Butterflies are drawn to gardens that offer both nectar for adults and host plants for caterpillars, so the best approach is to plant a mix of flowering perennials, annuals, and a few herbs and shrubs.

Quick Scoop

Top nectar flowers butterflies love

(These are the “buffet” plants that keep adults coming back.)

  • Coneflowers (Echinacea) – Reliable summer blooms, loved by many butterfly species.
  • Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia) – Bright, daisy-like flowers that provide nectar through summer.
  • Butterfly bush (Buddleia) – Famous for long, fragrant flower spikes full of nectar.
  • Milkweed and butterfly weed (Asclepias species) – Excellent nectar plants, especially swamp milkweed and butterfly weed.
  • Salvia (ornamental sage) – Spikes of purple, blue, or red flowers; both butterflies and hummingbirds flock to it.
  • Yarrow (Achillea) – Flat flower clusters make easy landing pads and offer abundant nectar.
  • Zinnias – Easy annuals that bloom nonstop in warm weather, great for beginners.
  • Lantana – Colorful clusters that attract butterflies all season in warm climates.
  • Mexican sunflower (Tithonia) – Tall, orange blooms that draw in monarchs and others late in the season.
  • Verbena and cosmos – Long-blooming annuals butterflies visit repeatedly.

Host plants for caterpillars

(These are crucial if you want butterflies to actually reproduce in your yard.)

  • Milkweed (Asclepias spp.) – Larval food plant for monarch butterflies; plant several clumps for a real effect.
  • Parsley, dill, and fennel – Favorite host plants for black swallowtail caterpillars.
  • Sassafras – Host for spicebush swallowtail caterpillars.
  • Native prairie clovers (Dalea species) – Host for certain butterflies like the dogface butterfly.

Easy “starter list” for a butterfly bed

Numbered here so you can imagine one simple layout.

  1. Front edge: zinnias and verbena for a long, colorful bloom line.
  1. Middle: coneflower, black-eyed Susan, and salvia for height and nectar.
  1. Back: butterfly bush and Mexican sunflower for tall, showy plants.
  1. Dedicated patch: milkweed plus a small clump of parsley, dill, and fennel for caterpillars.

With even a handful of these plants in a sunny, wind-sheltered spot, plus a shallow water/mud dish, you’ll quickly turn your yard into a busy butterfly stopover.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.