Edited by David Mizejewski, National Wildlife Federation Naturalist
Creating a butterfly garden with native plants is a rewarding way to support local wildlife and enjoy the beauty of these delicate creatures in your own backyard. Native plants are essential for butterflies because they provide the necessary resources for all stages of a butterfly’s life cycle. By planting native species, gardeners can start the process of creating habitat that helps butterflies and other wildlife flourish.
Here are 8 steps to create the perfect butterfly garden, along with some native plant suggestions that serve as host plants for various butterfly species.
1. Understand the Basics
Butterflies need two types of plants to thrive: nectar plants and host plants. Nectar plants provide the food adult butterflies need, nectar, while host plants are where butterflies lay their eggs and the caterpillars (larvae) feed on the leaves. Butterflies (and moths) have evolved to rely on specific native plants as their caterpillar host plants. Some have a number of different host plants, while others can only use one host plant. For example, monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) depend exclusively on milkweed (Asclepias spp.) for laying their eggs and feeding their caterpillars.
2. Choose the Right Location
Butterflies love sunny spots since they need the warmth to fly and feed. Choose a location that gets at least 6 hours of sunlight per day and look for full-sun plants that will thrive with that much sunlight. Most blooming plants require at least that much sun to produce the flowers that feed the butterflies. You’ll also want to ensure there is some protection from the wind in the form of shrubs, as strong gusts can deter butterflies from visiting.
3. Plant Native Nectar Plants
Nectar plants provide food for adult butterflies. These plants have co-evolved with local butterfly species, ensuring that the nectar they provide meets the nutritional needs of the butterflies. Here are some excellent native nectar plants to include in your butterfly garden:
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Milkweed (Asclepias spp.): Essential for monarch butterflies. Varieties like common milkweed, butterfly weed, and swamp milkweed are excellent choices.
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Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea): Attracts many butterfly species with its large, pink-purple flowers.
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Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium spp.): Tall plants with clusters of pink flowers that attract butterflies.
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Asters (Symphyotrichum spp.): Native aster species come in a variety of colors and sunlight preferences and draw numerous butterfly species in the late summer and early autumn.
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Goldenrod (Solidago spp.): Beautiful yellow blooms are an important late-season nectar source for butterflies.
4. Plant Native Host Plants
Host plants are crucial for butterflies to lay their eggs. Here are some native host plants and the butterfly species they support:
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Milkweed (Asclepias spp.): Monarch caterpillars feed exclusively on milkweed.
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Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea): Host plant for black swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) and ozark swallowtail (Papilio joanae) butterflies.
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Wild Cherry (Prunus serotina): Host plant for eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) and red-spotted purple (Limenitis arthemis) butterflies.
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Pussytoes (Antennaria spp.): Host plant for american painted lady (Vanessa cardui) butterflies.
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Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera): Host plant for eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) butterflies.
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Wild Plum (Prunus americana): Host plant for coral hairstreak (Satyrium titus) butterflies.
To view a larger list of butterflies and the plants their caterpillars eat, visit the National Wildlife Federation's Native Host Plants by Ecoregion lists.
5. Create a Continuous Bloom
Butterflies need nectar throughout their lifespan, so plan your garden to have plants that bloom at different times of the year. For example:
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Spring: Wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica)
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Summer: Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
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Fall: Blue wood aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium), Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
To view a larger list of nectar sources for monarchs that many other butterfly species will use, visit the National Wildlife Federation’s Native Nectar Plants by Ecoregion lists.
6. Build a Complete Habitat
Butterflies also need water, cover, and places to raise their young to thrive. Make sure your butterfly garden includes shallow water sources, such as a birdbath with pebbles or a shallow dish with sand and water for puddling. You can add cover by planting dense shrubs or creating brush piles to offer protection from the wind and predators. Finally, adding milkweed and other host plants provides the resources necessary for butterflies to reproduce, and nourish their young.
7. Avoid Pesticides
Avoid using pesticides in your butterfly garden as they can harm both adult butterflies and caterpillars. Spraying insecticides will kill these insects and spraying herbicides can kill their food plants. Sprays used by companies to kill mosquitoes will also kill beneficial insects. Neonicotinoids, a class of widely used systemic insecticides, are especially dangerous because nursery plants are treated during the growing process and all parts of the plant become toxic, including the foliage, nectar and pollen. Studies have shown plants treated with neonicotinoids can kill or harm butterflies, native bees and other wild pollinators. Instead of using harmful chemicals in your garden, you can encourage natural pest predators, such as ladybugs and predatory wasps, to maintain a healthy garden ecosystem.
8. Certify Your Garden
Once your butterfly garden is established, consider registering it as a Certified Wildlife Habitat® with the National Wildlife Federation and adding a sign to your yard showcasing your certification. This helps spread awareness and encourages others to create wildlife-friendly gardens.
By carefully selecting native plants and providing the right resources, you can create a thriving butterfly garden that supports local biodiversity and brings the joy of butterflies to your yard. Happy gardening!
