Butterfly Garden

[CarolsCritterCare]

Butterfly Garden

From THE BUTTERFLY BOOK, by Donald and Lillian Stokes and Ernest Williams, pgs. 12 - 17:

Butterfly Choice

"Many flowers produce nectar, but butterflies clearly favor some over others. For example, butterfly bush and butterfly weed seem irresistible
to butterflies and belong in every garden."

The authors provide the top ten list, plus extensive lists of other plants in the book.

"These lists are by no means exhaustive; butterflies visit hundreds of plants. Since this is one of the least-studied aspects of butterfly behavior, we encourage you to experiment."

"Color -- A general rule of thumb for an appealing garden is to keep cool colors together and hot colors together. Some hot colors, such as
reds and yellows, can be softened by adding cool blues or whites."

"Height - Plant heights are often given as a range, because height can be affected by differing soil, moisture, and temperature conditions."

"Hardiness Zones - The zone given for each plant is the coldest hardiness zone where it will grow normally, but the plant can be expected to grow in the warmer zones as well. Hardiness zones for
annuals are not listed, since annuals do not overwinter. Hardiness zones are based on the average minimum temperature of that region."

"Bloom Times - Bloom times are indicated as early, mid, or late season. These are approximate and based on when the plants bloom in Zone 5"
(Zone 5 seems to stretch through New England; Northern Illinois, Ohio, Indiana; Michigan; through Southern Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, and what I
would guess to be the lower part of the Rocky Mtns. The further north the lower the number of the zone, in general. Of course elevation or
being in a costal area makes a difference. The map shows parts of southern Canada in zones 3 and 2. Southern Florida and parts of California are in zone 10.)

Also, this book was published in 1991, so there are likely to be new varieties and colors of some plants.

TOP TEN NECTAR PLANTS (Compiled from charts, and pages. 16 - 17)

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BLACK-EYED SUSAN

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia spp.), also called gloriosa daisy, hardy to zone 3, biennial, perennial, 3 ft. high., mid-season bloom.

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JOE-PYE WEED

Joe-Pye weed (Eupatorium spp.). These native wildflowers are very attractive to butterflies. Hardy to zone 2, 5-9 ft in height. Height can be controlled by pinching back new growth. Late blooming
wildflower, pinkish purple.

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LIATRIS

Liatris (Liatris spp.), also called blazing star or gay-feather, hardy to zone 2, 2 - 4 ft. high. perennial, midseason blooming, mauve.
(Liatris are also good in floral arrangements. )

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COREOPSIS

Coreopsis (Coreopsis spp.), Hardy to zone 3, 2 ft. high. Lance coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata) and thread-leaf coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata) are both useful for the butterfly garden. Midseason
blooming, perennial, yellow.

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PENTAS

Pentas (Pentas lanceolata), Hardy to zone 10, 1 1/2 - 3 ft. high. A subshrub that grows outdoors year round in zone 10. Must be grown as an annual or overwintered in a greenhouse in colder zones. Purple, rose, white.

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ASTER

Aster (Aster spp.), also called Michaelmas daisy, 3 - 5 ft. high. Author's favorites are the wildflower New England aster (Aster novae-angliae) , or it's cultivated varieties, like "September Ruby." Plant in masses for best effect. (Note - authors live in New England)

The late perennial - Aster, Michaelmas daisy, hearty to zone 2, is 3 -5 ft. in height and comes in purple, ruby, pink, and blue.

The late wildfower Aster (Aster spp., especially A. novae-angliae) is 4 ft. in height, purple-blue, hardy to zone 3.

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BUTTERFLY WEED

Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), 1 -3 ft. high. Hardy to zone 3. Another top garden choice, Prefers dry sandy soil. Left permanently in place, it forms large clumps. New growth emerges slowly in spring. Midseason blooming wildflower, orange.

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LANTANA

Lantana (Lantana camara), Hearty to zone 8, 1-3 ft high. Grown as an evergreen shrub in zones 8 - 10. In other zones it is grown as an annual, often in pots. Comes in red, yellow, blue. (I think I've seen
some oranges and pinkish ones. They grow like crazy in the S.F. Bay Area. And produce LOTS of pollen. If you have pollen alergies - you may want to avoid, in my allergic opinion. And Acacia trees!)

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PURPLE CONEFLOWER

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) Hardy to zone 3, 2 - 3 ft. high.
Looks like a pink version of a black-eyed susan, but is in a different plant genus, pink and white. (LOL - not purple?) Midseason blooming Perennial.

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BUTTERFLY BUSH

Butterfly bush (Buddleia spp.) Hardy to zone 5, 6 - 15 ft. high. Excellent attractant. B. davidii dies to ground in winter in North, then blooms on next year's growth. Hardier B. alternifolia blooms on
previous year's growth. Midseason wildflower shrub. Purple.