHELTER

Much like hummingbirds, butterflies require shelter from high winds, so windbreaks created by evergreens of any size are crucial. If interested in providing this type of support, try using the fast-growing yet compact Boxwood, Arborvitae, or glossy evergreen Holly.

Remember to preserve, protect, and attract pollinators not only with food sources but with water and shelter, as well. Inviting these fascinating, beneficial creatures to your yard helps create a more healthy, sustainable environment for you.

A Video Guide to

Attracting Butterflies

Attracting butterflies and other pollinators is one of the best things you can do for your garden! Watch this video with Noelle to learn more about what types of plants butterflies are most attracted to and how to keep them in your garden all season long. From Shasta Daisies, Coneflowers, and Black Eyed Susan to Bee Balm, Butterfly Bush, and Yarrow be sure to have a mixture of host plants and nectar-rich plants for your butterflies to enjoy. Also, be sure to select plants for early, mid, and late-season blooming to provide nectar for butterflies all season long.

meet the monarch

A true icon of pollinator gardening, the Monarch Butterfly, is the most top-of-mind species of butterfly. It is highly recognizable with its distinctive orange-and-black coloring and white markings, and it is beloved for its feats and abilities that are unlike any other pollinating insect. It recently landed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species with the “endangered” distinction, but there are simple ways gardeners can help support the species.

learn how to support Monarch Butterflies

Like a Boss

Bringing it All Together

With research indicating that pollinators are generally declining in numbers and suffering from loss of habitat for many reasons, gardeners in Ohio (and around the globe, for that matter) are planting with a common goal to support, promote, and protect pollinators. Incorporating both shrubs that provide nectar and those that provide shelter to your garden is a simple way to support pollinators and beautify your space.

learn more about the plants

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