Butterflies are a beautiful and beneficial addition to any garden or outdoor space. Not only do they add color and movement, but they also help pollinate plants and serve as important food sources for other wildlife.
Fortunately, there are many plants out there that can attract butterflies to your garden. Here we will discuss 7 of the best butterfly-attracting plants you can choose to make your garden come alive with these graceful creatures.
7 Plants For Your Garden That Attract Butterflies
These butterfly-attracting plants have been selected based on their availability, ability to attract butterflies, and overall attractiveness in a garden.
1. Aster (Symphotrichum):
Asters are perfect for gardens looking to bring in an array of butterflies. They come in various colors and sizes, ensuring they will fit your design. Asters can reach up to 6 feet tall and bloom from summer through fall.
The flower colors range from blue, pink, purple, and white, giving the garden a vibrant touch during its blooming season. This perennial plant does well in zones 3-8, making it versatile for many parts of the world.
When it comes to attracting butterflies, these flowers work wonderfully as nectar sources. Butterflies are attracted to the colors and shapes of the aster’s petals, allowing them to enjoy their time there while feeding on the sweet nectar.
Additionally, it is essential to leave some flower heads on the plants untouched late in the fall for goldfinches and other birds to use as a food source during winter.
Asters make beautiful additions to any garden and require minimal care. They should be planted in an area with full sun exposure, so they get up to 8 hours of direct sunlight throughout the day.
Planting them in well-drained soil can help with disease prevention, proper growth, and adequate watering during dry periods.
These flowers would also benefit from being fertilized periodically, giving them extra nourishment for healthy growing practices.
Asters are great choices if you want to start or add more butterfly-attracting plants to your garden. They are easy to care for and come in various colors and sizes, making them the perfect addition to any design you have. With their ability to attract butterflies, Asters can help add beauty and life to any outdoor space.
2. Bee Balm (Monarda):
Bee balm (Monarda) is a beautiful addition to any garden that you’d like to attract butterflies. Bee Balm is a hardy perennial and thrives in Zones 3-9.
Its blooms come in various colors, including red, pink, lavender, purple, and white, and they appear during summer. The plant typically grows 1 to 4 feet tall, with some varieties reaching up to 5 feet tall.
The flowers from the bee balm are known for their immense beauty and strong aroma, which can be smelled from far distances.
In addition to attracting butterflies, bees are also drawn to the sweet nectar of these plants, making them great for pollination. The flowers also make lovely cut flower arrangements.
Bee balm is easy to care for plant that prefers moist, well-drained soils with plenty of organic matter. It’s best planted in areas with full sun or partial shade.
Once the plants are established, they need little water other than occasional deep soaking during summer. The plants should be divided in spring or autumn every two to three years to ensure healthy growth.
No garden is complete without bee balm. With its stunning colors and sweet aroma, this variety of perennials can make your garden come alive with butterflies and bees all season long.
Plus, it’s straightforward to care for, making it an excellent choice for any level of the gardener and any size of the garden.
3. Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia):
This perennial is hardy in Zones 3-9 and blooms from summer onwards. It has a light and airy presence with its many-petaled flowers that come in various colors, including bronze, gold, mahogany, orange or yellow, all with a dark center.
Black-eyed Susan reaches heights of 1 to 4 feet tall, and it’s an excellent choice for bringing colorful life into your butterfly garden, as these vibrant flowers attract butterflies from miles around.
Plant seeds in early spring or late fall, water lightly, and wait until the foliage appears before watering again. Keep weeds away to avoid competition for moisture and nutrients.
Deadheading faded blooms will keep the plant tidy and ensure continuous flowering until frost. This easy-to-grow beauty will surely add color and charm to your butterfly garden.
The Black-Eyed Susan is an excellent addition to any butterfly garden. Its many-petaled flowers that come in various colors attract butterflies from miles away.
It is easy to care for – plant the seed in early spring or late fall, water lightly, and remove deadheads when necessary to keep the growth tidy and continuous until frost.
With its hardy nature and vibrant display, the Black-Eyed Susan will transform your butterfly garden with life, color and charm.
4. Blazing Star (Liatris):
Blazing Star (Liatris) is a perennial perfect for attracting butterflies to any garden. It thrives in zones 3-9 and blooms from summer through early fall with lavender, pink, purple, or white flowers.
Its height ranges from 1 to 5 feet tall, and its flower spikes also make it great for adding texture to the garden space.
Blooming stars can be grown in containers or planted in the ground, requiring minimal care once established. They are drought tolerant and prefer full sun or partial shade with well-drained soil.
When planting Blazing Stars, you should leave enough room around each plant so they have plenty of air circulation, which will help reduce disease problems.
Deadhead spent flowers regularly throughout the summer to promote more blooms. While most varieties do not need to be divided, they can be split every few years to maintain vigor.
Blazing Stars provide a beautiful addition to any garden that attracts not only butterflies but bees and other beneficial insects.
With proper care and maintenance, these showy flowers will bring beauty and life into any outdoor space for years to come.
5. Butterfly Bush (Buddleia):
Butterfly Bush is a shrub that belongs to the family Scrophulariaceae, native to central China. This plant can grow anywhere between 4 to 12 feet tall and has a variety of flower colors like blue, pink, purple, white, yellow, and bi-colored. It blooms from the summer through early fall and grows best in zones 5-9.
This is the perfect bush for anyone looking to attract butterflies into their garden or yard. The flowers are not only attractive, but they also produce lots of nectar which makes them irresistible to pollinators like butterflies.
Butterfly Bushes require minimal maintenance and should be pruned annually for optimal growth. These plants prefer full sun or partial shade in well-drained soil.
If you are looking for a beautiful and low-maintenance plant that attracts butterflies, consider the Butterfly Bush. It’s sure to add color and life to your outdoor space.
6. Button Bush (Cephalanthus occidentalis):
The button bush is a lovely garden shrub if you want to attract butterflies! Its flowers, which appear from June through September, come in white colors and look like little pom-poms or buttons.
This plant can reach up to 12 feet tall but usually grows between 5 and 7 feet. It’s a great statement piece for any yard since it stands out with its unique shape and vibrant blooms.
The button bush does best in full sun and soil that is sandy or clay-based. It also requires moist soil, so make sure it has plenty of water during warmer months.
If you want more of these bushes, take cuttings from the parent plant, and they should grow quickly enough with the proper care.
The beautiful blooms attract many different types of butterflies, making them an excellent option for those wanting to add life and color to their gardens.
So if you’re looking for that perfect plant for your garden, the button bush should be one to consider. Not only is it quickly grown, but its unique shape and colorful blooms make it a great addition to any outdoor space. The added bonus of attracting butterflies will bring lots of joy and beauty into your garden.
7. Catmint (Nepeta):
Catmint (Nepeta) is a beautiful addition to any garden that attracts butterflies. Its upright stems are covered in aromatic foliage and small, tubular flowers.
The blooms come in many colors, including blue, lavender, pink, purple, white, and yellow. This versatile perennial will add texture and color to your landscape throughout the growing season from late spring until fall.
Catmint is easy-to-care for and grows best in full sun to partial shade with well-drained soil. It prefers temperatures between zones 3 and 9 and can reach heights up to three feet tall. Trim regularly after flowering for a bushy appearance.
Deadhead spent flowers to keep them looking their best all summer long. Plant catmint with other bright blooms for a colorful, inviting garden.
Not only will you enjoy the beauty of this plant, but you will also attract butterflies who love to sip nectar from its fragrant flowers. Add some gorgeous color and charm to your outdoor space with catmint!
Conclusion
Butterflies can be an excellent addition to any garden or yard. By planting the right flowers, shrubs, and trees, you can attract these delicate creatures and enjoy their beauty from season to season.
The seven plants listed above are great options for anyone looking to add colorful blooms and butterfly-attracting nectar to their outdoor space. They are easy-care plants that will bring joy and beauty to your garden for years.
