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
Bloom Color
Bloom Time
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Type
Genus
Common Name
Light Requirement
Flower Color
Bloom Time
Height
Uses
Resistance
Asclepias incarnata – Swamp Milkweed
Missouri and Illinois native with clouds of pink blossoms.
Mertensia virginica – Virginia Bluebell
One of the first Missouri native perennials to bloom in early spring.
Salvia – Color Spires Crystal Blue Sage
Crystal blue flowers unlike any other.
Syringa Scentara Double Blue, Lilac
Extremely fragrant and showy flowers, intense fragrance.
Viburnum Steady Eddy – Doublefile Viburnum
Blooms for months on end!
Achillea millefolium – Yarrow
Ideal native plant for hot sunny spots.
Aesculus Pavia, Red Buckeye
2023 Tree of the Year. Award-winning Missouri Native.
Allium – Millenium Ornamental Onion
2018 Perennial Plant of the Year.
Amelanchier – Autumn Brilliance Apple Serviceberry
Award-winning small tree with multi-season interest.
Amelanchier arborea Downy Serviceberry
Colorful year round with flowers, berries, foliage and bark.
Amelanchier laevis, Allegheny Serviceberry
Native plant with showy multi-seasonal interest.
Amsonia illustris – Shining Blue Star
Popular, easy-to-grow Missouri native perennial.
Amsonia tabermontana – Willowleaf Blue Star
Top award-winning native with starry blue flowers.
Aquilegia canadensis – Columbine
Charming, dangling blossoms of red and yellow.
Aronia melanocarpa – Chokeberry
Showy Missouri native shrub. Tolerates wet soils.
Asimina – Shenandoah Peterson Pawpaw Tree
Abundant tasty fruit can be up to one pound in weight.
Aster divaricatus – White Wood Aster
A butterfly favorite and Missouri native.
Aster novae angeliae – New England Aster
A butterfly favorite and Missouri and Illinois native.
Aster oolentagiensis – Sky Blue Aster
A top favorite of gardeners and critters.
Astilbe – Dark Side of the Moon False Spirea
Dramatic chocolate burgundy foliage, deep purple flowers, shade perennial.
Astilbe – Fanal False Spirea
Long-time favorite red shade perennial.
Astilbe – Go Go Red Reblooming False Spirea
First Reblooming Red Astilbe! Long-lived Shade perennial.
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FILTER THE ITEMS ON THIS PAGE BY:
Plant Type
Genus
Common Name
Light Requirements
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Type
Genus
Common Name
Light Requirement
Flower Color
Bloom Time
Height
Uses
Resistance
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