Attracting Butterflies

Native Plants to Attract Butterflies

Native plants are essential if native butterflies are to survive and thrive. Native plants are better than non-native plants at providing vital nutrition and protection to sustain the native butterfly life cycle. In fact, without many of the plants listed, certain species of butterflies would cease to exist!

Native butterflies ad beauty to the home landscape and, along with native bees and other pollinators, are responsible for one third of the world's food supply.

Rosedale Nurseries is proud to be a supplier of American Beauties Native Plants®. For more information, visit www.abnativeplants.com

GRASSES

Plant Name Nectar
Source
Host
Plant
Bloom Time Exposure
Appalachian Sedge
(Carex appalachica)
Yes No March-April Partial Shade
Bunny Blue™ Sedge ('Hobb')
(Carex laxiculmus 'Bunny Blue')
Yes No March-April Full to Partial Shade
Tussock Sedge
(Carex stricta)
Yes No May-June Full Sun/Partial Shade
Little Blue Stem
(Schizachyrium 'Standing Ovation')
Yes No August-September Full Sun/Partial Sun
Little Blue Stem
(Schizachyrium 'The Blues')
Yes No August-September Full Sun/Partial Sun

PERENNIALS

Plant Name Nectar Source Host Plant Bloom Time Exposure
Swamp Milkweed
(Asclepias incarnata)
Yes Yes July-August Full Sun/Partial Sun
Swamp Milkweed 'Ice Ballet'
(Asclepias incarnata 'Ice Ballet')
Yes Yes July-August Full Sun/Partial Sun
Butterfly Milkweed
(Asclepias tuberosa)
Yes Yes June-July Full Sun/Partial Sun
Woodland Aster
(Aster divaricata)
Yes Yes September-October Full Sun/Partial Shade
Smooth Aster
(Aster laevis 'Bluebird')
Yes Yes August-September Full Sun/Partial Shade
New England Aster
(Aster 'Alma Potchke')
Yes Yes August-September Full Sun/Partial Shade
Blue False Indigo
(Baptisia australis)
Yes Yes May Full Sun/Partial Shade
Turtlehead
(Chelone)
Yes Yes August-September Full Sun/Partial Shade
Star Tickseed
(Coreopsis 'Sunshine Superman')
Yes No June-July Full Sun
Threadleaf Tickseed
(Coreopsis verticillata)
Yes No June-July Full Sun
Coneflower
(Echinacea purpurea)
Yes Yes June-August Full Sun/Partial Sun
Happy Star Coneflower
(Echinacea purpurea 'Happy Star')
Yes Yes July-October Full Sun/Partial Sun
Ruby Star Coneflower
(Echinacea purpurea 'Ruby Star')
Yes Yes July-October Full Sun/Partial Sun
Prairie Splendor Coneflower
(Echinacea pur. 'Prairie Splendor')
Yes Yes July-October Full Sun/Partial Sun
Joe Pye Weed
(Eupatorium coelestinum)
Yes No August-September Full Sun/Part Shade
Dwarf Joe Pye Weed
(Eupatorium 'Little Joe')
Yes No July-September Full Sun/Part Shade
Wild Geranium
(Geranium maculata)
Yes No April-May Full Sun/Part Shade
Cranesbill
(Geranium maculata 'Espresso')
Yes No May-June Full Sun/Part Shade
Sneezeweed
(Helenium 'Tiny Dancer')
Yes No August-September Full Sun
Oxeye Daisy
(Heliopsis heli. 'Summer Nights')
Yes No June-August Full Sun
Dwarf Crested Iris
(Iris cristata)
Yes No May-June Full to Partial Shade
White Dwarf Crested Iris
(Iris cristata 'Alba')
Yes No May-June Full to Partial Shade
Northern Blueflag
(Iris versicolor)
Yes No May-June Full Sun/Full Shade
Cardinal Flower
(Lobelia cardinalis)
Yes No July-September Full Sun/Part Shade
Cardinal Flower
(Lobelia 'Fired Green Tomatoes')
Yes No July-September Full Sun/Part Shade
Great Blue Lobelia
(Lobelia siphilitica)
Yes No June-July Full Sun/Part Shade
Sundial Wild Lupine
(Lupinus perennis)
Yes No May-July Sun
Bee Balm 'Blue Stocking'
(Monarda 'Blue Stocking')
Yes No May-July Full Sun/Partial Sun
Bee Balm 'Jacob Cline'
(Monarda didyma 'Jacob Cline')
Yes No May-July Full Sun/Partial Sun
Bee Balm 'Claire Grace'
(Monarda first. 'Claire Grace')
Yes No May-July Full Sun/Partial Sun
Beardtongue 'Husker Red'
(Penstemon 'Husker Red')
Yes No May-July Full Sun/Partial Sun
Woodland Phlox 'Blue Moon'
(Phlox div. 'Blue Moon')
Yes No April-May Full to Partial Shade
Woodland Phlox 'Parksville Beach'
(Phlox 'Parksville Beach')
Yes No April-May Full to Partial Shade
Garden Phlox 'Eva Cullum'
(Phlox pani. 'Eva Cullum')
Yes No July-September Full Sun/Part Shade
Garden Phlox 'Blue Paradise'
(Phlox pani. 'Blue Paradise')
Yes No July-September Full Sun/Part Shade
Garden Phlox 'Jeana'
(Phlox paniculata 'Jeana')
Yes No July-September Full Sun/Part Shade
Mountain Mint
(Pycnanthemum muticum)
Yes No July-September Full Sun/Part Shade
Black Eyed Susan
(Rudbeckia var. fulgida)
Yes No July-September Full Sun/Partial Sun
Three-lobed Coneflower
(Rudbeckia triloba)
Yes No July-September Full Sun/Partial Sun
Three-lobed Coneflower 'Prairie Glow'
Rudbeckia 'Prairie Glow'
Yes No July-September Full Sun/Partial Sun
Wild Pinks
(Silene c. 'Short and Sweet')
Yes No May-July Full Sun/Partial Shade
Goldenrod
(Solidago 'Fireworks')
Yes No August-October Full Sun
Ironweed 'Iron Butterfly'
(Vernonia 'Iron Butterfly')
Yes No August-September Full Sun
Bird's Foot Violet
(Viola pedata)
Yes No April-June Full Sun/Part Sun
Labrador Violet
(Viola labradorica)
Yes No April-June Part Sun to Part Shade
Prostrate Blue Violets
(Viola walteri  'Silver Gems')
Yes No April-September Full to Partial Shade

SHRUBS

Plant Name Nectar Source Host Plant Bloom Time Exposure
Pinxterbloom Azalaea
(Azalaea periclymenoides)
Yes Yes April-May Full Sun/Partial Sun
Pink-Shell Azalaea
(Azalaea vaseyi)
Yes Yes April Full Sun/Partial Sun
Swamp Azalaea
(Azalaea viscosum)
Yes Yes June-July Full Sun/Partial Sun
Button Bush
(Cephlanthus occidentalis)
Yes No June Full Sun/Partial Shade
Pagoda Dogwood
(Cornus alternifolia)
Yes Yes April-June Full Shade/Partial Shade
Red-Osier Dogwood
(Cornus ser. 'Cardinal')
Yes Yes June-August Full Sun/Partial Shade
Spicebush
(Lindera benzoin)
Yes Yes March-April Full sun/Partial Shade
Swamp Rose
(Rosa palustris)
Yes No May-July Full Sun
Pasture Rose
(Rosa virginiana)
Yes No May-July Full Sun
Pussy Willow
(Salix discolor)
Yes No March-April Full Sun/Partial Shade
Vaccinium corymbosum 'Blue Jay' Yes No May Full Sun
Vaccinium corymbosum 'Northland' Yes No May Full Sun
Vaccinium corymbosum 'Rubel' Yes No May-June Full Sun

TREES

Plant Name Nectar Source Host Plant Bloom Time Exposure
Serviceberry
(Amelanchier canadensis)
Yes Yes March-May Full Sun/Partial Sun
River Birch
(Betula nigra)
No Yes March-April Sun
Bunchberry
(Cornus canadensis)
Yes Yes May-June Partial Shade
Flowering Dogwood
(Cornus florida 'Cloud 9')
Yes Yes April-May Full Sun/Partial Shade
White Pine
(Pinus strobus)
No Yes Sun
Swamp White Oak
(Quercus bicolor)
Yes Yes May Full Sun
Sassafras
(Sassafras albidum)
Yes Yes April-May Full Sun/Part Shade

VINES

Plant Name Nectar Source Host Plant Bloom Time Exposure
Dutchman's Pipe
(Aristolochia)
No Yes May-June Full Sun/Part Shade
Honeysuckle
(Lonicera 'Major Wheeler')
Yes No May-June Sun
Wisteria frutescens Yes Yes May Sun

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