Herbs, Perennials & Shrubs for Butterflies

Planting Your Butterfly Garden –

1.             Select a sunny location – where there are no toxic synthetic chemicals – Butterflies need warmth and organic conditions.

2.             Provide shallow water bowls for drinking.

3.             Add a few smooth rocks for butterflies to rest on and absorb heat.

4.             Place garden where it can be observed but not disturbed – a group of conifers makes a nice area to protect garden from wind.

5.             Plant colorful flowers in blocks – Butterflies like yellow, orange, red and purple.

6.             Deadhead flowers to continue bloom. 

Food Plants and Associated  Butterfly Larvae That Feed On Them

Achillea millefolium     (yarrow).    Painted Lady

Anaphalis margaritacea      (pearly everlasting ).    American Painted Lady

Anethum graveolens     (dill).       Black Swallowtail; Anise Swallowtail

Angelica Archangelica     (angelica).   Black Swallowtail; Anise Swallowtail

Artemesia absinthium      (wormwood).    Painted Lady
Asclepias tuberosa     (butterfly weed).    Monarch
Borago officinalis     (borage).    Painted Lady
Carum carvi     (caraway).    Black Swallowtail; Anis Swallowtail.
Dictamnus sp.     (gas plant).   Giant Swallowtail      
Filipendula ulmaria    (meadowsweet).                                             
Foeniculum vulgare     (fennel, bronze fennel).     Black Swallowtail; Anise Swallowtail
Glycyrrhiza sp.     (licorice).    Silver Spotted Skipper
Helichrysum angustifolium   (curry plant).     Painted Lady          
Humulus lupulus    (hops).    Gray Hairstreak; Comma; Question Mark;  Red Admiral
Levisticum officinale    (lovage).    Black Swallowtail; Anise Swallowtail
Melissa officinalis    (lemon balm).    White Peacock
Mentha spp.    (mints).    White Peacock; Painted Lady                                       
Petroselinum crispum    (parsley).     Black Swallowtail; Anise Swallowtail
Pimpinella anisum    (anise).     Black  Swallowtail; Anise Swallowtail
Ruta graveolens    (rue).    Black Swallowtail; Giant Swallowtail.  Warning:  rue oils can
       burn sensitive skin – wear gloves when handling.
Salvia spp.    (sages).    Gray Hairstreak; Painted Lady
Symphytum officinale    (comfrey).    Painted Lady
Tanacetum vulgare    (tansy).    Painted Lady
Tropaeolum majus    (nasturtium).    Cabbage White
Viola  odorata    (sweet violet).    Fritillaries
Yucca filamentosa    (adams needle yucca).    Yucca Moth

 Flowering Garden Plants That Supply the Adult Butterfly With Food
Achillea millefolium    (yarrow)
Agastache foeniculum    (anise hyssop)
Allium schoenoprasum    (chives)
Angelica sp.    (angelica)
Alcea rosa    (hollyhock)
Aster spp.    (fall blooming asters)
Chamaemelum nobile    (chamomile)
Chelone sp.    (turtlehead)
Cimicifuga racemosa    (snakeroot)
Coreopsis spp.    (coreopsis)
Coriandrum sativum    (cilantro)
Echinacea purpurea    (purple coneflower)
Eupatorium spp.    (Joe Pye Weeds)
Heliotropum araborescens    (heliotrope)
Hesperis sp.    (Dame’s Rocket)
Hyssopus officinalis    (hyssop)
Inula helenium    (elecampane)
Lantana spp.    (lantanas)
Lavandula spp.    (lavenders)
Melissa officinalis    (lemon balm)
Mentha pulegium    (English pennyroyal)
Mentha spp.    (mints)
Monarda didyma    (beebalm)
Monarda punctata    (spotted mint)
Myrrhis odorata    (sweet cicely)
Nepeta spp.    (catmints)
Origanum laevigatum    (oregano – showy oregano – Herrenhausen – Hopley’s Purple)
Origanum majorana    ( marjoram)                                                                   
Phlox spp.    (phlox)
Pruenella vulgarsis    (selfheal)
Pycnanthemum spp.    (mountain mint)
Rosemarinus officinalis    (rosemary)
Salvia spp.    (sages)
Santolina spp.    (santolinas)
Saponaria officinalis    (soapwort)                                                                              
Satureja hortensis    (summer savory)
Scabiosa spp.    (scabiosa)
Scuttelaria laterifolia    (skullcap)
Sedum spp.    (sedums)
Solidago spp.    (goldenrods)
Tagetes  spp.    (marigolds)
Teucrium spp.    (germanders)
Thymus spp.    (thymes)
Trachelium caeruleum    (throatwort)
Tropaeolum majus    (nasturtium)
Valeriana officinalis    (true valerian)
Verbena spp.    (verbenas)
Zinnia  spp.    (zinnias)

Shrubs and Trees That Attract Butterflies:
Buddleia spp.    (butterfly bush)
Caryopteris clandonensis    (bluemist shrub)
Lindera benzoin    (spice bush)
Syringa vulgaris    (lilac)
Weigela  spp.    (weigelas)
Salix  spp.    (willow)  

Common Wildflowers That Attract Butterflies:
Coltsfoot
Dandelion
Dock
Goldenrod
Joe Pye Weed
Milkweed
Nettle
Queen Anne’s Lace
Red Clover
Thistles

“The summer life in the garden of the winged things of the air is most charming … the whole blossoming space is alive with many-colored butterflies like floating flowers.”

An Island Garden by Celia Thaxter, 1895

Alloway Creek Gardens & Herb Farm
Barbara A. Steele
456 Mud College Road
Littlestown, PA 17340
717-359-4548 (phone/FAX)
email:

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