Butterfly Flowers and Host Plants for their Larvae

A butterfly garden rewards you with close-up wing views while supporting conservation. Healthy gardens naturally attract these pollinators—fluttering butterflies signal a balanced ecosystem.

Habitat Essentials

• Food for all stages: Nectar flowers for adults; specific host plants for egg-laying and caterpillars.
• Mass plantings: Butterflies are nearsighted—group same species for visibility.
• Sun & shelter: Cold-blooded butterflies need sunny basking spots and wind protection (tall plants at border backs).
• Water: Shallow puddles—bird baths, stone basins, or small in-ground pools.

Embrace the "Ugly" Stage

Caterpillars chew leaves—that's their job. Without them, no butterflies. Other insects feed birds. A diverse, pesticide-free garden eventually self-regulates: birds and beneficial insects keep pests in check.

Safe Pest Management

• Aphids: 1–2 tsp liquid soap per quart water in spray bottle.
• Japanese beetles: Daily hand-picking into soapy water; position can under them as they drop. Beneficial nematodes target soil grubs. Monterey Insect Spray as backup.

Many gardeners accept minor leaf damage over chemical warfare—gardens are refuges, not battlefields.

Nectar Plants for Adults (Perennials & Shrubs)

Check website for seasonal availability.

• Abelia, achillea, agastache, althaea, aquilegia, asclepias, aster, buddleia, clethra, coreopsis, dianthus, digitalis, echinacea, echinops, eupatorium, hemerocallis, hibiscus, lavandula, leucanthemum, liatris, monarda, nepeta, phlox, rudbeckia, salvia, scabiosa, sedum, solidago, syringa

Host Plants for Caterpillars (Perennials, Shrubs & Herbs)

Check website for availability.

• Alcea, anethum (dill), antirrhinum (snapdragon), asclepias (milkweed), asimina (pawpaw), aster, chelone, celtis (hackberry), daucus (Queen Anne's lace), foeniculum (fennel), leucanthemum, lindera (spicebush), lupulus (hops), malva, petroselinum (parsley), plantago, prunus (cherry), salix (willow), sassafras, viola