Secret to Attracting Butterlies

[angelicwriter]

Does anyone know the best flowers to plant in your garden to attract an array of various butterfly species?

[Green-Moo]

I'm not sure about your own area Angelicwriter, but where I am I have lavender and buddlia in my garden which attract many many butterflies and other insects.

[mbtaluka]

We have few of these lavendars and lilies, not sure which one of those both attract these butterflies.

[Mickie31]

I hope that this information will help you. Basically nectar-rich plants attract butterflies. Plants like; Buddleia, A nettle patch (somewhere discreet for caterpillars) Bluebell, Honeysuckle, Hyssop, St John's Wort, Sweet William, Thyme, Yellow primrose, Grape, Hyacinth, Honesty, Candytuft, Ice plant, Helychrisum, Snapdragon, Sweet Pea and Lupine. There are of course, other plants the list goes on.

[SageMother]

I imagine that the types of plants would depend on your location. Black Eyed Susans, Asters, and Coneflowers are said to draw butterflies

Here is a site that has more information! (http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef006.asp)

[tater03]

I never knew that there were actual plants or flowers that specifically attracted butterflies. I think that it would be great to have a butterfly garden.

[atula]

Basically...what I know attracts butterflies is as mickie said nectar rich flowers...but even if you do not really know which ones to put...you can always have a variety of different colored flowers...because butterflies are attracted by the color...scent and ofcourse the nectar...
even if you have five different flower plants in pots...butterflies are most likely to come...

[debrajean]

Do you think the same kinds of flowers that attract bees and hummingbirds would be the same ones to attract butterflies?

[nadine]

I think colorful flowers :D

[babyfazt09]

I guess those flowers which contains such sweet nectar and pollens. I think that those brilliant colors of the flower are what attract them the most.

[Lily]

Butterfly weed is a host plant (don't worry it isn't a weed).If you have access to some horse poop,you can take a shallow dish,mix it with water and leave it in the garden.Believe it or not they are attracted to it.

[GardenGeek]

what i am gonna tell you is really interesting and informative
milkweed is the flowery plant that attracts butterflies most because caterpillars eat the leaves of this plant happily so butterflies don't find any plant better than this to lay eggs on ..

Also try lantanas !

[Rose White]

I never knew that there were actual plants or flowers that specifically attracted butterflies. I think that it would be great to have a butterfly garden.

A few of the colorful plants which attract butterflies include butterfly weed, coleus, butterfly blue pincushion, yarrow, sage, aster, coneflower, iris, coreopsis, phlox, goldenrod, heliotrope, alyssum and zinnia. Also fennel, Mona lavender, black and blue salvia guarantica and fan flower.

Butterflies also like butterfly bushes, sunflowers, potentilla bushes and bluebird shrubs. They also like vines which include Persian carpet zinnia, petunia, coleus, Spanish flag and vinca.

For starters, the butterfly bushes I have seen in Philadelphia area always have butterflies hovering over the blooms. They make a real sweet garden.

Rose White, author of Easy Gardens Volume 13 -
Bird Sanctuary Plus Butterfly and Hummingbird Gardens
:)

[Rose White]

Do you think the same kinds of flowers that attract bees and hummingbirds would be the same ones to attract butterflies?

You could easily attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden with the same plants. (I listed a few below.) The down side is that these sweet plants will attract bees, though.

Some of the colorful plants which attract butterflies include butterfly weed, coleus, butterfly blue pincushion, yarrow, sage, aster, coneflower, iris, coreopsis, phlox, goldenrod, heliotrope, alyssum and zinnia. Also fennel, Mona lavender, black and blue salvia guarantica and fan flower. Butterflies also like butterfly bushes, sunflowers, potentilla bushes and bluebird shrubs. They also like vines which include Persian carpet zinnia, petunia, coleus, Spanish flag and vinca.

To attract hummingbirds to your garden, plant honeysuckle, trumpet vine, columbine, butterfly weed, bee balm, hollyhock, hibiscus, clematis, impatiens, phlox, fuchsias, spotted jewelweed, cardinal flower, Turk’s Cap Lily, Wild Bergamot, lupine, phlox and penstemon. They even hover over my red artificial flowers in the woods!

Hummingbirds are also attracted to pentas butterfly red and they can’t resist salvias. They cannot smell and depend on their eyesight to seek out flowers and food sources, especially those with red cone shapes. Inexpensive hummingbird feeders are readily available and will attract the busy little birds so that you can easily enjoy watching them hover and sip the sugar water.
Hummers must feed every 10 to 15 minutes throughout the day, consuming up to 2/3 their body weight in food.

Rose White, author of Easy Gardens Volume 13 -
Bird Sanctuary Plus Butterfly and Hummingbird Gardens
:)

[live2garden]

When it comes to attracting butterflies, it is hard to beat the Zinnia. These happy flowers are easy to grow and will bloom all summer long. They also attract several different kinds of butterflies!


http://my-butterfly-garden.com/zinnias.jpg

[mommybusybee]

I think I found a site made especially for you, Angelic. ^_^

Here's an associated content article quite literally about what you're looking for:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/30441/flowers_that_attract_butterflies.html

Another thing you MAY want to try (and don't hold me to this), are liquid vitamin supplements. I have a friend who swears by dropping a little bit into the soil to enrich the flowers. . . which I'm guessing may have an effect on how the butterflies sense them. I think she used silver water (http://www.purestcolloids.com) (I provided a link to the site) and a few other supplements.

Hope this helps! :)

[spurmsperm]

I never knew that there were actual plants or flowers that specifically attracted butterflies. I think that it would be great to have a butterfly garden.

[Flip Flop Tan Lines]

Bee balm....works great for me.

[instanthedge]

Hedges. Undoubtedly, hedging plants are the best ways to attract wildlife including butterflies in your garden. There are many hedges (https://www.instanthedge.com/) which would definitely attract wildlife. Go for Schip Laurel (Cherry laurel), English laurel. Such hedges produces creamy white flowers which are ultimate reason for the wildlife.