Herb Gardens

Plants That Attract Butterflies:

Some plants act as a host plant for the butterfly caterpillars while others act as a nectar source for the adult butterflies. Certain plants provide both sources of food and will help to attract all stages of butterflies to your garden. If you are interested in attracting butterflies to your yard, you should think about planting one or more varieties of butterfly plants in your garden.

I have listed some of the butterfly attracting plants that are growing in my zone 10 south Florida garden. If you would like to attract butterflies specific to your part of the country books, such as The Family Butterfly Book by Rick Mikula, will provide additional information.

Plants that provide nectar:

•   Blanket flower (Gaillardia Purcella)
•   Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
•   Flowering sages (Salvia spp.)
•   Gout plant (Jatropha podagrica)
•   Joe-pye weed (Eupatorium fistulous)
•   Lantana (Lantana spp.)
•   Leadwort (Plumbago auriculatus)
•   Mexican sunflowwer (Tithonia rotundifolia)
•   Pincushion flower (Scabiosa spp.)
•   Porter weed (Stachytarpheta jamaicans)
•   Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
•   Zinnia (Zinnia spp.)

Host Plants:

•   Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
•   Dill (Anethum graveolens)
•   Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
•   Leadwort (Plumbago capensis)
•   Porter weed (Stachytarpheta jamaicans)
•   Passion flower (Passiflora spp.)
•   Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
•   Pelican vine (Aristolochia ringens)

ABOVE: Purple Coneflower

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