Saturday, November 19, 2011

What are the best flowers to plant in a butterfly garden?

Our high school EAST class is planning to plant a butterfly garden. We need plants for the butterflies and caterpillars to eat and lay their eggs on. What plants attract them and which ones will suit the purposes stated in the previous sentence. (These are Arkansas-native butterflies, so please give AR plants) Thanks so much!|||Milkweed; buddleia davidii-Butterfly bush; sage-also called salvia





Common butterfly species lay their eggs on particular plants (usually trees), and it is often on the underside of their leaves that you'll find caterpillars.


Some of these plants/trees and the butterfly larvae they host are milkweed, dogbane (Monarch); cow parsnip, fennel, dill (Swallowtails); cottonwood, wild cherry, willow, maple, alder (Tiger Swallowtail); willow, cottonwood (Mourning Cloak); birch, alder, willow, gooseberry, currant, wild rhododendron (Angelwing); cabbage, mustard, nasturtium (Cabbage White); thistle, pearly everlsting (Painted Lady http://www.thegardenhelper.com/Butterfli鈥?/a>|||Great project for the kids, by the way! Some of the best Annuals (plants that live only one season) are: Marigolds, Zinnia's,Celosia, Petunia, and Dianthus, But there are many Perennial (Ones that come back each year) ones that you could include. There's a lot of info at www.allaboutrosegardening.com on the butterfly page. It lists specific plants for each region.|||Most any flower will attract butterflies but each species lays its eggs on only one plant species. Monarchs, for example only lay eggs on milkweed. a friend of mine specializes in butterflies. Contact him for any help. On the web, look up AHHA butterfly ranch in pennsboro Wv. He can tell you which plants what butterflies eat. Good luck|||butterfly milkweed escaplias)(spell)? Turks cap,bat face cupia, zennia, many herbs--too many to mention.


google butterfly plants|||Butterfly bush, purple cone flower, I'd avoid milkweed in a structured garden because it's invasive. It belongs off in the wild. Bee balm, victorian saliva, and toss in some lupine.

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