Clumps of color and plants or shrubs for them to land on create conditions that are sure to attract butterflies. Photo by JOHN HOWE Visit the Photo Place

Create a butterfly magnet

Add butterfly-attracting plants to your landscape

Date published: 5/19/2006

BUTTERFLIES ARE FUN to watch, and with a little planning a butterfly garden can add entertainment to your landscaping. During their life cycle, butterflies require nectar-producing plants for adults to feed on, and host plants where they lay eggs and the caterpillars will feed.

Flowers are what attract butterflies to gardens. Flower shape or arrangement, color and scent are three characteristics that have a role in attracting butterflies.

Color is a key part of attracting butterflies. Butterflies are attracted to groups or stands of plants that provide a mass of color. Because butterflies are nearsighted, a single plant may not produce enough color for them to see. Purple, yellow, pink, white, orange and red flowers all work well.

Most butterflies must land in order to feed. Butterflies feed by using a strawlike structure called a proboscis to sip nectar from plants. The shape and arrangement of the flowers should provide a good landing surface for butterflies. Asters provide good landing surfaces, for example, and salvia, morning glory, daylily and trumpet vine have tubular flowers with large amounts of nectar.

Butterflies use chemical receptors to detect fragrances in the air. Flower fragrances help attract butterflies to a flower garden. Flowers with strong sweet scents such as heliotrope, spicebush, butterfly bush and viburnum will help attract butterflies.

A butterfly garden should have a variety of nectar-producing plants that flower spring to fall, such as the butterfly bush and butterfly weed. Others include marigolds, black-eyed Susan, primrose, phlox, sedum, dandelion, goldenrod, aster, yarrow, honeysuckle, sunflowers, viburnum, lilac and zinnia.

The right location is also critical. The ideal butterfly garden will have six or more hours of sunlight and be protected from strong winds. The butterfly garden can be spread among different areas of your landscape as long as they're not too far apart.

Placing flat stones in an open area of the garden will provide a place for butterflies to bask in the sun to dry damp wings, warm their bodies and seek refuge from predators.

The landscape around your butterfly-attracting plants should provide shelter for the butterflies during harsh weather. Trees and rows of shrubs will serve the purpose.

JOHN E. HOWE is an agent in Virginia Cooperative Extension's Spotsylvania County office who specializes in animal science. Direct questions to him at 540/582-7096, ext. 2, or by e-mail to jhowe@vt.edu.

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Date published: 5/19/2006