To attract butterflies, plant for both parts of their life cycle: nectar flowers for adults and host plants where particular butterflies can lay eggs and caterpillars can feed. The 25 plants below are a region-aware menu, not a universal planting prescription. Before buying, check that each species suits your local climate, soil, light and native-plant guidance.
Why a butterfly garden needs more than nectar flowers
Adult butterflies visit flowers for nectar. Female butterflies lay eggs on host plants, and the leaves become food for caterpillars. A flower bed can bring adult butterflies to the yard, but host plants provide the resources needed for more of the life cycle. Host relationships are often specific to a butterfly species, so choose them for butterflies found in your area.
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The United States Botanic Garden puts the idea simply: “A garden that includes plants for the entire life cycle will attract a variety of native butterflies.” Its detailed plant list is specifically for the Mid-Atlantic, however; the examples below draw on several regional institutional lists and should not be taken as a claim that every plant grows well everywhere.
25 plants to consider
This list includes nectar plants and caterpillar hosts. Some plants can serve both roles in a butterfly garden, but a plant’s role depends on the butterfly and region; the list labels the role supported by the cited guidance. Scientific names help distinguish plants that share a common name.
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Nectar plants for adult butterflies
- Asters (Symphyotrichum spp. and Eurybia spp.) — nectar plants; several asters also appear among host plants for pearl crescent caterpillars in Iowa State Extension guidance.
- Whorled tickseed (Coreopsis verticillata) — a Mid-Atlantic nectar option.
- Coneflowers (Echinacea spp.) — nectar sources in the Mid-Atlantic list.
- Joe-Pye weed (Eupatorium fistulosum) — a Mid-Atlantic nectar plant.
- Blanket flower (Gaillardia × grandiflora) — a Mid-Atlantic nectar option.
- Lindheimer’s beeblossom (Gaura lindheimeri) — listed as a Mid-Atlantic nectar source.
- Smooth oxeye (Heliopsis helianthoides) — a Mid-Atlantic nectar plant.
- Rose-mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) — a Mid-Atlantic nectar option.
- Giant catmint (Nepeta × faassenii) — listed as a Mid-Atlantic nectar source.
- Evening primrose (Oenothera spp.) — a Mid-Atlantic nectar plant.
- Thickleaf phlox (Phlox carolina) — one of the Mid-Atlantic nectar options.
- Fall phlox (Phlox paniculata) — a Mid-Atlantic nectar plant.
- American feverfew (Parthenium integrifolium) — listed as a Mid-Atlantic nectar source.
- Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida) — a Mid-Atlantic nectar option.
- Sedum (Sedum spp.) — included among Mid-Atlantic nectar plants.
- Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) — a nectar option in the Missouri Botanical Garden list.
- Bee balm (Monarda fistulosa or Monarda bradburiana) — listed as a nectar plant by the Missouri Botanical Garden.
- Blazing star (Liatris spp.) — a Missouri Botanical Garden nectar option.
Host plants for particular caterpillars
- Willow (Salix spp.) — listed as a host for red-spotted purple caterpillars by the Missouri Botanical Garden. Trees need more room than most perennials.
- Black cherry (Prunus serotina) — a host for tiger swallowtail caterpillars in the Missouri list.
- Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) — a host for zebra swallowtail caterpillars in the Missouri list.
- Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) — listed as a host for spicebush swallowtail caterpillars.
- Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) — a host plant for black swallowtail caterpillars in the Missouri list.
- Milkweed (Asclepias spp.) — a host for monarch caterpillars in the Missouri list; choose species appropriate to your location.
- Violet (Viola spp.) — Iowa State Extension lists violets as host plants for fritillaries.
Other host examples in regional guidance include river birch, American hornbeam, eastern redbud, flowering dogwood, eastern red cedar, oaks, sumac, arrowwood viburnum, turtlehead, penstemon and switchgrass. Iowa State Extension also lists Zizia, dill and parsley for black swallowtails and sunflowers for painted lady caterpillars. These pairings are not universal: check which butterflies occur locally and verify the plant’s regional suitability.
How to choose plants for your yard
- Provide both roles. Include nectar sources and host plants rather than selecting only showy flowers.
- Match host plants to local butterflies. Caterpillars can be selective; a host plant is useful only if it suits butterflies found in your area.
- Choose for site conditions. Check sun or shade, soil moisture, drainage and available space. A tree or shrub needs a different site than a small perennial.
- Plan for a succession of blooms. Mix plants with different flowering times to make nectar available across more of the growing season.
- Vary flower forms. Different butterflies have different feeding structures and access needs, so a mix of flower shapes and sizes is more useful than relying on one type.
- Buy responsibly. NC State Extension advises choosing nursery-grown native plants or nursery-bred native seeds rather than digging plants from the wild. For a seed mix, inspect the species list and select one intended for your region.
Set up and care for butterfly habitat
A sunny spot is a practical starting point for many butterfly gardens, while some forest-associated species may benefit from shade. Group flowers, vary plant heights, and provide shelter from wind. Flat rocks can offer basking spots, and an accessible water source or damp ground can provide moisture. Adapt these features to the butterflies and conditions in your yard rather than treating one layout as mandatory.
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Avoid pesticides where possible. The United States Botanic Garden warns that pesticides kill butterflies and caterpillars; UF/IFAS notes that all butterfly life stages are very sensitive to pesticides and advises against Bacillus thuringiensis. Expect some chewed leaves on host plants: caterpillar feeding is part of the habitat those plants are meant to provide.
Regional guidance behind the plant choices
The United States Botanic Garden’s detailed list is for the Mid-Atlantic. Missouri Botanical Garden and Iowa State Extension supply additional plant and host examples for their regional contexts. NC State Extension and UF/IFAS provide broader advice on plant selection and garden design. Iowa State’s article is dated March 12, 2021, and notes that its information may not be the most current; treat it as supplementary guidance. No single nationally optimal set of exactly 25 plants is established by these sources, so confirm local ranges and growing requirements before planting.
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