in your garden for butterflies,what would they be?
What do you feel are the three you would have to have in your garden?? Which ones do you consider most necessary? I have over 100 perennials, just wondering if I have the best.
This message was edited Jul 17, 2007 3:06 PM
If you could have only three plants???
Asking for one plant is easy -- I'd have to go with Lantana horrida. It is the "most loved" of any plant in my yard -- by hummingbirds, Mockingbird, butterflies, bees, wasps, and moths. I couldn't NOT have Lantana.
The other two? I guess I'd have to go with Butterfly Bush and Blue Mist Flower (Eupatorium greggii).
Carla
Me? Hmm, Milkweed, Passion flower, and Lantana or Pentas, that way have taken care of host and nectar for Monarch, Queen, Zebra longwing, Gulf fritillary, and any flutterby wanting to snack :)
Flutter
I like butterfly bushes because of the great variety of butterflies they attract. This time of year with the high temps and humidities I like to look for butterflies on our native plants such as purple coneflowers, ironweed, and so many others. I saw a beautiful yellow swallowtail getting nectar from one of our butterfly bushes this morning!
Cuckoo
I just can't pick three, sorry.
Looked up the lantana horrida and can see why the butterfly are probably attracted. Is this something I could raise as an annual? I bet you keep dead heading to get more flowers!!
Duranta (many BF's love the nectar), milkweed and lantana.
Definitely my porterweed - the GFs love the nectar. And of course the passionvine for their host plant. As for the third... hmmm.... so many good ones to choose from.... I guess I'd have to say Dill for my BSTs.
Jamlover, some folks in these parts do deadhead the Lantana to keep it blooming continuously. I let mine go to berry, for the Mockingbirds. But I have so many planted, that one of them is always in bloom.
Carla
For hummers: 1. Salvia Greggi 2. Red Yucca 3. Flame Acanthus
For butterflies, nectar: 1. Purple Coneflower 2. Lantana 3. Zinnias
For butterflies, host, 1. Dill or Rue 2. Passion Vine 3. Flame Acanthus maybe
For the butterflies:
1. Some Milkweed
2. Verbena bonarienses
3. Parsley or dill for the swallowtails
I'll have to think about the hummingbirds...