The gardeners I interviewed for An Enchantment of Butterflies
were all very enthusiastic about sharing their experiences in
gardening for butterflies. I enjoyed hearing their success stories
with plants that the butterflies enjoyed. So if you know someone
in your area that gardens for butterflies, look to them as a source
of information. They have probably tried many plants and determined
what's good or not-so-good for your area. This might give you
a head start and some immediate success in attracting butterflies
to your garden. Once the butterfly "bug" has bitten
you, then you'll be zeroing in on other plants to experiment with
in your yard. (Oh, that's right, butterflies can't bite, but I
have heard of butterfly kisses!)
If you want butterflies dancing in your garden, you have to give
them time to grow up, and that means allowing those caterpillars
to munch their way through some of your plants. The surprising
thing is that in most gardens, the caterpillars rarely do a great
deal of damage to the plants. Remember any given butterfly species
is limited to a specific host plant, so the caterpillars will
only eat that type of plant, not everything in sight. A healthy
ecosystem in your garden means that birds, and other animals and
insects, will have opportunities to eat the majority of caterpillars
before they reach maturity. They are a food source for a lot of
other creatures. And if you have these creatures working for you
to keep the garden in balance, and have enough host plants growing
in your garden, the plants will survive nicely with a little natural
"pruning" from the caterpillars.
| Popular host plants for these butterfly species: | |
| Passion Vine (Passiflora incarnata and other species) | Zebra longwing, Gulf Fritillary, & Variegated Fritillary |
| Dutchman's Pipe (Aristolochia spp.) | Pipevine Swallowtail |
| Fennel, Dill, Parsley, or Queen Anne's Lace | Black Swallowtail, Anise Swallowtail |
| Citrus (lemon, orange, satsuma, etc.) | Giant Swallowtail |
| Milkweeds | Monarch |
| Some trees that serve as host plants: | |
| Paw paw | Zebra Swallowtail |
| Black Cherry | Tiger Swallowtail, & Red-Spotted Purple |
| Dogwood | Spring Azure |
| Willow | Viceroy, Mourning Cloak |
| Hackberry | Hackberry, Snout, Question Mark, Tawny Emperor, and others |
Besides the plants mentioned above, there are hundreds of others
to choose from. These are just ones that seemed to have a successful
reputation throughout my research. Some may do better in your
area of the country than others. One good tip I got is to go to
a park or arboretum in your town and see what the butterflies
are feeding on there. Wildflowers are a good choice for butterfly
gardens: sunflowers, asters and violets are some plants that butterflies
look for. Other "wild" plants like nettles and thistles
serve as host plants, and though you might not want them in a
formal border, they can be tucked away in an area of the garden
that has a more woodland feel to it.
Check out any local nursery for the more popular planting options, but don't be afraid to look up a nursery that specializes in the native plants that grow in your area. Native plants are usually easier to care for once they are established, and the butterflies that have evolved with them will truly feel at home in a natural landscape, however structured you might make it.
Provide water for the butterflies in shallow dishes. Put some sand in the bottom of the dish, and you may find male butterflies "puddling" there. They absorb minerals from this behavior and pass this along to the females during mating.
Fruit attracts certain butterfly species, and they will use oranges, apples and bananas as a food source. Butterflies will also absorb other liquids like tree sap and even human sweat (which contains electrolytes that they find valuable).
Check your local library, as there are some good books now available on gardening for butterflies. Here are several I found useful: