10 Easy To Grow Butterfly Plants For Your Garden

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Nature is more beautiful with the fluttering of butterfly wings all around you. To attract these delicate creatures, one must have a butterfly-friendly garden. Cultivating a butterfly garden in your backyard is an excellent way to conserve and protect their habitat. Moreover, it adds a vibrant and colorful touch to your surroundings.

Benefits of having butterfly-friendly garden

Growing butterfly plants helps in attracting and providing food for butterflies and other pollinators. These attractive flowers add color to your garden and also act as home to beneficial insects that can help control pest populations.

How to choose the right plants for a butterfly garden

Choosing plants that will grow easily and nourish butterflies is crucial when creating a butterfly garden. Opting for native plant species, including nectar and host plants that provide shelter and breeding grounds for butterflies, should be a priority.

10 Easy To Grow Butterfly Plants

1. Milkweed

Milkweeds offer food for both adult butterflies and caterpillars, especially Monarchs. It's a good idea to mix different varieties of milkweed varieties in your garden since each of them provides distinctive benefits to several butterfly species.

2. Lavender

The fragrant blooms of lavender attract many butterflies, including swallowtails and skippers. Its low maintenance and long blooming period make it a superb choice for busy gardeners.

3. Black-eyed Susan

These golden-yellow flowers are a feast for butterflies throughout summer and fall. They are low maintenance and can grow in most soil types, making them an excellent choice for beginners.

4. Coneflower/Echinacea

Echinacea, commonly known as Coneflower or Purple Coneflower, is a sturdy and attractive plant that offers nectar throughout summer and fall. It's easy to care for and can thrive in full sun to partial shade.

5. Zinnia

Zinnias blooming throughout the summer are like a rainbow of colors, attracting both butterflies and charming hummingbirds. With proper deadheading, those plants will continue to blossom until early autumn.

6. Marigold

This bright, long-blooming annual flower adds color during the growing season, providing food for butterfly larvae and adult butterflies while luring ladybugs and lacewings into your garden.

7. Verbena

Verbena is a fast-growing and easy-to-care-for plant that blossoms reliably and blooms from spring through fall. They produce an abundance of nectar that attracts dozens of different butterfly species.

8. Butterfly Bush

The Butterfly bush, as its name suggests, is a garden staple, and its elegant blooms bring in butterflies by the flocks. Even though it isn't native to North America, it provides butterflies with valuable nutrients via its heavy loads of nectar.

9. Salvia

The long-blooming Salvia produces spikes of purple and blue flowers that attract many butterfly species, including swallowtails and Monarchs. It can grow between 18-24 inches tall and is a lovely addition to the floral border.

10. Lantana

Lantana is an excellent plant for those seeking bright colors and eye-catching blooms. They offer continuous nectar throughout the growing season, attracting a wide range of butterfly and other pollinators.

A butterfly garden is easy to develop with these ten beautiful, easy-to-grow plants. Growing these plants in your backyard will provide shelter, breeding sites, and food sources for the beautiful winged creatures. By choosing native flowering plants rich in nectar, you are creating an essential habitat for butterflies and other beneficial insects.

FAQ

Q: What is the best time of year to plant butterfly plants?

Plant butterfly-friendly plants at the beginning of the growing season, which is usually in early spring when the soil is loosened and turned over. Spring planting ensures the plants establish roots and prepare themselves fully for the arrival of butterflies and other pollinators when they emerge later in the season.

Q: How can I make my garden more inviting to butterflies?

Use native flowering plants that provide nectar, shelter, and breeding sites for butterflies. Provide water and choose a spot providing full or partial sunlight with protection from the wind. Adding a few different host plants will also help create suitable rearing grounds for caterpillars.

Q: Can I plant butterfly plants in containers?

Yes, you can. You can use containers to plant some butterfly-friendly plants such as milkweed, zinnias, and butterfly bush. Make sure the containers have drainage holes and sufficient depth and size to support the plant's root system.

Q: Will butterfly plants attract other pollinators as well?

Yes, growing butterfly-friendly plants can attract several beneficial insects such as bees and hummingbirds. These insects are vital for maintaining a healthy ecosystem and protecting our food supply.

Q: Can I purchase butterfly plants at my local nursery?

Yes, you can buy butterfly-friendly plants at nurseries that sell native plants or specialty garden centers that stock perennial flowers, herbs, and shrubs.

Q: How much sun do butterfly plants need?

Most butterfly plants require full sun to thrive; however, others prefer partial shade. Check each plant's sunlight requirements before planting it in your garden.

Q: Is it difficult to maintain a butterfly garden?

No, maintaining a butterfly garden involves basic gardening practices such as watering, fertilizing, pruning, and pest control measures. Excessive use of pesticides has the potential to harm butterflies and their larvae.

Q: How many different types of plants should I have in my butterfly garden?

Having several different butterfly-friendly plants in varying sizes, shapes, and bloom times is ideal. Having diversity ensures that goodness is available throughout the entire season for butterflies and other pollinators.

Q: Can I purchase seeds for butterfly plants online?

Yes, you can find butterfly-friendly plant seeds available from local stores or online, including online retailers specializing in plant and seed varieties.

Q: How long do butterfly plants typically live?

Most butterfly plants are perennials, which means it comes back year after year. With proper care, most of these plants will bloom year after year and continue to attract butterflies and other pollinators.