Saturday, June 20, 2009

Grow plants suitable for butterflies and enjoy your yard more than ever


Easy to Grow Butterfly Plants

Plant USDA Zone Description How to Grow Butterflies
Attracted
Butterfly bush*
(Buddleia) 5-9 summer
early fall quick-growing shrub to 15' varying colors average soil, well drained
Milkweed
(Asclepias) 3-10 summer
fall 1'-2' clump-forming perennial; drought tolerant well adapted to most areas
Chrysanthemum all summer-fall 1'-5' perennials/annuals; shape and color vary average to rich soil, well drained
Goldenrod
(Solidago) 3-9 summer-
fall 1'-5' perennial with bright-yellow flowers average, moist; well-drained soil
Lavender
(Lavandula) 5-10 summer-
fall fragrant shrub to 3'; drought tolerant average soiol well drained
Lilac
(Syringa) 3-8 spring arching shrubs to 15; best with winter chilling neutral/alkl, well-drained soil
Marigold
(Tagetes) all spring-
fall 6"-18" bushy annual; not frost tolerant average water
Purple
coneflower
(Echinacea) 3-10 summer-
fall sturdy, branching perennial to 4'; heat tolerant rich soil, well drained
Black-eyed Susan
(Rudbeckia) 3-9 summer-
fall 18"-48"; mostly perennials; brightly colored flowers any soil soggy
Salvia 3-10 summer-
fall 1'4' perennials/annuals, mounded to shrubby average soil, well drained
Swallowtails Brushfoots Whites Sulphurs Hairstreaks Blues Coppers Skippers

* invasive in some states; please check with your state cooperative-extension service

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