These xeriscape web pages have been constructed out of my own research into what I had to do to support hummingbirds and bees naturally without lots of maintenance and water, and to provide food to support an entire life- cycle for certain butterflies based on the established trees and shrubs in my garden. Therefore, worthy butterflies have been left off the list who turn up their proboscises at my trees and shrubs; flora and fauna that perish in my zone are not included; only the most tempting plants that need water are included; and the menus I've provided for particular butterflies reflect all this. Check out the detailed information provided from Geyata Ajilvsgi's Butterfly Gardening for the South for more comprehensive information on particular butterfly personalities and preferred menus.
Click on the plant links for information from Time Life Virtual Garden Encyclopedia
It is not enough to provide a nectar plant, for if one attracts butterflies to lay eggs in one's garden but does not provide food for the butterfly larvae to eat, the butterfly "babes" will starve. For every nectar plant that attracts a particular butterfly, one must plant a larval food:
Particular Nectar Plants + diverse Larval plants to provide an entire feeding cycle for a number of butterflies:
butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) +
fennel (Foeniculum vulgare),
dill (anethum graveolens),
parsley (Petroselinum crispum), peach, American plum (Prunus americanus), catalpa, lilac (Syringa vulgaris), poplar (Populus), cottonwood (populus deltoides), pear (Pyrus)
Lantana (Lantana camara) +
spicebush (Lindera benzoin),
fennel (Foeniculum vulgare),
dill (anethum graveolens),
parsley (Petroselinum crispum),
Dutchman's Pipe, poplar (Populus)
poplar (Populus), cottonwood (populus deltoides), pear (Pyrus), garden bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus), purple bean (Phaseolus atropurpureus)
cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) +
spicebush (Lindera benzoin),
Dutchman's Pipe,
white clover (Trifolium repens), poplar (Populus), cottonwood (populus deltoides), pear (Pyrus)
goldenrod (Solidago) + poplar (Populus), cottonwood (populus deltoides), pear (Pyrus), elm (ulmus)
pineapple sage (Salvia elegans) + Dutchman's Pipe,
poplar (Populus), cottonwood (populus deltoides), pear (Pyrus)
verbena +
milkweed (Asclepias speciosa),
lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus), purple bean (Phaseolus atropurpureus), poplar (Populus), cottonwood (populus deltoides), pear (Pyrus)
salvia +
white clover (Trifolium repens), poplar (Populus), cottonwood (populus deltoides), pear (Pyrus)
coneflower (Echinacea) +
thistle (Cirsium), poplar (Populus), cottonwood (populus deltoides), pear (Pyrus)
sunflower (Helianthus) + thistle (Cirsium), poplar (Populus), cottonwood (populus deltoides), pear (Pyrus)
single zinnia + thistle (Cirsium), poplar (Populus), cottonwood (populus deltoides), pear (Pyrus)
morning glory (ipomoea purpurea) + garden bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus), purple bean (Phaseolus atropurpureus), poplar (Populus), cottonwood (populus deltoides), pear (Pyrus),
lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus)
lemon-mint/lem on-balm (Melissa officinalis) + garden bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus), purple bean (Phaseolus atropurpureus), poplar (Populus), cottonwood (populus deltoides), pear (Pyrus)
Particular Larval Plants + diverse Nectar plants to provide an entire feeding cycle for a number of butterflies:
citrus +
butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii),
Lantana (Lantana camara)
rue +
butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii),
Lantana (Lantana camara)
peach +
butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii),
butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
American plum (Prunus americanus) +
butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii), butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
catalpa +
butterfly bush,
butterfly weed
lilac (Syringa vulgaris) +
butterfly bush,
butterfly weed
fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) + fennel (Foeniculum vulgare),
dill (anethum graveolens),
parsley (Petroselinum crispum), peach,
Lantana (Lantana camara),
butterfly weed,
thistle (Cirsium), zinnia
dill (anethum graveolens) +
fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), dill (anethum graveolens), parsley (Petroselinum crispum), peach,
Lantana (Lantana camara),
butterfly weed,
thistle (Cirsium), zinnia
parsley (Petroselinum crispum) +
fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), dill (anethum graveolens), parsley (Petroselinum crispum), peach,
Lantana (Lantana camara),
butterfly weed,
thistle (Cirsium), zinnia
Dutchman's Pipe (aristolochia) +
"over-ripe fruit",
butterfly bush,
Lantana (Lantana camara),
globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa), thistle (Cirsium),
cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis),
pineapple sage (Salvia elegans)
poplar (Populus) +
"over-ripe fruit",
butterfly bush,
Lantana (Lantana camara),
globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa), thistle (Cirsium),
cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis),
pineapple sage (Salvia elegans),
milkweed (Asclepias speciosa),
goldenrod (Solidago),
coneflower
(Echinacea)
pear (Pyrus)
+
"over-ripe fruit",
butterfly bush,
Lantana (Lantana camara),
globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa), thistle (Cirsium),
cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis),
pineapple sage (Salvia elegans),
milkweed (Asclepias speciosa),
goldenrod,
coneflower (Echinacea)
elm (ulmus) +
milkweed (Asclepias speciosa),
goldenrod
milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) +
milkweed (Asclepias speciosa),
goldenrod, verbena
white clover (Trifolium repens) +
cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), salvia
thistle (Cirsium) +
coneflower (Echinacea),
sunflower (Helianthus),
single zinnia
garden bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) +
Lantana (Lantana camara),
verbena, morning glory (ipomoea purpurea), lemon-mint/lem on-balm (Melissa officinalis), thistle (Cirsium)
lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus) +
Lantana (Lantana camara),
verbena, morning glory (ipomoea purpurea), lemon-mint/lem on-balm (Melissa officinalis), thistle (Cirsium)
purple bean (Phaseolus atropurpureus) +
Lantana (Lantana camara),
verbena,
morning glory (ipomoea purpurea),
lemon-mint/lem on-balm (Melissa officinalis),
thistle (Cirsium or Silybum)
Word to the wise: Given a choice, a female Monarch finds the most poisonous plants on which to lay her eggs. Some portions of some of these plants (carolina-jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens), milkweed, rue, etc.) are poisonous. Under any circumstances, have the number for the local Poison Control Center near the phone.
Imperiled Pollinators: National Wildlife Federation's "What You Can Do About the Pollination Crisis" and
"Create a Pollinator Garden"
This color indicates a plant may not necessarily be drought-tolerant; that in my research there were conflicting reports about water requirements — some resources say it's drought-tolerant, some say it requires average moisture.
This color indicates a plant has definite water requirements. They are included within these pages for two reasons: 1) They are powerful hummingbird and/or butterfly enticements, and, 2) perhaps there are others like me who have a certain spot in their garden that tends to be a tad swampy that they would like to utilize for the better good.
Least-hassle-Nectar/Larval-in-one-plants to provide an entire feeding cycle for a number of butterflies:
fennel (Foeniculum vulgare),
dill (anethum graveolens),
parsley (Petroselinum crispum), milkweed (Asclepias speciosa)
butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii) +
citrus, rue (Ruta graveolens),
peach, American plum (Prunus americanus), catalpa, lilac (Syringa vulgaris),
Dutchman's Pipe, poplar (Populus), cottonwood (populus deltoides), pear (Pyrus)
milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) + milkweed (Asclepias speciosa), poplar (Populus), cottonwood (populus deltoides), pear (Pyrus), elm (ulmus)
cottonwood (populus deltoides) +
"over-ripe fruit",
butterfly bush,
Lantana (Lantana camara),
globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa), thistle (Cirsium),
cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis),
pineapple sage (Salvia elegans),
milkweed (Asclepias speciosa),
goldenrod,
coneflower (Echinacea)