We all love butterflies, don’t we? Some of us even set up entire gardens and grew plants in them so that butterflies would come to us. Yet, they never do. Why is that?
Well, part of the reason might be that you don’t have the right kind of plants in your garden. Yes, butterflies are attracted to some plants more than others!
Frankly speaking, butterflies are selfish in that way.
They only seek plants and flowers that can fulfill their nourishment needs. The availability of rich and fulfilling nectar is the factor that determines whether a butterfly will land on a plant or not.
Here are 11 plants that fulfill that criteria!
11 Plants That Attract Butterflies
These plants are preferably for outdoors. We don’t want to attract butterflies into the house, as they become trapped and end up dying. If you want butterflies close to home, you can place these flowers outside your windows or front doors!
11 – Coneflower
Coneflowers are immensely popular amongst butterflies not only because of their vibrant colors but also due to the fact that they provide a sustainable source of nectar for butterflies during their long blooming season.
10 – Marigolds
Butterflies are particularly attracted to marigolds because of their striking bright colors. Also, fun fact – butterflies have excellent color vision which means they’re drawn towards vibrant striking colors much more than subtle dull ones.
In terms of a sustainable nectar source, marigolds are perfect as they have a much longer flowering period than other plants.
9 – Milkweeds
Milkweeds often serve as host plants for monarch butterflies because their caterpillars utilize milkweed leaves as food.
The adults, on the other hand, nourish themselves through the plant nectar. In a way, you can say that milkweeds are necessary for the survival of monarch butterfly species.
8 – Butterfly Bush
As the name suggests, the butterfly bush is perfect for inviting butterflies into your garden.
It serves as a decent nectar source, has a meaningfully long flowering period, and blooms a mix of vibrant purple, maroon, and off-white flowers that the tiny winged insects love.
7 – Cosmos
So, the cosmos plant blooms very interesting flowers that are shaped in a way that allows butterflies easier access to their nectar.
They’re also very common…like VERY common. Every six in ten gardens out there have cosmos plants because they’re just so easy to grow.
This means nectar from a cosmos plant is readily available to butterflies and they don’t have to forage for it.
6 – Lavender
Known for its fragrant purple flowers, the lavender plant is a favorite amongst butterflies. It provides them with a sustainable source of delicious nectar and the pleasant smell draws them in even from far away.
5 – Salvia
Salvia plants attract butterflies because of their nutrient-rich nectar. If you plant a few in your backyard, definitely expect to see an abundance of butterflies flying around at all times.
4 – Asters
Asters produce plenty of rich nectar for butterflies to use as a source of energy. The plant also blooms bright lilac flowers in the flowering season which draws the attention of butterflies even from a distance.
3 – Ageratum
The ageratum plant produces many tiny flowers that have a fluffy texture. Butterflies love these as they allow them easier access to abundant nectar throughout a considerably long blooming period.
2 – Monarda Bee Balm
Bee balms are NOT only for bees! This plant is a very underrated one if one’s goal is to attract butterflies to a garden. It produces a considerable amount of delicious nectar that both bees and butterflies can use as fuel. You’ll be surprised to see how quickly bee balms grab the attention of wandering butterflies.
1 – Sunflowers
Yep, we’ve all heard of this one. Butterflies LOVE sunflowers! In fact, if you think about it, our brains have now been wired to associate sunflowers with butterflies. Strange, isn’t it?
Anyways, sunflowers appear very appealing to butterflies because of their large size and striking yellow color. To them, it just screams an abundance of tasty nectar.
Final Words
So, there you go, 11 plants that attract butterflies. Now, all you need to do is plant a few of your favorites in your backyard and wait for them to bloom.
Then, have all the wholesome picnics and dates in your backyard because the abundance of butterflies in there will make everything ten times more romantic. Good luck!
