Plants for Pollinators

A butterfly garden can quickly become the main attraction of your landscape. These colorful gardens are cherished for the beautiful butterflies they attract. Besides the well-known monarch butterfly, there are over 150 different butterfly species that may be found in the Midwestern United States. An added bonus is that butterfly gardens also attract other nectar-feeding animals, like hummingbirds, honeybees, bumblebees, and moths.

Select A Site 
To create a butterfly garden in your landscape, first select a location that will provide good conditions for plant growth and butterfly habitat. Butterflies need sunlight to warm their bodies, and most butterfly plants grow best in full sun, so select a sunny location.

Make sure the garden is sheltered from harsh winds. Warm, sheltered sites are most needed by butterflies in the spring and fall. Provide rocks or bricks as basking sites, for butterflies to warm themselves in the sun.

Be sure to locate the garden in a place where you will be to enjoy the butterflies from a window, deck or patio.

Provide Food for Both Adults and Immature Butterflies 
The plants you select for the garden and surrounding home landscape will make a big difference. By choosing the right plants, you can attract many different butterflies, adding a moveable mural of color to your landscape.

You need to provide two types of food for butterflies: plants preferred by the immature caterpillar stage, and nectar sources for their winged adult stage.

Some butterfly caterpillars eat the leaves of common landscape trees and shrubs, such as birch, cherry, Eastern redbud, oak, hackberry, plum, sweet mockorange, viburnum, and willow. These plants will suffer little from the presence of a few caterpillars. Other caterpillars prefer plants such as clover, butterfly milkweed, broccoli, cabbage, dill, parsley, sweet fennel, sunflower, aster, and hollyhock.

For adult butterflies, plant several different flowers to make nectar available throughout spring, summer and fall. Butterflies are generally attracted to purple, orange, yellow or red flowers. Recommended annual flowers include alyssum, cleome, cosmos, dianthus, nasturtium, petunia, verbena, and zinnias. Recommended perennial flowers include blazing star, butterfly bush, candytuft, columbine, gladiolus, peony, phlox, purple coneflower, sedum, stiff goldenrod, violets and yarrow. Wildflower plantings can also be a great way to attract butterflies to your landscape.

Some herbs are attractive to butterflies, as either a caterpillar or adult food source. Dill, lavender, parsley, peppermint, sweet fennel, and thyme are good selections.

Even some weeds, such as dandelions, milkweed and Queen Anne's lace will attract butterflies.

For more information on creating your butterfly garden, refer to:

• Butterfly Gardening, Nebraska Extension

Consider adding plants to your landscape that will benefit pollinators. It is necessary to have a variety of plants blooming the whole growing season, April through October. Native plants are important to include because they have pollen and nectar sources for our native pollinators. Many of our favorite garden perennials are great for pollinators. It is fine to include them too, even if they are not native. Do not forget food plants for butterfly caterpillars. Herbs are perfect for pollinator gardens. And remember, no pesticides.