Best Flowers and Plants to Attract Butterflies to Your Garden

Butterflies—over 14,000 known species—add beauty and pollination to gardens. Attract them with the right plants, colors, and habitat.

Butterfly Basics

• Color preferences: Adults favor red, purple, and yellow flowers
• Common attractors: Butterfly weed and milkweed grow in many climates
• Species-specific needs: Research local species first

Host Plants for Caterpillars

To keep butterflies, provide host plants for their young:

• Swallowtails: Dill, fennel, Queen Anne's lace
• Skippers: Sedges and purple grasses
• Each species has specific host plant requirements

Essential Garden Conditions

• Full sun: Butterflies feed on nectar in sunlight; most host plants need full/partial sun to flower
• Location: Plant in areas with morning and early afternoon sun
• No pesticides: These kill butterflies and caterpillars

Creating a Butterfly Garden

1. Research local butterfly species and their preferred plants
2. Choose perennials for year-after-year returns with less maintenance
3. Provide both nectar sources (adults) and host plants (caterpillars)
4. Avoid all pesticides

A well-planned butterfly garden rewards you with beautiful winged visitors year after year while supporting insect biodiversity.

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