Here, we round up 32 annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees that attract different butterfly species.
By planting it in your yard, you make an important contribution to the continued existence of the species.
double-check to pick milkweed species that are native to your region.
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In northern climates,tropical milkweedhurts monarch migration.
There is one exception: white wood asters do not serve as a host plant for the pearl crescent.
Bidens are prolific bloomers with yellow or orange daisy-like blooms.
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They thrive in rich soil with sufficient drainage and tolerate drought and heat relatively well.
Its value as a larval host plant for butterflies, however, is undeniable.
Blazing Star
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This long-blooming perennial wildflower is native to eastern North America.
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It has highly unusual flower heads featuring tiny star-like blossoms arranged around a long upright bottle-brush spire.
The grass-like leaves are narrow and inconspicuous but turn an attractive bronze color in the fall.
Butterfly bush isclassified as invasivein many states and banned in Washington, Oregon, and Pennsylvania.
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This is a good specimen tree for a location with acidic soil and afternoon shade.
It blooms in May and June.
The flat-topped, bright yellow starburst umbel with tiny flowers makes an attractive feature in the landscape.
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Golden Alexander forms small colonies, with the fibrous roots forming a dense cluster.
It is fairly free of problems from pests and is also relatively deer-resistant.
With many species and cultivars in different sizes to choose from youll easily find one that fits your space.
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It is a clump-forming plant with pink saucer-shaped flowers that look similar to hollyhock blooms.
Even when grown from seeds, it sometimes blooms in its first summer season.
If provided with consistently moist soil, it can be an aggressive grower.
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For small spaces, choose a smaller variety.
purpureumis a late-blooming wildflower native to eastern and central North America whereasE.
The fragrant flowers come in a multitude of colors and there are hundreds of lilac varieties to choose from.
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The plants are perennials in their native habitat but usually grown as annuals in northern climates.
They love hot weather and withstand even a heatwave that makes other flowers wither.
Parsley
Parsley is a biennial plant usually grown as an annual.
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Pentas
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You dont need to have a backyard to attract butterflies.
Pentas, also known as the Egyptian star cluster, makes an excellent container plant.
These profusely blooming tropical plants are botanically perennials but mostly grown as annuals.
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It will reward your patience by being hardy, drought-tolerant, and long-blooming.
The shrub is native to North America although two European species,S.
cinerea,are also sometimes known as pussy willow.
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Mostredbud treeshave pink flowers though there are some varieties with white flowers.
The drawback of this much-beloved North American tree its average lifespan is not much longer than 20 years.
There are several hundred species of sedum and even more varieties, including sedum groundcovers and upright types.
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Spicebush
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This aromatic shrub has interest almost year-round.
Its most attractive characteristics are its yellow flowers in the spring and plump red berries in the fall.
The leaves and twigs give off a spicy fragrance and flavor when crushed.
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The tulip-like flowers in the spring are unlike any other bloom.
The showy foliage turns brilliant yellow in the fall.
It needs medium to wet soil to thrive.
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They also provide an early nectar sourceforbees and other pollinators.
It blooms in late summer through early fall.
Zinnias are most robust during the hot summer and the warmest spring and autumn months.
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Skip the deadheading so butterflies get every chance to feed on the nectar.
Now, Get Planting
It takes more than plants with pretty flowersto attract butterflies.
Some butterflies only lay their eggs on a single plant species.
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The most famous host-specific butterfly is the monarch, which relies entirely on milkweed.
North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension.
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