How to Attract Butterflies to Your Garden

Watching butterflies in a garden, seeing them flutter from one flower to another, and looking at them up close to see their antenna and proboscis, are things that I enjoy in the spring and summer. When you grow plants in your garden to attract butterflies, choose flowers that provide nectar for the butterflies as well as plants that caterpillars like to eat. You will likely experience the miraculous cycle of transformation from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. Here are some suggestions on the types of plants that are beneficial for butterflies including host plants for larvae and caterpillars, as well as some pictures of what you can expect to find in your garden.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• seeds or plants
• garden bed

1. There are many kinds of plants that are beneficial to butterflies. Be sure to select some plants both categories: plants that have nectar for the butterflies, and host plants for the larvae and caterpillars. Some of the more common plants are listed here, and a more comprehensive list of plants can be found in the links provided below. You may grow these plants from seed or buy them in a local garden store.
2. Butterfly Bush One common nectar plant is the perennial Butterfly Bush. It comes in several colors and sizes. This plant grows a lot each year.
3. Western Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly on Chives Salvias, Bee Balm, Echinacea, Daisy, Aster, Zinnias, Cosmos, Phlox, Sunflowers, Chives, and Holly Hocks are very common plants that will attract butterflies to your garden.
4. Eastern Black Swallowtail Caterpillar Host plants are essential for butterflies to lay their eggs on, and for the larvae and caterpillars to eat. Common host plants include Milkweed, Parsley, Dill, Carrots, Celery, and Queen Anne's Lace. Certain species of butterflies prefer certain kinds of host plants, so check out the links below to see which plants you might prefer to grow to attract a particular species of butterflies.
5. Monarch Chrysalis on a Milkweed Plant When you are out admiring your garden look around for caterpillars and chrysalises on or near the host plants. Signs of eaten leaves on host plants might be a clue that there are some caterpillars around.

Tips & Warnings

• Enjoy relaxing afternoons on a warm summer's day and watch mother nature at work in your garden.