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milk weed, queen anne's lace,butterfly bushes, butterfly weed. There are dozens of books about butterfly gardens, threads on CD about how to attract butterflies and keep them coming back. most important is to realize that butterflies start off as caterpillars which eat the leaves of plants so you need to learn to i.d. caterpillars and NOT use pesticides in your environment. put out oranges and applies and any fruit to attract butterflies.
We have two butterfly bushes in full sun on the back side of our house. The bushes are almost taller than the house and attract loads of butterflies, Hummingbirds, and bees. The butterflies and Hummingbirds are fun to watch, the bees are more practical since they pollinate our veggie garden, and fruit trees.
We have two butterfly bushes in full sun on the back side of our house. The bushes are almost taller than the house and attract loads of butterflies, Hummingbirds, and bees. The butterflies and Hummingbirds are fun to watch, the bees are more practical since they pollinate our veggie garden, and fruit trees.
I need to get myself a butterfly bush (or two, or three). My next door neighbor has one and the butterflies LOVE it!
Ooooh Darling. You are in my zone!
1. Butterfly plants/weeds - Asclepias. I have the pink tuberosa beside a small pond. It smells like vanilla and is a host for the monarch butterfly (actually they're all hosts for the monarch). I also have the orange and yellow ones in my drier borders.
2. Monarda - The red monarda didyma is loved by hummingbirds and butterflies. Select mildew-resistant cultivars.
3. Joe Pye Weed - The flowers don't look particularly special to me, but butterflies Swarm all over these. I have "little joe" and a regular spotted (I believe) Joe pye weed. The little Joe's are in a border and the spotted joe pye weed are beside the pond. JP is about 11 ft tall and "Little" joe is about 4 ft tall in my garden.
I'd recommend giving the monarda space, as it spreads. Buddleia (butterfly bush) do attract butterflies, but I'd check to see if they're invasive in CT. I try to spread the word about invasive plants, so hopefully you won't find this offensive.
The "also-rans":
1. Oriental Lilies - These bloom at around the same time as the monarda. Butterflies visited these and appeared happy.
2. Wild Perennial Lupine - These appear pretty easy to start from seed in poor, well-draining soil. They're a host for an endangered blue butterfly.
I have had great luck attracting butterflies with mauve Eupatorium. It will attract many types of pollinating insects. Also, annual Lantana attracts butterflies.
Also, the native milkweeds, esp. the orange variety, attract butterflies. The caterpillars will eat the leaves, but so what, that is part of the cycle.
Passion vine and butterfly bushes attract alot of butterflies.
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