Butterflies are drawn to certain types of flowering bushes that provide nectar as a food source. The flowers that attract butterflies tend to be bright in color, have short flower tubes, and give off strong scents. Some of the most popular butterfly bushes include lilacs, buddleia, verbena, lantana, zinnias, marigolds, asters, daisies, and milkweed.
Why are butterflies attracted to certain flowers and bushes?
Butterflies are primarily attracted to flowers that provide nectar as an energy source. Nectar is essentially sugar water that gives butterflies the carbohydrates they need to fuel their energy-intensive flight patterns. Butterflies locate flowers mainly through their sense of sight, seeking out blossoms that are brightly colored in hues like yellow, orange, pink, purple, and red. These warm colors stand out visually and help signal to butterflies that nectar is available. In addition to color, butterflies use scent to find flowers. They have an excellent sense of smell and can detect the fragrant compounds that flowering plants emit. Flowers with sweet, fruity, or strong floral scents are more likely to attract passing butterflies in search of food. Lastly, butterflies prefer flowers with short or straight tubes. Butterflies sip nectar through their long, slender proboscis (tubular tongue) and have a difficult time accessing nectar in flowers with very long, curved floral tubes.
Top bushes and flowers that attract butterflies
Lilacs
Lilacs are a prime butterfly bush. Their dense clusters of tubular flowers come in shades of purple, blue, pink, and white. The flowers have a strong, sweet fragrance that appeals to butterflies. Common butterfly species attracted to lilacs include Swallowtails, Red Admirals, Painted Ladies, and Fritillaries. Make sure to choose a lilac variety with single blossoms, as the double-flower types don’t produce much nectar.
Buddleia
Also called butterfly bushes, buddleias are a butterfly magnet. Their long panicles of tiny flowers come in colors like purple, blue, pink, orange, white, and red. The flowers have a honey-like scent. Butterflies are drawn to the high levels of nectar in buddleia flowers, especially larger species like Swallowtails and Monarchs. Be sure to choose a native species, as some exotic buddleias can become invasive.
Verbena
Verbena is an excellent flower for attracting butterflies all summer long. Its small clusters of blooms come in bright shades like red, pink, purple, and white. Verbena flowers have a lot of nectar and a fruity scent. Species such as Eastern Swallowtails, Painted Ladies, Red Admirals, Sulphurs, and Common Buckeyes regularly visit verbena.
Lantana
This tropical shrub produces flowers in several colors like yellow, orange, pink, red, white, and purple. Lantana blossoms have a sweet citrus fragrance and abundant nectar. Many butterflies frequent lantana, especially Swallowtails, Sulphurs, Monarchs, Painted Ladies, and Gulf Fritillaries. Lantana grows best in warmer climates.
Zinnias
With their bright, bold colors and daisy-like shape, zinnias are a favorite of many butterfly species. They bloom profusely in shades of red, pink, orange, yellow, white, and purple. Zinnias work well in butterfly gardens to attract Swallowtails, Painted Ladies, Red Admirals, Checkered Skippers, and Sulphurs. Plant zinnias from spring to fall for continuous color and butterfly appeal.
Marigolds
Marigolds produce lovely pom-pom shaped flowers in yellow, gold, orange, and red hues. Both Signet and African marigolds attract butterflies with their copious nectar. Swallowtails, Sulphurs, Monarchs, Buckeyes, Painted Ladies, and Skippers commonly visit marigold bushes.
Asters
With their daisy-like flowers in many colors, asters provide an important late-season food source for butterflies. Asters bloom in white, pink, purple, red and blue. Butterflies such as Painted Ladies, American Ladies, Pearl Crescents, Fritillaries, Checkered Skippers, and Monarchs feed heavily on the nectar-rich flowers in fall. Plant native species when possible.
Daisies
Varieties of daisies like Shasta daisies, English daisies, Gerbera daisies, and coneflowers attract butterflies with their brightly colored, nectar-filled flowers. Different daisy species come in hues like white, pink, yellow, orange, red, and purple. Butterflies drawn to daisy bushes include Swallowtails, Painted Ladies, Red Admirals, Sulphurs, Fritillaries, and Skippers.
Milkweed
Milkweed plants serve a special purpose – they are the only food source for Monarch butterfly caterpillars. Adult Monarchs lay their eggs exclusively on milkweed because it’s toxic to most other insects. When Monarch larvae feed on milkweed leaves, they ingest and store the plant’s protective toxins and become poisonous themselves. In addition to hosting caterpillars, milkweed flowers supply nectar that sustains adult Monarchs on their migration paths.
Planting for year-round butterfly abundance
To make your yard or garden as butterfly friendly as possible, it helps to plant a variety of flowering bushes and plants that will provide nectar throughout the seasons. Here is an overview of what to plant for year-round butterfly foraging:
Spring
- Lilacs
- Milkweed
- Crocuses
- Hyacinths
- Daffodils
- Tulips
- Pansies
- Violets
Summer
- Buddleia
- Verbena
- Lantana
- Zinnias
- Marigolds
- Pentas
- Coneflowers
- Salvia
- Petunias
- Butterfly bush
Fall
- Asters
- Sedum
- Goldenrod
- Mums
- Mexican sunflower
- Butterfly bush
- Verbena
- Daisies
Choosing a variety of plants that bloom in sequence will provide butterflies with the constant nectar sources they need from the beginning to end of the growing season and beyond in warmer climates.
Providing other habitat elements butterflies need
In addition to flowers that supply nectar, butterflies need certain habitat elements to complete their lifecycle and thrive. Here are some other things you can provide in your garden to make it butterfly friendly:
- Host plants – Caterpillars are the immature stage of butterflies before they form a chrysalis and transform into winged adults. Different caterpillar species rely on specific host plants for food and habitat. Be sure to plant the host vegetation needed by the butterfly species you want to attract.
- Sunny areas – Butterflies are cold-blooded and rely on external heat sources like the sun to raise their body temperature. Plant flowers and host plants in sunny garden spots that allow butterflies to bask and stay warm.
- Shelter – Trees, shrubs, and gardens provide butterflies with protection from wind and predators as well as safe overnight roosting sites.
- Water – Butterflies get some of their water needs from nectar but also drink water from sources like mud puddles, garden ponds, and shallow bird baths.
- Minerals – Butterflies extract important minerals dissolved in damp earth and mud. Place pans of wet sand or loose dirt where butterflies can puddle and feed.
Making your landscape inviting to butterflies takes some planning but brings a beautiful benefit – the dazzling color, motion, and delicate grace of these ecological treasures using your garden as their nurturing habitat.
Common butterflies attracted to bushes and flowers
Here is an overview of some of the butterfly species commonly drawn to flower and nectar plants:
Butterfly | Flowers Commonly Visited |
---|---|
Swallowtail | Lilac, Buddleia, Lantana, Zinnia, Milkweed |
Monarch | Milkweed, Lantana, Zinnia, Buddleia |
Painted Lady | Lilac, Verbena, Lantana, Zinnia, Marigold |
Red Admiral | Lilac, Buddleia, Zinnia, Daisy |
American Lady | Aster, Daisy |
Sulphur | Verbena, Lantana, Marigold, Zinnia |
Skipper | Zinnia, Daisy, Aster |
Buckeye | Verbena, Marigold |
Fritillary | Lilac, Aster |
This list shows some of the common pairings, but remember that butterflies aren’t exclusively limited to these flowers. Providing a diverse nectar buffet in your garden will attract more butterfly species and individuals.
Conclusion
Butterflies flock to gardens filled with bright, sweetly-scented flowers that provide abundant nectar. By planting bushes and flowers in a variety of colors that bloom from spring through fall, you can create a butterfly haven. Popular butterfly bushes include fragrant lilacs, buddleia, verbena, lantana, zinnias, marigolds, asters, daisies, and milkweed. In addition to nectar sources, include host plants, sunshine, shelter, water, and minerals to meet the habitat needs of butterflies. With some planning, you can enjoy the beauty and motion of butterfly wings all season long.