As spring approaches, gardeners often rush to buy whatever they can find to fill a butterfly garden with color. But the best butterfly gardens contain as many native plants as possible to attract butterflies and other pollinators.
Butterflies like to forage at different heights, and pleasing mix of low-growing perennials, slow-growing shrubs and small trees is the perfect combo. These can be augmented by seasonal annuals to give you a garden rich in color and diversity.
Native Perennials
Good native perennials for Central Florida butterfly gardens include blazing star (Liatris spp.), Goldenrod (Solidago spp.), Starry Rosinweed (Silphium asteriscus), Ironweed (Veronia spp.), Rattlesnakemaster (Eryngium yuccifolium), Blue Porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis), Tropical Sage (Salvia coccinea), Spotted Horsemint (Monarda punctata), Milkweed (Asclepias spp.), Lyreleaf Sage (Salvia lyrata) and Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta). Many Florida wildflowers are short-lived perennials, but often come back from seed if you weed with caution.
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Starry Rosinweed (Silphium asteriscus) |
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Dwarf Varieties
Dwarf cultivers of native shrubs work best in a small butterfly garden, but even standard varieties can be selectively pruned to keep them in scale. Good choices include Firebush (Hamelia patens), with ‘Firefly’ being a good dwarf variety, Buttonsage (Lantana involucrata), Snow Squarestem (Melanthera nivea), Walter’s Viburnum (Viburnum obovatum), with ‘Mrs. Schiller’s Delight’ a good compact form, Senna spp., and Simpson’s Stopper (Myrcianthes fragrans ‘Compacta’).
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Standard Training
Many native shrubs can be trained into standards in a butterfly garden, but other good tree choices include White Fringe Tree (Chionanthus virginicus), Mockorange Tree (Philadelphus inodorus), Flatwoods Plum (Prunus umbellata), Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) and Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis).
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Don’t Forget!
Remember to include a nice mix of host and nectar plants in a butterfly garden, and to position it so it gets at least six hours of sun a day. Don’t use pesticides, of course, and don’t overwater. Aim for at least 70% natives in your garden and everything should be fine.
References
- Gardening for Butterflies
- Florida Butterfly Gardening
- Books and Blooms: A Native Pollinator Garden Takes Root at the Winter Park Library
Images courtesy of UF/IFAS Extension Ask IFAS, Gardening Solutions and Atlas of Florida Plants. This post was written with the help of Thomas Hewitt, Lake County Master Gardener Volunteer. Thank you!
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