Butterflies and Habitats

Plant a Butterfly Garden!

If you plant it, they will come! You first must decide what species of butterflies you want to attract. Then research the nectar plants and the plants the young need for food. These are not necessarily the same. Find a spot that gets full sun and plant!

To attract monarch butterflies, plant the following:

• Early in the season before milkweeds bloom, adult Monarchs visit a variety of flowers including dogbane, lilac, red clover, lantana, and thistles. In the fall adults visit composites including goldenrods, blazing stars, ironweed, and tickseed sunflower.
• The only monarch caterpillar host is Milkweed including common milkweed (Asclepius syriaca), swamp milkweed (A. incarnata), and showy milkweed (A. speciosa); and milkweed vine in the tropics.