Herbaceous Perennials That Attract Butterflies
While butterflies are attracted to many flowers, those listed below are sure to lure them to your garden if there are any within flying distance. To make sure they come and then to insure that they remain for as long as possible, plant these herbaceous perennials in large masses. Be aware that butterflies will lay eggs, which hatch into caterpillars that like to eat. And they eat the leaves of many different kinds of flowers. Avoid pesticides that might leave residues and harm the caterpillars, else no more butterflies will come.
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Nectar plants for butterflies
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Botanical Name |
Common Name |
Zone |
| Butterfly weed |
(Asclepias tuberosa) |
All PNW |
| Aster |
(Aster spp.) |
All PNW |
| Bachelor's button |
(Centaurea cyanus) |
All PNW |
| Jupiter's beard |
(Centranthus ruber, C. ruber 'Albus') |
All PNW |
| Daisy |
(Chrysanthemum spp.) |
All PNW |
| Sun Ray coreopsis |
(Coreopsis hybrid 'Sun Ray') |
All PNW |
| Tiny Rubies pink |
(Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Tiny Rubies') |
All PNW |
| Purple coneflower |
(Echinacea purpurea) |
All PNW |
| Orange fleabane |
(Erigeron aurantiacus) |
All PNW |
| Seaside daisy |
(Erigeron glaucus) |
C, LV, LM, DV |
| Perennial candytuft |
(Iberis sempervirens) |
All PNW |
| White blazing star |
(Liatris sPicata 'Snow White') |
All PNW |
| Statice |
(Limonium latifolium) |
All PNW |
| Bee balm |
(Monarda spp.) |
All PNW |
| Catmint |
(Nepeta faassenii) |
All PNW |
| Summer phlox |
(Phlox paniculata) |
All PNW |
| Gloriosa daisy |
(Rudbeckia hirta) |
All PNW |
| Hardy purple sage |
(Salvia x superba 'Blue Queen') |
All PNW |
| Hardy pink sage |
(Salvia x superba 'Rose Queen') |
All PNW |
| Golden Baby goldenrod |
(Solidago canadensis 'Golden Baby') |
All PNW |
| Betony |
(Stachys macrantha) |
All PNW |
Host plants for larvae (caterpillars)
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Botanical Name |
Common Name |
Zone |
| Butterfly weed, milkweed |
(AsclePias spp.) |
All PNW |
| Aster |
(Aster spp.) |
All PNW |
| Dwarf Russell hybrid lupine |
(Lupinus Russell hybrids) |
All PNW |
| Checkerbloom |
(Sidalcea malvifiora) |
C, LV, LM, DV |
| Verbena |
(Verbena rigida) |
All PNW |
| Royal Robe violet |
(Viola odorata 'Royal Robe') |
C, LV, LM, DV |
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Excerpt from The Pacific Northwest Gardener's Book of Lists
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| A sourcebook and workbook in one! More than 200 lists of plants grouped by their horticultural characteristics and users in the garden.
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| $18.95
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