Butterfly Attracting Plants
One of the great joys of having a garden is watching butterflies. On a sunny June or July morning, when the garden is at its peak, butterflies flit from flower to flower in search of nectar and a sunny spot to rest. With this guide, you can select the perfect plants for your dream butterfly garden.
By choosing the right plants and following a few simple guidelines, you can lure many different species to your butterfly garden. Pay extra attention to plant selection, and you can support a full butterfly lifecycle. While flowers produce nectar, specific host plants are needed so butterflies can lay eggs and feed caterpillars when they emerge. See host plants here.
Butterflies begin laying their eggs in late spring and hatch 3-6 days after they are laid. It takes 3-4 weeks for a caterpillar to pupate and 9-14 days to emerge as an adult.
Below, you will find fantastic butterfly-attracting plants.
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Plant Type
Genus
Common Name
Light Requirements
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Type
Genus
Common Name
Light Requirement
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Height
Uses
Resistance
Buddleia – Little Rockstars Red Butterfly Bush
At 1' tall, it is the shortest Butterfly Bush we know of.
Zizia aurea – Golden Alexander
2025 Native Plant of the Year - gorgeous, easy, and, most importantly, supports pollinators and wildlife.
Astilbe x thunbergii – Straussenfeder – Ostrich Plume Japanese Astilbe
Magnificent in bloom with unique cascading peach-colored blossoms, shade perennial.
Achillea – Little Moonshine Yarrow
Bright yellow flower clusters with ferny green foliage, sun perennial.
Achillea – Milly Rock Red Yarrow
Stunning red blossoms highlighted with yellow spring-fall, on short 12" tall plants.
Achillea – Milly Rock Rose Yarrow
Rosy blossoms all season on short 10-12" easy care sun perennial.
Achillea – Milly Rock Trio Yarrow
A rainbow of color in this great deal, 3 plants in 1 pot, sun perennials.
Achillea – Milly Rock Yellow Terracotta Yarrow
Rich yellow flowers with peach and orange undertones, easy sun perennial.
Achillea – New Vintage Red Yarrow
Far superior to older varieties. Sun loving perennial.
Achillea – New Vintage Rose Yarrow
Superior variety, vast improvement over older selections.
Achillea – New Vintage White Yarrow
Superior variety, vast improvement over older selections.
Achillea millefolium – Yarrow
Ideal native plant for hot sunny spots.
Amorpha fruticosa – False Indigo Bush
Fragrant purple and orange spikes attract many butterflies!
Asclepias Incarnata – Cinderella Swamp Milkweed
A beautiful selection of our Missouri native.
Asclepias incarnata – Ice Ballet Swamp Milkweed
Brilliant white, long-lasting vanilla-scented blossoms.
Asclepias incarnata – Swamp Milkweed
Missouri and Illinois native with clouds of pink blossoms.
Asclepias syriaca – Common Milkweed
Essential host plant for Monarch caterpillars. Mo Bot Garden's Plant of Merit winner.
Asclepias tuberosa – Butterfly Milkweed
#1 best selling Missouri native perennial.
Aster divaricatus – White Wood Aster
You'll believe it's snowing in summer with this Missouri native.
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Plant Type
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Common Name
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Bloom Time
Height
Uses
Resistance
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