What are the needs of a successful butterfly garden?

Answer 1

I'm sure others can answer this question better than I can ; what follows is an non-sourced article I saved (from somewhere) and maybe it will be of benefit to you . . .

"The garden experience is much more than plants and colorful flowers. With the right plants you can have hundreds of visiting butterflies to enrich the garden scene.

Big yellow sulfur, gulf fritillary, queen, monarch, red admiral, border patch, black swallowtail, tiger swallowtail and grayhair streak are just a few of the beautiful butterflies that are actively foraging right now. You can guarantee lots of butterflies if you add some of the following plants to your garden.

Sky flower or golden dewdrops (Duranta species) hasn't been around long, but it's popularity has spread rapidly. Duranta has proven to be a fabulous food source for several species of butterflies.

Duranta is a tender woody shrub that grows with an upright, spreading habit to 3 to 5 feet tall and wide. The ends of the arching limbs are loaded with lateral sprays of small white, blue-lavender or purple and white flowers that occur over a long period of time. Some species develop a golden or orange fruit that is equally attractive. Duranta is a zone 8 plant so mulch the base of the plant to protect the tender root system for next year's growth. You'll be amazed how the butterflies and people love this plant.

Greg's blue mist flower (Eupatorium greggii) is like a drive-in soda shop for butterflies. This hardy perennial grows 12 to 18 inches tall and spreads by underground rhizomes. It blooms with purple or lavender ageratum-like blooms. It has finely cut leaves and has good drought-tolerance. Deadheading or periodic shearing will renew blooming and keep the plant looking good. Greg's blue mist can be invasive so place it somewhere it won't become a nuisance. Other Eupatorium species (E. colestinum and E. havanense ) are equally good at attracting butterflies.

Sedums like autumn joy and brilliant are perfect plants for the garden and an excellent draw for the color-coordinated, grayhair streak butterflies. Autumn joy is a dependable and adaptable, long-lived perennial that grows about 2 feet tall and wide. The leaves and stems are succulent and the flowers are tightly packed in slightly domed clusters. Flowering begins in August and remain until fall, changing from pink to copper. Sedums grows in full sun to part shade and have good drought- tolerance. They are easy to grow and propagate from cuttings or division.

Zexmenia (Wedilia hispida) is a perennial plant that grows about 1 foot tall and wide and bears yellow daisy-like flowers. It is a dependable flowering perennial that grows and spreads carefree in sun or shade and will tolerate dry conditions. Zexmenia is favorite of the bordered patch butterfly as a larval and adult nectar plant. This tough little plant also is a seed source for beautiful and entertaining finches.

Several other plants serve as nectar for a wide variety of butterflies, such as butterfly bush (Buddleia), lantana (Lantana spp.), scarlet sage (Salvia coccinea), indigo spires (Salvia x ëIndigo spires), butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa,) and Mexican mint marigold (Tagetes lucida). "