Few things are more enchanting than a garden filled with fluttering butterflies. They bring out the delighted child in each of us as they shimmer in the sunlight. Asking very little, they give us an unsurpassed gift of symmetry, beauty, and delicacy.

1. Few things are more enchanting than a
E njoying their performance,
we don't always realize that,
if we want to have a large
garden filled with fluttering butterflies. They number of adult butterflies, we
bring out the delighted child in each of us as have to think about providing
they shimmer in the sunlight. Asking very habitat needs for their whole
life cycle.
little, they give us an unsurpassed gift of
symmetry, beauty, and delicacy. At the same time, we will be
making a contribution to the
conservation movement, as well
Butterfly as bringing life and sparkling
beauty to our homes.
Gardening To quote Robert Pyle,
“I am very concerned about
what I call the extinction of
experience – the loss of
For more nature habitat information
everyday species within our own
Visit these helpful websites: radius of reach. When we lose
the common wildlife in our
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immediate surroundings, we run
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the risk of becoming inured to
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nature’s absence, blind to
delight, and, eventually,
alienated from the land."
By planting a butterfly garden
today, we are insuring our
continued involvement with
nature tomorrow.
There are a variety of theories
about where butterflies got
their name. One of the most
charming proposes that it
began in England when people
saw the woodlands alight with
yellow brimstones and
compared them to “butter
flying."
However they came to be
named, early naturalists
certainly had no idea that
caterpillars and butterflies were
different stages of the same
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2. creature. For many centuries, it like so many other species, are Before you start planting
was accepted that caterpillars suffering a declining population your garden, explore your yard
arose from the morning dew on due to loss of habitat and the and nearby areas. What species
leaves. Even with our modern increased use of insecticides do you see and which ones do
knowledge, the transformation and other pollutants. you want to attract. What
from caterpillar to butterfly plants do those prefer for
certainly seems miraculous. While killing and mounting nectar and larval food. Do you
them may have some want a garden exclusively
There are many guidebooks to importance for scientific designed for butterflies, or do
help you identify the different studies, the rest of us benefit you prefer to incorporate
butterflies, and most will include far more by observing them in appropriate plants into an
a discussion of their life cycle. the garden and collecting existing bed. Is your gardening
them only through style formal or casual. How
photographs. much time can you contribute
Four Stages to maintenance.
Briefly, there are four stages, We can identify many
each very different from the varieties, even in an area as
others. small as a window box, and the Ask These Questions
more we learn, the more By asking yourself these
s The butterfly begins as an fascinating they become. questions, you can save a lot of
egg, hatching in 5 to 10 time later on. You can design a
days. large garden, or you may decide
40 Million Years to start on a very small scale,
s The resulting caterpillar For instance, they originated with just a few selected plants,
does nothing much except about 40 million years ago, and add more each year.
eat and grow, shedding its when flowering plants were
skin four to six times. beginning to proliferate. Their One of the first
proboscis, the long, hollow considerations when planning
s In two to four weeks it will feeding tube, remains coiled up your garden is location. Choose
form a pupa which, within its beneath the head when not in a sunny area, not only because
chrysalis, or cocoon, takes use. most butterfly-attracting
on the body of the adult. flowers grow best in full sun, but
Some species prefer because the butterflies
s The butterfly emerges in 10 fermenting fruit or tree sap to themselves only fly when there
to 15 days and, after nectar. The female will drum is sun to keep their bodies
mating, the cycle begins and scratch a leaf with her warm.
again. feet to release chemicals that
tell her that it is a suitable On cloudy days they may not
The whole process is known as place to lay her eggs. fly at all. Often the best time to
“metamorphosis," or, literally, get a photograph is when the
“change of form." Bright color often warns temperature is cooler, while they
predators that a butterfly are basking in the sun until they
tastes bad. Learning about have warmed to flight
Loss of Habitat butterflies can be a treat for temperature.
As our appreciation of these the whole family. As E.O.
lovely creatures grows, so does Wilson wrote, “Splendor awaits Sunny garden spots enable
our realization that butterflies, in minute proportions." butterflies to feed earlier and
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3. later in the day and to take provide nearby trees with butterflies in to lay eggs, then
enough time to find suitable crevices, or create a log pile. provide food for the
egg-laying spots, as well as caterpillars.
decreasing the time it takes for Although we may be
eggs and caterpillars to develop. attracted to the nectar-
producing flowers because of Host Plants
Flat rocks and evergreens their striking beauty, it is Some species will search out
added to your garden will absorb important not to neglect host and accept only one or two
the sun’s warmth, and plants. These are often native kinds of host plants, and in
butterflies will enjoy basking on plants, and will lure female fact some caterpillars will
the stones to raise their body
temperature more quickly.
Plants for the Butterfly Garden
This list is by no means complete, but will give you a good start
Water is Critical
in selecting plants for your garden. Your local nurseries will be able
As with all wildlife, water is
to tell you which ones will do best in your area, and may offer
essential. You can create a mud
additional selections. Those with an asterisk (*) are especially
puddle in a corner of the garden,
effective in attracting butterflies.
or sink a bowl in the ground and
fill it with wet sand. Mud and SHRUBS: *Butterfly bush .................................... (Buddleia)
sand are sources of nutrients, *Buttonbush ................................. (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
and sometimes you will see a Glossy abelia ................................ (Abelia x Grandiflora
bunch of male butterflies Mountain laurel
Lilac ................................................. (Syringa vulgaris)
congregating at mud puddle
Sweet pepperbush ....................... (Clethra arborea)
areas after the water has Flame azalea ................................. (Rhododendron spp.)
evaporated, eating salt and Mountain laurel ............................ (Kalmia)
other concentrated minerals. Honeysuckle shrub ...................... (Lonicera tatarica)
Bluebeard ....................................... (Caryopteris x clandonensis)
Privet ............................................... (Ligustrum)
It is also helpful if the
butterfly garden can be
PERENNIALS: *Joe-Pye weed .............................. (Eupatorium spp.)
protected from the wind. This *Purple Coneflower....................... (Echinacea purpurea)
will keep the temperature higher, *Anise Hyssop .............................. (Hyssopus officinalis)
and reduce the effort required *New England aster .................... (Aster spp.)
to fight air currents as the *Butterfly weed ............................ (Asclepias tuberosa)
*Black-eyed Susan ...................... (Rudbeckia spp.)
butterflies feed. Taller flowers
Coreopsis ....................................... (Coreopsis spp.)
also benefit because they won’t Veronica .......................................... (Veronica spp.)
be blown over, and many plants Verbena ........................................... (Verbena canadensis)
will warm up and bloom at an
earlier date. ANNUALS: *Lantana ........................................ (Lantana camara)
*Pentas ........................................... (Pentas lanciolata)
*Cosmos ......................................... (Cosmos sulphureus)
Heliotrope ...................................... (Heliotrope arborescens)
Protect From Wind Mexican sunflower ....................... (Tithonia rotundifolia)
The wind can be broken by a Flowering tobacco ....................... (Nicotiana alata)
line of shrubs, a fence, or a wall. Pincushion flower ......................... (Scabiosa atropurpurea)
For those that overwinter, there French marigold ........................... (Targetes patula)
Impatiens ....................................... (Impatiens wallerana)
are commercial butterfly
Zinnia ............................................... (Zinnia elegans)
hibernation boxes, or you can
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4. winter) will give you a full, lush
Butterflies are insects and thus are at risk when you use garden with a long bloom time.
insecticides. Consider putting up with some leaf-chewing,
removing unwanted insects by hand, or using a homemade While butterflies don’t care
spray such as crushed garlic cloves in liquid soap. about the actual design of your
Crawling insects dislike both the smell of the garlic and the garden, that may be of
stickiness of the soap. importance to you.
Decide where you will be when
starve rather than eat another home in on their favorite flower viewing your flowers and plan
type of vegetation. Since even from far away. around that perspective. Think
individual females can lay up to about what color scheme
1600 eggs in their lifetime, Check bloom times to provide appeals to you. Colors are
providing appropriate host blossoms throughout the generaly classified as “warm"
plants is one of the most reliable growing season. Different (red, orange, yellow) or “cool"
ways to increase the numbers of heights are also important, (purple, blue, white).
butterflies in your garden. since certain butterflies prefer
to feed near the ground, while A garden is most often
If they are too informal to suit others like flowers atop tall pleasing if it draws primarily
your flower bed, plant them in an stems. from one group, with a few added
area away from your blossoms. accents from the other. To a
Since many are native shrubs palette that is primarily orange
and wildflowers, they may already Tall Goes In Back and red, add a touch of purple or
exist nearby. Plant your taller species to blue; to the cool colors add a
the back of the bed, gradually splash of yellow.
working down to the shorter
Single, Not Double ones in the front. Combining Warm colors are showy and
When choosing plants for your perennials (those that come vibrant, showing up best against
butterfly garden, choose single back every year) and annuals a strong green background. Cool
rather than double-flowered (the ones that die in the colors are restful, benefiting
species. These allow easier
access to the nectar.
Many butterflies prefer the Host Plants and the Butterflies They Attract
colors of purple, yellow, orange,
and red, especially with clusters Butterfly weed, Milkweed.............................. Monarch
of flat-topped or tubular Parsley, Dill, Copper Fennel.......................... Black Swallowtail
blossoms. Blue Passionflower....................................... Gulf Fritillary
Spicebush (Lindera)...................................... Spicebush Swallowtail
Butterflies can see more colors Tulip Tree (Liriodendron) .............................. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
than we can, including ultraviolet. Vegetable plants, mustards ........................... Whites
For the greatest attraction, Pea family, marigolds, clovers ....................... Sulphurs
plant groups of the same plant Dogwood, clovers, vetches ........................... Blues
and color, rather than one or two Snapdragons ................................................ Buckeyes
of each flower. Everlastings, thistles ...................................... Painted Ladies
Violets ......................................................... Frittilaries
Butterflies also have a very Willows, poplars ........................................... Admirals
sensitive sense of smell and will
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5. from the addition of white to Plants for Hummingbirds
add sparkle and freshness. A number of commercial
hummingbird feeders and
nectar mix formulas are also
Hummingbirds available to supplement the
People who garden for natural food supply.
butterflies are often interested
in including flowers for Some of the more popular
hummingbirds as well. While they hummingbird plants that you
are two completely different might want to include are:
creatures, both are nectar
feeders and respond well to s Cardinal flower
selective planting in the home (Lobelia cardinalis)
habitat. s Standing cypress
s Eastern columbine
Like butterflies, hummingbirds (Aquilegia canadensis)
are selective about the s Scarlet sage
blossoms that they choose. (Salvia coccinea)
Interestingly, hummingbirds are s Bee balm
not born knowing which plants (Monarda didyma)
are suitable for them, but they s Jewelweed
are very curious and have good (Impatiens capensis)
memories, learning quickly from s Hibiscus
trial and error. s Trumpet honeysuckle
(Lonicera sempervirens)
Look For Red
Generally speaking, humming-
birds look for red flowers that
This article was written by
point out or hang down, have a Maryland Master Wildlife Habitat
high percentage of sugar in the Naturalist Cathy Gilleland.
nectar, and are less attractive
to insects because they have For more information or for the
name of a Master Wildlife Habitat
no odor or place for easy
Naturalist in your area,
landing. please contact:
A butterfly garden can be WindStar Wildlife Institute
ideal if the right plants are
included. It tends to have many E-mail: wildlife@windstar.org
http://www.windstar.org
flowers - a necessity since
hummingbirds feed every 10 to
15 minutes – and the restrained
use of insecticides means a WindStar Wildlife Institute is a
national, non-profit, conservation
healthy population of the small
organization whose mission is to
insects and spiders which are a help individuals and families
critical part of the establish or improve the wildlife
hummingbird’s diet. habitat on their properties.
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