Plants that can attract butterflies
juk atrasat // Shutterstock
Plants that can attract butterflies
A butterfly on a pink-and-yellow flower.
Cultivating a flower garden that serves as a serene landscape while supporting a healthy ecosystem requires the right plants, care, and—perhaps most importantly—pollinators.
Pollinators, from bees to bats, provide essential support for more than one-third of the world’s edible crops by moving pollen between flowers, helping plants reproduce in the process. Among the most beloved pollinators is the butterfly: a symbol of good luck and transformation, beautiful to look at, and a vital part of the ecosystem and food supply. Enticing them doesn’t have to be difficult, either. Filling your garden with the right mix of native plants can do the work for you.
American Home Shield compiled a list of butterfly-attracting plants native to the United States using data from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas at Austin. These annuals provide food and safe places for butterflies to lay their eggs.
The plants on this list encourage butterflies to reproduce, lay their eggs, and make a home in your garden. And most are native blooms that can support the environment along the way.
A diverse, native garden is key to making up for habitat loss and encouraging pollination, according to the USDA. That’s because they reduce air pollution, water, and pesticide use by naturally thriving in the area they are planted, meaning you could also save on pricey fertilizers, water bills, and more.
Consider incorporating these blooms into your landscape to attract butterflies and support your local habitat.
Canva
Agalinis paupercula var. borealis
A yellow butterfly on a purple flower.
– Common name(s): Smallflower False Foxglove
– Attracted butterflies: Baltimore checkerspots
– Bloom colors: White, red, pink, yellow
– Bloom time: July-October
– Plant size: Up to about 2 feet tall
– Native states: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Wisconsin
Canva
Agalinis paupercula var. paupercula
Pink Foxglove flowers.
– Common name(s): Smallflower False Foxglove
– Attracted butterflies: Baltimore checkerspots
– Bloom colors: White, red, pink, yellow
– Bloom time: July-September
– Plant size: Up to about 2 feet tall
– Native states: Connecticut, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin
Canva
Amaranthus tuberculatus
Green blooming amaranth.
– Common name(s): Roughfruit Amaranth, Water Hemp
– Attracted butterflies: Common checkered-skipper
– Bloom colors: White, pink, green
– Bloom time: June-November
– Plant size: Up to about 6 feet tall, occasionally taller
– Native states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Melinda Fawver // Shutterstock
Ambrosia trifida
Giant Ragweed flowers.
– Common name(s): Great Ragweed, Giant Ragweed
– Attracted butterflies: Bordered patch
– Bloom colors: Green, brown
– Bloom time: June-October
– Plant size: Up to about 12 feet tall, often shorter
– Native habitat: Waste places, fields, and roadsides.
– Native states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
Canva
Amphicarpaea bracteata
Small purple blooms.
– Common name(s): American Hogpeanut
– Attracted butterflies: Silver-spotted skipper, northern cloudywing
– Bloom colors: White, pink, purple
– Bloom time: August-September
– Plant size: Stems twining, up to about 5 feet long
– Native habitat: Woodlands
– Native states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Ksenia Lada // Shutterstock
Arabis glabra
Tall grassy stalks with white-and-yellow blooms.
– Common name(s): Tower Rockcress
– Attracted butterflies: Large marble
– Bloom colors: White
– Bloom time: March-July
– Plant size: Up to about 5 feet tall, often shorter
– Native states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
Joy Sagar // Shutterstock
Bidens alba
A large orange butterfly on a yellow-and-white flower.
– Common name(s): Common Beggarticks, Shepherd’s Needles, Spanish Needles, Butterfly Needles, Hairy Beggarticks, Romerillo
– Attracted butterflies: Florida duskywing
– Bloom colors: White, yellow
– Bloom time: January-December
– Plant size: Up to about 8 feet tall, often much shorter
– Native states: Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Missouri, Pennsylvania
Canva
Camissonia contorta
Small yellow flowers.
– Common name(s): Plains Evening-primrose
– Attracted butterflies: Kern primrose sphinx
– Bloom colors: Red, yellow
– Bloom time: March-July
– Plant size: Up to about 20 inches tall
– Native states: California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington
Canva
Chenopodium album
A green blooming Lambsquarters plant.
– Common name(s): Lambsquarters
– Attracted butterflies: Common sootywing, western pygmy-blue
– Bloom colors: Green, brown
– Bloom time: June-October
– Plant size: Stems erect to sprawling, up to about 10 feet long
– Native habitat: Cultivated land, disturbed sites, and roadsides.
– Native states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
Sandra M. Austin // Shutterstock
Cirsium horridulum
A monarch butterfly on a purple thistle.
– Common name(s): Bristle Thistle, Yellow Thistle, Horrid Thistle, Purple Thistle, Spiny Thistle, Bull Thistle
– Attracted butterflies: Little metalmark
– Bloom colors: White, red, pink, yellow, purple
– Bloom time: May-August
– Plant size: Up to about 8 feet tall, often much shorter
– Native habitat: Shores, marshes, sandy or peaty fields.
– Native states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia
GOLAM MOSTOFA BHUIYAN // Shutterstock
Croton capitatus
A green plant with small white blooms.
– Common name(s): Hogwort, Texas Goatweed
– Attracted butterflies: Goatweed leafwing
– Bloom colors: White
– Bloom time: July-September
– Native states: Alabama, Arkansas, Washington D.C., Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Canva
Eriogonum abertianum
Light pink flowers.
– Common name(s): Abert’s Buckwheat, Abert’s Wild Buckwheat
– Attracted butterflies: Crescent metalmark
– Bloom colors: White, pink, yellow
– Bloom time: January-December
– Plant size: Up to about 28 inches tall
– Native states: Arizona, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas
Roberto Pascual Gomez // Shutterstock
Helianthus argophyllus
Silverleaf sunflowers.
– Common name(s): Silverleaf Sunflower
– Attracted butterflies: Bordered patch and silvery checkerspot
– Bloom colors: Yellow
– Bloom time: August-November
– Plant size: 3 to 10 feet tall
– Native states: Florida, North Carolina, Texas
Leena Robinson // Shutterstock
Lupinus texensis
A monarch butterfly on a bluebonnet.
– Common name(s): Texas Bluebonnet, Bluebonnet, Texas Lupine, Buffalo Clover, Wolf Flower
– Attracted butterflies: Hairstreak butterfly, elfin butterfly
– Bloom colors: White, blue
– Bloom time: March-May
– Plant size: Up to 60 cm tall
– Native habitat: Prairies; open fields; roadsides
– Native states: Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas
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Peritoma serrulata
A purple rocky mountain bee plant.
– Common name(s): Rocky Mountain Bee-plant, Stinking-clover, Bee Spiderflower, Navajo Spinach, Pink Cleome, Toothed Spiderflower, Skunkweed
– Attracted butterflies: Checkered white
– Bloom colors: White, purple
– Bloom time: May-September
– Plant size: Usually to about 32 in height Can reach 6 feet in height
– Native habitat: Shortgrass and mixed grass prairies, pastures, pinyon pine and juniper woodland, desert scrub, roadsides, stabilized sand dunes
– Native states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
Canva
Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium ssp. obtusifolium
A white rabbit tobacco plant.
– Common name(s): Blunt-leaf Rabbit-tobacco, Rabbit Tobacco, Sweet Everlasting, Fragrant Cudweed
– Attracted butterflies: American lady
– Bloom colors: White
– Bloom time: August-October
– Plant size: Up to about 3 feet tall
– Native habitat: Dry clearings; woodland edges; fields
– Native states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Christiane Godin // Shutterstock
Rudbeckia hirta
A lowi swallow tail butterfly on yellow rudbeckia flowers.
– Common name(s): Black-eyed Susan, Common Black-eyed Susan, Brown-eyed Susan, Blackeyed Susan
– Attracted butterflies: Bordered patch
– Bloom colors: Red, orange, yellow
– Bloom time: March-November
– Plant size: Up to about 3 feet tall
– Native habitat: Prairie, Plains, Meadows, Pastures, Savannas, Woodlands’ edge, Opening
– Native states: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
Canva
Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima
Bright yellow black-eyed Susan flowers.
– Common name(s): Black-eyed Susan, Blackeyed Susan, Brown-eyed Susan, Pinewoods Coneflower
– Attracted butterflies: Silvery checkerspot
– Bloom colors: Red, orange, yellow
– Bloom time: March-November
– Plant size: Up to about 3 feet tall
– Native habitat: Prairie/Meadow/Field
– Native states: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
RMX IMG // Shutterstock
Sida rhombifolia
A yellow flower.
– Common name(s): Cuban Jute, Axocatzin
– Attracted butterflies: Tropical checkered-skipper
– Bloom colors: Yellow
– Bloom time: January-December
– Plant size: Up to about 3 feet tall
– Native states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia
Randy Bjorklund // Shutterstock
Verbena stricta
A monarch butterfly on a purple wooly verbena.
– Common name(s): Hoary Verbena, Hoary Vervain, Tall Vervain, Woolly Verbena
– Attracted butterflies: Common buckeye
– Bloom colors: Blue, purple
– Bloom time: June-September
– Plant size: Up to about 6 feet tall
– Native habitat: Fields; prairies
– Native states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
Dominic Gentilcore PhD // Shutterstock
Viola nephrophylla
A purple northern bog violet.
– Common name(s): Northern Bog Violet, Wanderer Violet, Entire-leaved Prairie Violet, Small Mottled Blue Violet
– Attracted butterflies: Nokomis fritillary
– Bloom colors: White, purple, violet
– Bloom time: January-September
– Plant size: Up to about 6 inches tall
– Native states: Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
Bayu_Prasetyo // Shutterstock
Zizania aquatica
A green zizania aquatica.
– Common name(s): Annual Wildrice, Wild Rice
– Attracted butterflies: Broad-winged skipper
– Bloom colors: Green
– Bloom time: June-August
– Plant size: Stems up to about 15 feet tall, often much shorter Usually emergent
– Native habitat: Marshes, ponds, lakes, borders of sluggish rivers.
– Native states: Alabama, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin
Data reporting by Elena Cox. Story editing by Jeff Inglis. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick.
This story originally appeared on American Home Shield and was produced and
distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
