If you just want to invite the occasional butterfly to your garden, you can simply plant a few alluring flowers. Your special winged guests are sure to stop by for a sip of nectar from time to time. But if you really want to grow a butterfly garden, you should include specific host plants in your planting bed.
With their nectar-filled deep throats, hibiscus blooms (and similar flowers) are sure to attract many species of butterflies, as well as hummingbirds, for a quick snack.
Photo Credit: ©2002 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
If you want to grow a full butterfly garden, you’ll need to add some host plants. Butterflies often have very specific requests. For example, milkweed – also called butterfly weed – is a favorite plant among monarchs.
Photo Credit: ©2002 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
Butterflies, you see, lay their eggs on host plants. The hatching larvae then use those plants as food. Now, you may think, “Why would I want my plants to get chewed up by hatching larvae?” But the reward is a bounty of beautiful butterflies – eventually.
Chances are you’ve seen caterpillars in your garden before. These crawly creatures are obviously quite identifiable – and fun to watch (especially for the kids). Of course, it’s important to be able to identify the caterpillar of your butterfly species to avoid possible confusion with unwanted garden pests. A good field guide is a useful reference to have.
So yes, caterpillars do eat their host plants. And over time, these plants may become a little raggedy – perhaps even entirely devoured. But you can combat this decimation by planting your host plants in large masses, reserving some in other areas of your garden for transplanting when necessary and even holding extra host plants in a cold frame to add in as the old ones get eaten.
Another tip is to place the host plants in inconspicuous spots in your garden. Consider those out-of-the-way areas or perhaps grow a mixed planting where other foliage can hide your host plants’ “chewed” state. Of course, you can also carefully prune the damaged leaves from the plants once the caterpillars have passed into their pupa stage – just be careful to avoid cutting off any branches that bear a chrysalis (a pupa’s protective covering).
Remember that butterfly-host plant relationships can be very specific. Many butterflies have a specially adapted anatomy that causes them to be dependent on only one or two host plants. These plants are crucial to the survival of the species through all four stages of the butterfly’s life cycle. For example, to attract swallowtails, you’ll need to plant carrots, fennel and parsley. To draw in monarchs, you’ll want plants from the milkweed family (there are quite a few varieties out there). For painted ladies in your garden, you should include hollyhock and mallow plantings. And if you want to attract the luna moth, plant some of its favorite common host plants: white birch, sweet gum, persimmon, black walnut and willow.
By planting the right hosts – the right way – you’ll be sure to attract butterflies not just to visit your garden, but to lay their eggs and rear their young. So gather your plants, trellises, lattice, shovel, hand trowel and gardening gloves, then take the steps shown in the following pictures and described in their captions. Then take pride in the fact that your little “butterfly nursery” is helping to ensure a continuing butterfly population – not just in your garden, but for your whole neighborhood…community…and environment.
Planting Host Plants - Step 1
Install sturdy trellises in your beds to help support climbing vines that serve as good butterfly host plants. Add lattice windbreaks if your site is subject to strong winds.
Photo Credit: ©2002 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
Planting Host Plants - Step 2
Observe how shadows fall on your bed. Place butterfly host shrubs and trees in spots that avoid shading other plantings.
Photo Credit: ©2002 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
Planting Host Plants - Step 3
Plant the tallest host plant species in the center of the planting bed or in the back of the border.
Photo Credit: ©2002 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
Planting Host Plants - Step 4
Between the vines, tall plants, shrubs and trees, mix in short- and medium-sized host plantings. Plant the smallest species at the bed or border margins.
Photo Credit: ©2002 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
Planting Host Plants - Step 5
Water your plantings in well. Throughout the season, note what types of butterflies visit your nursery, as well as when they arrive. Look closely for egg masses after they depart, typically laid on the undersides of leaves.
Photo Credit: ©2002 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
