Plants and Flowers that Attract and Feed Butterflies

Butterfly Garden Plants

Butterflies don't need anything fancy or expensive. Just a large, open, sun-filled area, some nectar flowers for adult Butterflies, some food sources for caterpillars, shelter from extreme weather, a shallow butterfly 'pool', and a few good sunning rocks.

One note for dedicated gardenners who may be appalled at the idea of actually inviting caterpillars in for lunch...
Very few butterfly species ever cause harm to your garden plants!

Common Name:

African Daisy

Botanical Name: Arctotis x hybrida

Height: 1-2 ft.

USDA Zones: 9-11

Requirements & Benefits:

African Daisies typically have bold, beautiful foliage and large, 3"-4", intensely colored flowers with bright centers. The foliage is grey to silvery green and coated with soft, downy silver hairs. The flowers close at night.

Common Name:

Alfalfa

Botanical Name: Medicago sativa

Height: 3 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-7

Requirements & Benefits:

Alfalfa is a nitrogen fixing, legumous member of the pea family which is used as feed for farm animals or as a cover crop. It produces clusters of small flowers Attracts Butterflies: Eastern Black Swallowtail, Orange Sulphur, Dogface, Large Wood Nymph

Common Name:

Alpine Aster

Botanical Name: Aster alpinus

Height: 6-12"

USDA Zones: 3-9

Requirements & Benefits:

The Alpine Aster plant forms a nice compact mound and produces an abundance of 1 ½" white flowers in May and June

Common Name:

Alpine Columbine

Botanical Name: Aquilegia flabellata

Height: 6-12"

USDA Zones: 3-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Violet with white flowers are borne on stiff stalks above the lacy bluish green foliage of the durable, self seeding Alpine Columbine

Common Name:

Annual Aster

Botanical Name: Callistephus chinensis

Height: 8-24"

USDA Zones:

Requirements & Benefits:

This annual plant is a native to Asia. The 2-4" flowers range in color from blue, white, red, yellow, or pink on 1'-3' stems. Do not plant annual varieties of Asters in the same are for more than two consecutive years to prevent Aster wilt. Attracts Butterflies: Checkered White, Orange Sulphur, Question Mark, Painted Ladies, Red Admiral, Buckeye

Common Name:

Aster

Botanical Name: Aster novae-angliae

Height: 12-24"

USDA Zones: 4-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Asters grow into a dense mound of light green foliage. In May and through June, the plant will become covered with soft, 1 1/2" white, purple, pink or red flowersAttracts Butterflies: Checkered White, Orange Sulphur, Question Mark, Painted Ladies, Red Admiral, Buckeye

Common Name:

Australian Saltbush

Botanical Name: Atriplex semibaccata

Height: 1-2 ft.

USDA Zones: 9-11

Requirements & Benefits:

The Creeping Saltbush is a low growing shrub from Australia with light green curly leaves. It will survive in areas where there is high levels of salt in the soil. Flowers in the summer are insignificant

Common Name:

Avens

Botanical Name: Geum chiloense

Height: 16-18"

USDA Zones: 5-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Geums form 16"-18" tall, spreading mounds of evergreen, coarsly textured, dark green leaves. From May until July they produce leafy, 24" branching stems that hold intensely colored, solitary, 1"-1¾" flowers or small clusters of smaller, brightly colored flowers.

Common Name:

Bachelor's Button

Botanical Name: Centaurea cyanus

Height: 18-36"

USDA Zones:

Requirements & Benefits:

Bachelor's Button is the annual version of the Mountain Cornflower. It is an easy to grow plant that quickly forms a nice clump. It begins producing it's bright flowers in late spring and will often continue blooming well into fall. Excellent for dried flowers and potpourri.

Common Name:

Bat Face Plant

Botanical Name: Cuphea llavea

Height: 2-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 10-12

Requirements & Benefits:

Bat Face Flowers are low maintenance, shrubby perennials with glossy green, lance shaped leaves. They grow 18"-24" tall with a three foot spread. Bat Face Cupheas produce masses of 1" purple tubular flowers with two bright red, upward facing petals.

Common Name:

Beach Daisy

Botanical Name: Asteriscus maritimus

Height: 12"

USDA Zones: 9-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Beach Daisies are low growing evergreen plants that grow 1 ft. tall with a 3-4 ft. spread. They have leathery, slightly fuzzy, silvery green foliage, and for 6-8 months of the year will cover themselves with 1"-1½", bright yellow Daisy flowers.

Common Name:

Beard Tongue

Botanical Name: Penstemon Barbatus

Height: 12-24"

USDA Zones: 4-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Tubular flowers in red, pink, purple, or white will be sure to attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden.

Common Name:

Bee Balm

Botanical Name: Monarda didyma

Height: 2-4 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Like other members of the Mint Family, Bee Balm can become invasive. The plant should be divided every 3 years to keep it tidy. Stimulate a second flowering in the same year by cutting the bright crimson flowers right after they bloom

Common Name:

Black Eyed Susan

Botanical Name: Rudbeckia hirta

Height: 24-36

USDA Zones: 3-8

Requirements & Benefits:

The Black Eyed Susan is most commonly an annual wildflower, but some varieties are perennial or biennial. These native prairie flowers can be found growing wild in almost every state. These bright, daisy like flowers are excellent to use in cut flower arrangements. Deadheading spent flowers will prolong the blooming period considerably. Attracts Butterflies: Great Spangled Fritillary, Pearly Crescentspot

Common Name:

Black Eyed Susan Vine

Botanical Name: Thunbergia alata

Height: 6-20 ft.

USDA Zones: 9-12

Requirements & Benefits:

The Black-Eyed Susan Vine is an evergreen, twining vine, most often grown as a long blooming annual. Black-Eyed Susan Vines have dark green, arrowhead-shaped, 3" leaves. They produce a profusion of brightly colored, 1½" bell-shaped flowers from early summer, well into the fall.

Common Name:

Blanket flower

Botanical Name: Gaillardia grandiflora

Height: 1-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Blanket flowers are clumping upright perennials with light green foliage. Their Daisy-like flowers appear in mid summer and are up to four inches in diameter. Blanket Flowers are easily grown from seeds

Common Name:

Bluebeard

Botanical Name: Caryopteris clandonensis

Height: 2-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 5-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Bluebeard plants are low growing shrubs that are covered with fragrant, blue flowers in late summer and early fall. The silvery green, 1"-2" leaves have a light aroma of Eucalyptus when rubbed. Bluebeard flowers are a favorite food for butterflies and bees.

Common Name:

Butterfly bush

Botanical Name: Buddleia davidii

Height: 6-15 ft.

USDA Zones: 5-10

Requirements & Benefits:

The Butterfly Bush is a fast growing, profuse blooming, deciduous shrub that will grow in almost any type of soil. Prune hard in early spring and remove spent flowers promptly.

Common Name:

Butterfly Gaura

Botanical Name: Gaura lindheimeri

Height: 2-4 ft.

USDA Zones: 5-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Butterfly Gaura are shrubby, perennial wildflowers that are closely related to the Evening Primrose. From late spring until first frost, they produce 8"-24" spikes of 1" flowers that are white when they open at dawn and fade to rose-pink as the sun sets.

Common Name:

Butterfly Lily

Botanical Name: Hedychium coronarium

Height: 2-4ft.

USDA Zones: 9-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Butterfly lilies are only suited for growing in warmer climates. Fragrant pink or white flowers that resemble butterflies appear on 5-8 ft. stalks in late summer and into the fall

Common Name:

Butterfly Pea

Botanical Name: Clitoria ternata

Height:

USDA Zones: 10-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Butterfly Pea is a fast growing climber is a fairly common tender perennial species that produces two inch flowers in mid to late Summer. A quick cover for lattice, a trellis, arbors and chain-link fences

Common Name:

Butterfly Weed

Botanical Name: Asclepias tuberosa

Height: 2 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Butterfly Weed is a perennial wildflower, native to the United States. This upright growing plant has long fuzzy foliage and produces fragrant, bright orange flowers atop 3 ft. stems in July and August

Common Name:

Cardinal Flowers

Botanical Name: Lobelia cardinalis

Height: 2-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 3-9

Requirements & Benefits:

The intensely bright red flower spikes of the Cardinal Flower serve as a beacon to the hummingbirds and butterflies who dine on the flower's nectar. The plant itself also acts as a host for some species of butterfly larvae

Common Name:

Catnip

Botanical Name: Nepeta cataria

Height: 2-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 3-7

Requirements & Benefits:

Catnip is a very easy to grow and care for plant that is somewhat less ornamental than Catmint. Catnip plants grow to 3 feet tall, with a spread of 1½-2 feet. In the summer and early fall, they produce 3"-4" spikes of tiny white flowers spotted with pale purple.

Common Name:

Catmint

Botanical Name: Nepeta faassenii

Height: 1-2 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Catmint is a compact, upright branching perennial that grows 1-2 feet tall with a spread of 18". From early summer into fall, Catmint plants produce long, loose spikes of pretty, ½" violet-blue flowers. Cats love it, and it repels Aphids!

Common Name:

Chilean Mitre Flowers

Botanical Name: Mitraria coccinea

Height: 6 ft.

USDA Zones: 9-11

Requirements & Benefits:

The Chilean Mitre Flower is a gorgeous creeping and climbing, plant with glossy, dark green leaves arranged in pairs along woody stems. They produce an abundance of intensely colored, scarlet-orange, tubular 1½" flowers with a soft, velvety texture.

Common Name:

Cigar Plant

Botanical Name: Cuphea cyanea

Height: 2-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 10-12

Requirements & Benefits:

The Cigar Plant or Black Eyed Cuphea as it is also known, form two foot tall mounds of lance-shaped, bright green leaves with brittle stems. They produce foot long sprays of tubular, orangish-red to pink, 1"-1½" flowers with two tiny black petals.

Common Name:

Cigarette Plant

Botanical Name: Cuphea ignea

Height: 2-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 10-12

Requirements & Benefits:

The Cigarette Flower plant is sometimes called a Firecracker Plant. They have small, lance shaped, glossy green leaves that form tight mounds and tubular, petal-less, bright orange-red, ¾"-1¼" flowers.

Common Name:

Cinquefoil

Botanical Name: Potentilla fruticosa

Height: 2-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 2-7

Requirements & Benefits:

Potentillas prefer well-drained, reasonably rich soil, but will tolerate clay, rocky, or even slightly alkaline soils as well. Loads of pink or yellow 'buttercup' flowers in June.

Common Name:

Columbine

Botanical Name: Aquilegia

Height: 12-18"

USDA Zones: 3-9

Requirements & Benefits:

The Columbine is an easy plant to grow because it adapts itself to a wide variety of conditions. They are a favorite flower for hummingbirds, and are excellent additions to rock gardens or in a native woodland planting

Common Name:

Coral Bells

Botanical Name: Heuchera sanguinea

Height: 12-18"

USDA Zones: 6-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Coral Bells are compact growing, 18" mounding, evergreen plants that offer a growing variety of outstanding foliage colors in shades of purple, rose, lime green, gold as well as many striking variegations.

Common Name:

Creeping Baby's Breath

Botanical Name: Gypsophila repens

Height: 4-6"

USDA Zones: 3-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Creeping Baby's Breath forms a low growing mat of tiny greyish green foliage and produces masses of small star shaped flowers in early summer. This plant is easily grown from seed or propagated by division. Trim back after blooming

Common Name:

Daisy

Botanical Name: Chrysanthemum maximum

Height: 18-36"

USDA Zones: 5-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Daisies are long blooming, short lived (2-3 years) members of the Chrysanthemum family. This clumping perennial produces an abundance of 2-3" flowers from early summer through summerAttracts Butterflies: Pearly Crescentspot, Red Admiral, Queen

Common Name:

Dandelion

Botanical Name: Taraxacum officinale

Height: 1-2"

USDA Zones: 5-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Dandelions are a common lawn and garden weed, but can be cultivated and used. The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, flowers are used to make wine, and the milky sap can be used as a mosquito repellentAttracts Butterflies: Cabbage White, Common sulphur, Comma Angelwing, Red Admiral

Common Name:

Dogbane

Botanical Name: Apocynum cannabinum

Height: 3 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Dogbane is an upright, shrub-like deciduous perennial with yollowish green foliage. It produces small flowers at the branch tips from late spring until late summer, followed by slender 8 inch seed pods Attracts Butterflies: Spicebush Swallowtail, checkered White, Common Orange Sulphur, Gray Hairstreak, Spring Azure, Pearly Crescentspot, Mourning Cloak, American Painted Lady, Buckeye

Common Name:

Dutchman's Pipe

Botanical Name: Aristolochia littoralis

Height:

USDA Zones: 8-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Dutchman's Pipe is a tender evergreen with very unusual and unique 'calico' flowers. It prefers to grow in partial shade

Common Name:

Dwarf Yarrow

Botanical Name: Achillea kellereri

Height: 8"

USDA Zones: 5-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Dwarf Yarrow is a vigorous growing perennial with silvery strap-like leaves that add interest when the plant is out of bloom. It produces a profusion of large white or yellow flower clusters that continue throughout the summer.

Common Name:

English Marigold

Botanical Name: Calendula officinalis

Height: 6"-24"

USDA Zones:

Requirements & Benefits:

The English Marigold is a bright and cheery plant that produces 3"-5" blooms all summer from June until frost. They are very fast and easy to grow and are easily grown from seeds.Herbal and Medicinal uses of the English Marigold Plant

Common Name:

English Lavender

Botanical Name: Lavandula

Height: 12-24

USDA Zones: 6-9

Requirements & Benefits:

English Lavender is an evergreen, upright clumping perennial with bluish green, grass-like foliage. The small, fragrant flowers are held in long spikes at the top of the stems. For dried flowers, cut when the spikes first show color but the flowers are not fully open and hang inverted, in a cool dry place

Common Name:

Exbury Azalea

Botanical Name: Rhododendron

Height: 4-12 ft.

USDA Zones: 5-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Deciduous Exbury Azaleas bloom in late spring or early summer, producing clusters of 7-18 large, 2"-3", often very fragrant, often bi-colored flowers in shades of yellow, orange, pink, red and white.

Common Name:

Fringed Yellow Loosestrife

Botanical Name: Lysimachia ciliata

Height: 1-2 ft.

USDA Zones: 5

Requirements & Benefits:

Fringed Loosestrife is an outstanding, fast growing North American wildflower that grows in upright mounds of deep purplish green foliage. Each stem becomes studded with small golden flowers in mid summer. Excellent contrast near lighter foliage plants

Common Name:

Gayfeather

Botanical Name: Liatris spicata

Height: 1-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 3-10

Requirements & Benefits:

The Gayfeather, Liatris spicata is an interesting perennial plant which produces a 1-3 foot tall spike of bright purplish-pink or white flowers in late June to early fall. Liatris are easily grown from seeds

Common Name:

Golden Loosestrife

Botanical Name: Lysimachia punctata

Height: 3-4 ft.

USDA Zones: 5-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Golden Loosestrife is an excellent plant for bog gardens or next to ponds and streams. This 3-4 foot tall perennial has light green, 3" leaves with serrated edges. In the summer, they produce abundant spikes of star shaped, golden yellow flowers, tinged in red at the base.

Common Name:

Goldenrod

Botanical Name: Solidago virgaurea

Height: 12-36"

USDA Zones: 3-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Goldenrod is an aggressively spreading, upright clumping, deciduous perennial plant with light green foliage. It produces sprays of bright yellow flowers from mid summer until mid fall Attracts Butterflies: Common Orange Sulphur, Gray Hairstreak, American Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Viceroy

Common Name:

Golden Shrimp Plant

Botanical Name: Pachystachys lutea

Height: 18-24"

USDA Zones: 10-12

Requirements & Benefits:

Golden Shrimp Plants are shrubby plants that are each tipped with brightly colored, 4" golden yellow bracts that are adorned with small, creamy white flowers. In zones 10-12 they are popular as landscape plants. In cooler zones they are more often grown as house plants.

Common Name:

Goldflame Honeysuckle

Botanical Name: Lonicera heckrottii

Height:

USDA Zones: 5-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Honeysuckle vines are easy to grow, vigorous, heat-tolerant, and nearly indestructible. The flashy and fragrant flowers will attract hummingbirds and butterflies all summer long.

Common Name:

Gold Plate Yarrow

Botanical Name: Achillea filipendulina

Height: 4 ft.

USDA Zones: 3-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Gold Plate Yarrow is a long blooming perennial with fern like greyish green foliage and 4-6" bright yellow flower clusters

Common Name:

Heliotrope

Botanical Name: Heliotropium arborescens

Height: 1-6 ft.

USDA Zones: 10-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Heliotropes are also known by the old-fashioned name of Cherry Pie. They are frost tender, evergreen shrubs that are most often grown as annual bedding plants. Their main attraction is the aroma from their clusters of tiny flowers with the sweet fragrance of vanilla or cherry pie.

Common Name:

Hollyhock

Botanical Name: Althaea rosea

Height: 3-7 ft.

USDA Zones:

Requirements & Benefits:

Hollyhocks are easy to start from seed. The towering spikes host dozens of white, yellow, pink, red or crimson flowers from mid Summer until late Fall

Common Name:

Hollyhock Mallow

Botanical Name: Malva alcea

Height: 2-4 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Hollyhock Mallow plants are multi-stemmed, upright perennials that grow 2-4 feet tall, forming 2 foot clumps. From mid summer until fall, they produce spikes of 2" rose-pink or white flowers that resemble Hollyhocks. Mallow are reliable, easy to care for plants.

Common Name:

Honeysuckle

Botanical Name: Lonicera

Height:

USDA Zones: 4-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Honeysuckle are easy to grow, vigorous, heat-tolerant, and nearly indestructible. The flashy, fragrant flowers will attract hummingbirds and butterflies all summer long. The resulting fruit will provide a fall treat for your local songbirds as well.

Common Name:

Ivy Geranium

Botanical Name: Pelargonium peltatum

Height:

USDA Zones: 9-11

Requirements & Benefits:

The Ivy Leaved Geranium is a frost tender, climbing and trailing, semi succulent perennial that produces clusters of orchid-like flowers at the vine tips all summer. Good in hanging baskets. They can be propagated by softwood cuttings or grown from seed

Common Name:

Jupiter's Beard

Botanical Name: Centranthus ruber

Height: 24-36"

USDA Zones: 4-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Jupiter's Beard is an upright, branching perennial with soft, light bluish green, lance shaped foliage. It produces clusters of small, fragrant flowers from June through August. Can be easily grown from seeds.

Common Name:

Knotweed

Botanical Name: Persicaria bistorta

Height: 2-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Knotweed or Bistort plants are low maintenance, quick growing, semi-evergreen perennials with bright green, lance shaped leaves. Knotweed plants produce -bottlebrush-like spikes of tiny, pink, bell-shaped flowers on leafless stems that rise above the foliage from late spring into early fall.

Common Name:

Lantana

Botanical Name: Lantana camaraLantana montevidensis

Height: 1-4 ft.

USDA Zones: 7-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Lantanas are fast growing, shrubby, spreading or trailing evergreen plants that grow from one to four feet tall. Lantana plants produce flat-topped 2" clusters of bright, multi-colored tubular flowers in the summer and fall.

Common Name:

Leopard Plant

Botanical Name: Ligularia

Height: 2-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Ligularias are unusual, old world perennials with big leaves with long leaf stalks and unique daisy-like flowers. They are excellent specimen plants for growing in tubs, boggy areas or along the banks of stream or pond. The ideal location for growing most Ligularias is in a bog garden with fertile, humus-rich soil in partial shade.

Common Name:

Lilacs

Botanical Name: Syringa vulgaris

Height: 5-8 ft.

USDA Zones: 3-7

Requirements & Benefits:

Lilacs require full sun for maximum bloom. They prefer a slightly alkaline soil (pH 7.5). Most Lilacs require a pronounced winter chilling period or they may fail to bloom the following year

Common Name:

Lupine

Botanical Name: Lupinus

Height: 12-36"

USDA Zones: 3-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Lupines are upright, mound forming annual or perennial wildflowers with large green, lance shaped leaves and spikes of brightly colored sweet pea-like flowers from June to August. Can be easily grown from seed Beware of slugs! Attracts Butterflies: Common Blue

Common Name:

Marguerite Daisy

Botanical Name: Argyranthemum frutescens

Height: 1-3 ft.

USDA Zones:

Requirements & Benefits:

Marguerite Daisies are easy to grow, tender perennials that are usually grown as annual plants. They produce masses of fragrant, 1-2", Chrysanthemum-like flowers from mid spring until mid fall that attract many types of butterflies

Common Name:

Marigold

Botanical Name: Tagetes

Height: 8-36"

USDA Zones: 9-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Marigolds are one of the easiest of all plants to grow and care for, making them a perfect plant for teaching young children about growing and gardening. These spunky little plants are only hardy in zones 9-11 so they are normally grown as annual bedding plants.

Common Name:

Meadow Rue

Botanical Name: Thalictrum aquilegifolium

Height: 2-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 5-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Meadow Rue plants are mound forming perennials that will grow to about three feet tall and spread to about 18". They are known for their lacy, bluish green foliage that closely resembles that of the Columbine plant. A great addition to any Butterfly garden

Common Name:

Milkweed

Botanical Name: Asclepias speciosa

Height: 2-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 3-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Milkweed is a deciduous American wildflower with large, wooly, greyish green leaves. They produce clusters of brightly colored, uniquely shaped flowers from late spring until late summer which turn into large, pointed seed pods Attracts Butterflies: Swallowtails, Checkered Cabbage White, Common Orange Sulphur, Gray Hairstreak, Spring Azure, Pearly Crescentspot, Common Blue, Great Spangled Fritillary, Question Mark, Mourning Cloak, Painted Ladies, Red Admiral, Viceroy, Monarch, Queen

Common Name:

Miniature Daisy

Botanical Name: Bellium mimutum

Height: 2"

USDA Zones: 6-9

Requirements & Benefits:

The Miniature Daisy plant is a vigorous growing, mat forming perennial with dense, bright green, 1" spoon shaped foliage. They only grow 2" tall, but spread to about 18". From late spring through summer, they cover themselves with tiny, ½" Daisy flowers on wirey stems.

Common Name:

Mint

Botanical Name: Mentha

Height: 6-24"

USDA Zones: 3-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Mint plants are fragrant, easy to grow, sometimes invasive, drought tolerant perennials that range from low growing ground covers to two foot uprights. Flowers should be snipped away to strengthen the stems. Attracts Butterflies: Swallowtails, Cabbage White, Gray Hairstreak, Painted Ladies, Red Admiral, Monarch, Large Wood Nymph

Common Name:

Montbretia

Botanical Name: Crocosmia

Height: 2-4 Ft.

USDA Zones: 5-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Crocosmia are easy to grow, corm type plants that are related to the Iris. They produce a stalk of brilliantly colored, tube shaped flowers that open sequentially up the stem from July until the first hard frost. They can be grown, but not over-wintered in containers

Common Name:

Morning Glory

Botanical Name: Ipomoea species

Height: 10-20 ft.

USDA Zones: 9-12

Requirements & Benefits:

Morning Glories are very fast growing vines that are capable of growing 10 feet or more within the first two months. They readily reseed themselves for the next year. Morning Glory vines may become invasive

Common Name:

Oregon Grape

Botanical Name: Mahonia aquifolium

Height: 3-6 ft.

USDA Zones: 5-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Oregon Grape is a deer resistant, low maintenance, durable, evergreen shrub with glossy green, holly like foliage. It produces spikey clusters of Butterfly attracting, bright yellow flowers in the spring, followed by bluish-black berries to feed the birds.

Common Name:

Pansy

Botanical Name: Viola

Height: 3-8"

USDA Zones: 6-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Pansies may be cool season annuals, biennials, or hardy perennials. They may bloom in early spring or fall depending on the species. Planting time is critical

Common Name:

Passion Flower

Botanical Name: Passiflora incarnata

Height:

USDA Zones: 5-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Passion flowers are generally considered to be hardy in USDA zones 5-9 but they should be planted in a protected location and mulched heavily if severe cold threatens. This vine produces dramatic 3 inch diameter flowers in late summer

Common Name:

Peruvian Lily

Botanical Name: Alstroemeria

Height: 2-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 7-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Peruvian Lily plants are easy to care for, tuberous rooted perennials with bright green, lance shaped foliage that grow 2-3 feet tall. They produce loose clusters of speckled, 1½"-2" Azalea-like flowers on long, leafy stems in late spring into mid summer.

Common Name:

Pincushion Flower

Botanical Name: Scabiosa columnaria

Height: 1-2 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-8

Requirements & Benefits:

The Pincushion Flower is a long blooming, clump forming perennial. From early summer until the first frost of fall, Pincushion Flowers produce an abundance of rounded, 1½" flowerheads on top of wirey, 12"-24" stems.

Common Name:

Plantain lily

Botanical Name: Hosta

Height: 9-24"

USDA Zones: 3-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Decorative, large clumps of lush foliage and spikes of lily shaped flowers later in summer. A hummingbird favorite flower

Common Name:

Plecostachys

Botanical Name: Plecostachys serpyllifolia

Height: 1-2 ft.

USDA Zones: 9-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Plecostachys is a sturdy and drought tolerant, low growing shrub from South Africa. It has dense, very fine textured, light green or light grey foliage and produces Yarrow like flowers from mid summer to early fall

Common Name:

Poor Man's Orchid

Botanical Name: Schizanthus wisetonensis

Height: 1-2 ft.

USDA Zones:

Requirements & Benefits:

The colorful orchid like flowers of the Butterfly Flower contrast beautifully against the soft, feathery foliage of this annual. Schizanthus dislike extremes of heat or cold, preferring cool and moist conditions.

Common Name:

Powder Puff Tree

Botanical Name: Calliandra haematocephala

Height: 3-10 ft.

USDA Zones: 10-12

Requirements & Benefits:

Calliandra haematocephala, commonly known as the Powder Puff Tree grow up to 10 feet tall with an equal spread, but dwarf, 3-6 foot varieties are also available, which are more appropriate in colder regions where you will need to over-winter your plant indoors.

Common Name:

Privet

Botanical Name: Ligustrum vulgare

Height: 4-15 ft.

USDA Zones: 1-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Privet is a densely growing deciduous shrub with small light green, mottled or golden foliage. It produces clusters of fragrant white flowers all summer. Can be pruned into elaborate shapes Attracts Butterflies: Spring Azure, Painted Ladies, Red-spotted Purple

Common Name:

Purple Coneflower

Botanical Name: Echinacea purpurea

Height: 2-4 ft.

USDA Zones: 3-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Purple Coneflowers produce large, fragrant pink flowers beginning in April and May. The three to five foot flower stalks make them an excellent background planting for your landscape, or in a butterfly garden. Attracts Butterflies: Silvery blue, Great Spangled Fritillary

Common Name:

Queen Anne's Lace

Botanical Name: Daucus carota

Height: 6-12"

USDA Zones: 2-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Queen Anne's Lace is the wild form of the common carrot. It has light green, lacy foliage and blooms atop an inflorescence in late summer. Requires deep, loose soil to accomodate the plant's deep tap root. Attracts Butterflies: Eastern Black Swallowtail, Gray Hairstreak

Common Name:

Rabbitbrush

Botanical Name: Chrysothamnus nauseosus

Height: 4-5 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-6

Requirements & Benefits:

Rabbitbrush is best known for it's intensely yellow colored flowers which bloom from August through October.

Common Name:

Red Clover

Botanical Name: Trifolium pratense

Height: 10-20"

USDA Zones: 6-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Red Clover is a legumous, nitrogen fixing, frost tender perennial with light green, trifoliate leaves immediately below a globe type flower head. It blooms from late spring until mid fall. An excellent cover crop. Attracts Butterflies: Cabbage White, Great Spangled Fritillary, Painted Ladies, Red Admiral

Common Name:

Red Dragon Fleeceflower

Botanical Name: Persicaria microcephala

Height: 2-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-9

Requirements & Benefits:

The Red Dragon Fleeceflower is a fast growing, low maintenance, spreading perennial that grows 2-3 feet tall, with a 3 foot spread. They are known for their bright red stems and stunning, 3"-4", lance shaped, deep burgundy leaves. The sprays of tiny, white flowers and the foliage are both useful in cut flower arrangements.

Common Name:

Red Flowering Currant

Botanical Name: Ribes sanguineum

Height: 6-10 ft.

USDA Zones: 5-10

Requirements & Benefits:

This 6-10 foot tall deciduous shrub is hardy in USDA Planting Zones 5-8 In early spring it produces pendulous clusters of red or pink flowers that attract and feed hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. The small bluish-black berries are eaten by a wide variety of wild birds.

Common Name:

Red Hot Poker

Botanical Name: Kniphofia uvaria

Height: 2-5 ft

USDA Zones: 5-10

Requirements & Benefits:

The stately flowers of the Torch Lily, Kniphofia uvaria provide a dramatic display, when grown in a space where the entire plant is visible. If you have sufficient space, you can select varieties to provide bloom during every month from May through October!

Common Name:

Sea Holly

Botanical Name: Eryngium bourgatii

Height: 1 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Sea Holly is a uniquely ornamental perennial plant that is among the favorites of many varieties of butterfly. The prickly foliage of this plant is variegated green and white. The steel blue, thistle like flowers form atop a two foot spike.

Common Name:

Sea Pink

Botanical Name: Armeria maritima

Height: 4-8"

USDA Zones: 4-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Sea Pink is a low maintenance, short lived perennial that forms a compact mound of narrow, dark green, grass-like leaves. It produces a steady supply of white to pink flowers from late spring until late summer

Common Name:

Sedum 'Autumn Joy'

Botanical Name: Sedum telephium

Height: 18-24"

USDA Zones: 3-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Sedum Autumn Joy is a low maintenance, clump forming, succulent perennial plant with waxy, grey green foliage. Four inch clusters of tiny, star shaped flowers appear from mid summer until mid autumn

Common Name:

Spiderwort

Botanical Name: Tradescantia x andersoniana

Height: 18-24"

USDA Zones: 4-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Spiderworts are clump forming perennials that from early through mid-summer continuously produce butterfly attracting, 1"-1½", three petaled, triangular, flowers on stems that rise slightly above the narrow, strap-like foliage.

Common Name:

Spike Speedwell

Botanical Name: Veronica spicata

Height: 24"x36"

USDA Zones: 6-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Containers, Cut Flowers Compact, spreading, clump forming plant with deep green or silvery, felt-like foliage. Produces 12" airy spikes of tiny flowers all summer. Remove spent flower spikes regularly to extend blooming season.

Common Name:

Sweet Pea

Botanical Name: Lathyrus odoratus

Height:

USDA Zones:

Requirements & Benefits:

Sweet Peas have long been a favorite of gardeners because of the wonderful fragrance of the large clusters of colorful flowers that grace these annual vines all summer. Attracts Butterflies: Gray Hairstreak

Common Name:

Sweet Pepperbush

Botanical Name: Clethra alnifolia

Height: 6-10 ft.

USDA Zones: 5-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Sweet Pepperbush is an upright growing, deciduous shrub with light to dark green, deeply veined foliage. It produces spires of tiny, fragrant flowers from mid to late summer Attracts Butterflies: Spicebush Swallowtail, Question Mark, American Painted Lady, Red Admiral

Common Name:

Tall Speedwell

Botanical Name: Veronica longifolia

Height: 36"x18"

USDA Zones: 6-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Containers, Cut Flowers Deciduous, clump forming plant with soft, deep green foliage with serrated edges. Produces long lasting, dense, 6" spikes of tiny flowers from late spring until mid summer. Cut plant back to 12" after blooming for a repeat show in the fall.

Common Name:

Texas Bluebonnet

Botanical Name: Lupinus texensis

Height: 12-24"

USDA Zones: 3-8

Requirements & Benefits:

The Texas Bluebonnet is an upright, mound forming perennial wildflower with large green, lance shaped leaves and spikes of blue, sweet pea-like flowers in late spring. Can be easily grown from seed Attracts Butterflies: Common Blue

Common Name:

Thistle

Botanical Name: Cirsium vulgare

Height: 2-6 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-10

Requirements & Benefits:

There are many different species of Thistle, and nearly all of them are considered weeds. They are worst known for their prickly stems, prickly leaves and prickly flowers, but the butterflies like them Attracts Butterflies: Swallowtails, Dogface, Gulf Fritillary, Pearly Crescentspot, Milbert's Tortoiseshell, American Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Viceroy, Monarch

Common Name:

Tickseed

Botanical Name: Coreopsis species

Height: 1-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Coreopsis plants form nice, slow spreading clumps of green, fern-like or thread-like foliage with profusely blooming flowers that stand above the foliage on long, wirey stems. Coreopsis are excellent border or rock garden plants, and are great for cut flower arrangements.

Common Name:

Trailing Petunia

Botanical Name: Calibrachoa

Height: 6-8"

USDA Zones: 9-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Calibracoa shares most of the features of a Petunia, except everything is shrunk down to about one fourth the size. Trailing Petunias are easy to care for, fast growing plants that will produce an abundance of Petunia-like blooms all summer long.

Common Name:

Verbena

Botanical Name: Verbena species

Height: 6"-5'

USDA Zones: vary

Requirements & Benefits:

There are about 250 annual and perennial species of Verbena but there are only about a half dozen that are commonly cultivated. These easy to grow, long blooming plants are both heat and drought tolerant. Trailing forms of Verbena are excellent for growing in containers and hanging baskets. Attracts Butterflies: Great Spangled Fritillary

Common Name:

Violets

Botanical Name: Viola sp

Height: 2-6"

USDA Zones: 4-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Violets are dainty little self seeding versions of the Pansy. Their seeds can be directly sown into the garden at anytime from spring through fall, but the seeds need darkness and 70° to germinate

Common Name:

Winter Cress

Botanical Name: Barbarea orthoceras

Height: 1-2 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-7

Requirements & Benefits:

Winter Cress is one of the earliest blooming wildflowers. It is a moisture loving member of the mustard family that produces clusters of <½ flowers from early spring until early fall. Attracts Butterflies: Checkered White, Gray Hairstreak, Spring Azure, Pearly Crecentspot

Common Name:

Woolly Yarrow

Botanical Name: Achillea tomentosa

Height: 9-12"

USDA Zones: 5-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Woolly Yarrow is a very durable and low maintenance perennial with aromatic, greyish green, strap-like leaves. It produces small clusters that continue throughout the summer. Very drought tolerant

Common Name:

Yarrow

Botanical Name: Achillea millefolium

Height: 2-4 ft.

USDA Zones: 3-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Yarrow belongs to a group of plants that includes annual and perennial, drought resistant plants that will grow in almost any garden soil. It is a long blooming perennial wildflower with fern like greyish green foliage and 4-6" flower clusters

Common Name:

Zinnia

Botanical Name: Zinnia elegans

Height: 6-40"

USDA Zones:

Requirements & Benefits:

Zinnias are easy to grow annual plants that produce an abundance of brightly colored 2-3" flowers through the summer months. They grow well in containers and make excellent cut flower arrangements. They dislike wet foliage. Can be easily grown from seed