Plants for Butterfly Gardens
by Art and Linda's Wildflowers

A butterfly garden must have plants that provide food both for the caterpillar and the adult butterfly. Native plants are often a better source of nectar for the butterfly than cultivated plants because they have more nectar. These plants have evolved to attract the butterfly, not the eye of a passing human. Some examples of plants that provide food for caterpillars:

Black swallowtail Fritillaries Monarch Cloudywing Painted lady Pearly crescentspot Skippers Common wood nymph

Dill, parsley, Queen Anne's lace Violets Milkweeds Tick trefoil, bush clover Thistles Wild asters, particularly New England aster Wisterias Native grasses

Remember that the plant is a food source for the caterpillar. Don't become upset when there are holes in the leaves or the edges become ragged. Many people prefer to plant these at the back of their gardens. Some examples of plants that are nectar sources for the adult butterfly:

Banded hairstreak Black swallowtail Skippers Clouded sulphur Monarch Silvery checkerspot Tiger swallowtail Zebra swallowtail Coral hairstreak Giant swallowtail Great spangled fritillary

Milkweeds Milkweeds, phlox Fleabanes, wild asters Goldenrods, phlox, milkweeds Milkweeds and many wildflowers Sunflowers, coneflowers Bee balm or monarda, clovers Milkweeds and other wildflowers Butterfly weed Honeysuckles, goldenrods, azaleas Black-eyed Susans and thistles

Cursed or blessed by a shady garden? Many woodland butterflys will visit your garden if you place overripe fruit and sugar water on shady logs.