This article will explain some basics of butterfly gardening and plant selection. Now, keep in mind, you must research (you can do this online, using your favorite search engine) what butterflies are native to your area, and what plants those butterflies use as their host and nectar plants. Use that information combined with these tips and you will have a flourishing butterfly garden in no time at all!
1. It's about the "many", not the one. You cannot expect to go and buy one plant and have tons of butterflies. Keep in mind that butterflies are not ground level- they are many times flying high in the sky and will be more attracted to plants that are in bunches. Once you have researched what host and nectar plant the butterflies in your area use, buy several of these plants, and plant them together. At least 3 plants is recommended of any one variety.
2. Avoid being "monochromatic". Buy flowering plants with a variety of colors. For instance, you can buy tropical milkweed in both yellow (or "gold", as it is often called), as well as orange/red. You can pair this with Pentas, or Lantanas, in white. But again, keep them in bunches, as opposed to single plants. Plumbago has a periwinkle or blueish color. Mainly you want to have as many colors as possible, but again, make sure you purchase a few of each, and place them together so they are easily found.
3. Choose a variety of heights. Place the plants that are the tallest in the back, with the shorter growing plants in the front. Herbs, such as fennel and parsley, are going to attract Swallowtail butterflies, and these plants are very low-growing. You may want to place these in front of a taller growing plant such as Plumbago. Other low growing plants include Lantana (which comes in white, lavender, and yellow varieties).
4. Plan ahead. Keep in mind that if you are planting host plants and larvae hatch on these plants, they are going to defoliate it. So, if you plant milkweed, you may want to do so in the back, so if the plant does get defoliated, there will be lower growing plants in the front to cover the empty stalks, which some gardeners see as unsightly. Once it is completely defoliated you can simply prune it back and it will grow back in even fuller.
E. Wilkerson
Natura Butterfly Farm
Buy butterflies, order a butterfly release!
http://www.naturabutterflyfarm.com/
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