Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening: Time to tell us your Top Three Nectar Plants of the Season!, 1 by catbird8

catbird8 wrote:
Tabasco,

I had problems with the selection parameters. There are favorites in the Spring, Summer and Fall. Plus, there are separate favorites between the small BF's and the large ones.

Trying to play by the rules:

Duranta - AKA Golden Dew Drops, great for as long as it maintains blossoms. A real butterfly magnet - all sizes and types.
Mine is about 15'+ tall and full in size - say, 8 - 10' across.

Country Girl Chrysanthamums - mostly attract the mid-sized to small.

Phlox - Long bloom period and a real magnet. All sizes and types.

Now, for yellows and sulphurs you have to have a Senna
bush. Mostly a larval food source but who's quibbling. I just like to see the yard full of yellow and gold to orange butterflies, which this provides for many months. Mine has attracted the Orange-barred Sulphurs, which are mostly found in Florida. They started coming here to my side of Houston about 3 years ago and are now resident.
Have two chrysalises in the house at this time. Should emerge early next week.

Attached is a male Orange-barred getting ready to leave.