These native perennials support our important pollinators and look good doing it
When it descend to butterfly horticulture , I ’m a big believer innative wildflowers . Butterflies and wildflowers evolved together , depending on one another for survival of the fittest . I also favor natives because they are conform to our climate , making them easier to cultivate than some nonnatives . Here are a few wildflower natives andnativarsthat are always a boastful lot for butterflies in the Southern Plains .
Swamp milkweed is a powerhouse host and nectar plant with spectacular purple-pink flowers
An incredibly showy member of the milkweed genus ( Asclepiasspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) , swampland milkweed ( A. incarnata , Zones 3–9 ) produces adorable pink prime that are adored by butterfly stroke , bee , and other pollinators . It is only get over with monarch butterflies in late summertime as they begin their journeying south . Like its relative , swampland milkweed is an significant emcee plant for monarch caterpillar .
As the name advise , this metal money likes soused soil , but it also adapts to well - drained garden filth and even Lucius Clay soil . This plant life makes quite a assertion in sunny gardens , reaching a mature size of up to 5 feet tall and 3 feet spacious . The long - go blooms open in June through September , attract monarch and queen butterflies as well as swallowtails and ruddy daggerwings .
Gregg’s mistflower is a spreading ground cover with a unique relationship to queen butterflies
Sometimes call Texas ageratum , Gregg ’s mistflower ( Conoclinium greggii , Zones 7–10 ) is a low - growing broadcaster aboriginal to western Texas , New Mexico , Arizona , and northern Mexico . It makes a great drouth - tolerant ground cover that is covered with lavender - racy blooms from July through October . The fuzzy blooming are highly attractive to queen butterflies .
My friend Steve Owens at Bustani Plant Farm in Stillwater , Oklahoma , enjoin me about the unique relationship between male queen butterflies and Gregg ’s Conoclinium coelestinum . The males utilize a compound ( called intermedine ) find in the flowers to attract mates . During mating , a male person passes some of the compound to a female , which in turn protect her nut from predators . What a gift !
Gregg ’s mistflower also attracts bombastic number of migrate crowned head butterflies , as well as captain , common buckeye , hairstreak butterfly , red admiral , and sulphur butterfly . plant life tolerate partial shade but blossom good in full Dominicus . Gregg ’s mistflower grows 1 to 2 foot marvelous and wide and tolerates poor , gravelly soils .
Joe Pye weed grows to an impressive size, with big lacy flowers to match
Why do so many wildflower have the countersign “ weed ” in their name ? There is nothing weedy about Joe Pye weed ( EupatoriumandEutrochiumspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) . The hybrid pictured here is predict ‘ Phantom ’ ( Eupatorium‘Phantom ’ , Zones 4–8 ) and is a more succinct form , reaching 2 to 4 feet tall and 2 foot across-the-board . Rose - pink blooms cover plants from July through August , attracting scores of butterfly , including Eastern black , Panthera tigris , and zebra swallowtails . Also watch for hairstreak , pearly crescentspot , red full admiral , viceroy , and queen butterfly stroke , as well as a variety of skippers .
Joe Pye grass also attract a diversity of native bees . I like to leave prime still hunt standing through the twilight and winter month , allowing shuttle to dine on the abundant seeds . Joe Pye weed prefers well - drained soil , though it tolerates clay and wet soils . Plant in full Lord’s Day to fond nuance .
Ironweed is a regional native tolerant of both rocky and moist soils
Native to a comparatively little area in Arkansas and Oklahoma , ironweed ( Vernonia lettermanii , Zones 4–9 ) can be found along rough flood plains and rock outcrops . In the garden , you are most probable to encounter the mixture ‘ Iron Butterfly ’ ( picture here ) , which was selected for its compact habit ( with a mature height of 2 to 3 metrical unit tall and 2 feet wide ) and unbelievable blooming business leader .
Frilly , purple prime spread over plants from July through August , attracting butterfly stroke bombastic and small , from fluttering skippers to swallowtails . Cloudless giant sulphur , pearly crescentspot , and buckeye butterflies regularly visit vernonia . You ’ll also spot a trio of front - a - likes : viceroy , monarch butterfly , and queen butterfly .
Goldenrods provide fall food to migrating butterflies
I love the combination of imperial and yellow , which I find quite common in the autumn landscape . Take , for representative , the ‘ Iron Butterfly ’ ironweed and ‘ Peter Pan ’ goldenrod ( Solidagovirgaurea‘Peter Pan ’ , Zones 3–8 ) in the above picture . This goldenrod coinage happen to be of European bloodline , though there are plenty of fabulous American mintage if you favour to amaze to natives ( for a leaning of aboriginal goldenrods , lookhere ) . ‘ Peter Pan ’ grows 2 to 3 foot tall and wide and performs well under full sun in dry to ordinary soil .
Goldenrods ( Solidagospp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) attract a diversity of beneficial insects , from garden predators to pollinators . Among the butterflies , watch for orange sulphur , dogface butterfly stroke , and the lovely nautical blue butterfly . Two hairstreak , the great over-embellished hairstreak and the gray , unremarkably seek out goldenrod nectar . You ’ll also find western pygmy blues , pearly-white crescentspots , Limenitis archippus , and a variety of skipper .
More selective information on plant to support butterflies
— Kim Toscano is a horticulturist , entomologist , garden designer , writer , and graphic designer . She previously hostedOklahoma Gardening , a weekly PBS television broadcast produce by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service .
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‘Phantom’ Joe Pye weed attracts a wide diversity of native butterfly and bee species.Photo: Kim Toscano
A monarch butterfly stops to feed from this massive swamp milkweed plant.Photo: Kim Toscano
Gregg’s mistflower has unique icy blue flowers that will brighten your border.Photo: Kim Toscano
If you are intimidated by the impressive heights reached by Joe Pye weed (sometimes up to 8 feet tall!), consider the more compact ‘Phantom’ variety.Photo: Kim Toscano
‘Iron Butterfly’ ironweed has gorgeous jewel-toned purple flowers.Photo: Kim Toscano
The contrasting colors and textures of ‘Iron Butterfly’ ironweed and ‘Peter Pan’ goldenrod highlight each other’s vibrant flowers.Photo: Kim Toscano
