Butterfly Garden
Living jewels in your yard.
Two types of plants needed
- Nectar plants — adult butterflies feed.
- Host plants — caterpillars eat (becomes butterflies).
- BOTH needed — without host plants, no new butterflies.
Best nectar plants
- Coneflower (Echinacea) — hardy, native, perennial.
- Black-eyed Susan — yellow daisies.
- Bee balm (Monarda) — also attracts hummingbirds.
- Lantana — annual, blooms all summer.
- Zinnias — annuals, easy from seed.
- Butterfly bush — magnet (but invasive in some states — check).
- Phlox, salvia, asters — perennial favorites.
Best host plants
- Milkweed — MUST for monarch butterflies.
- Parsley + dill + fennel — for swallowtails.
- Pawpaw tree — for zebra swallowtail.
- Native grasses — for skipper butterflies.
- Violets — for fritillaries.
Senior tips
- Plant native species — local butterflies prefer them.
- Pick perennials — comes back yearly.
- NO pesticides — kills caterpillars.
- Sunny spot — butterflies need warmth.
- Water dish with rocks — "puddling" station.
- Plant in "drifts" of 3-5 same plants — butterflies see better.
Save the monarchs
Monarch population dropped 80% since 1990s. Plant milkweed = direct help. Free seeds from Save Our Monarchs (saveourmonarchs.org). Best senior gardening contribution to wildlife.