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