What fun is gardening without butterflies? But to get an abundance of butterflies to come to your yard, you have to have the plants that they want and need – host plants and nectar plants.

Host plants are the plants that butterflies will lay their eggs on and then the hungry caterpillars will eat.  Nectar plants are just that – plants that provide nectar as food for the adult butterflies.   Some butterflies become very specific in the plants they need, especially for host plants.  Monarchs need milkweeds, the Gulf Fritillary needs passionflower, and the Hackberry Butterfly needs hackberries.

Here are some host plants that are very specific for some Texas butterflies:

Monarch Caterpillar

• Milkweed (Monarch)
• Passionflower Vine (Gulf Fritillary)
• Hackberry (Hackberry butterfly)
• Sunflower (Patch Butterfly)
• Elm, Hackberry, nettle ( Question Mark)
• Citrus (Giant Swallowtail)

Here are some other great host and nectar plants that grow well in Texas :

• Asters – blooms late summer to fall
• Bee Balm (Bergamot) – blooms summer through fall
• Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) – blooms midsummer through fall
• Carrot – early spring or late fall
• Clover – blooms spring to fall
• Coreopsis – blooms summer to fall
• Cosmos – blooms summer to fall
• Dianthus – blooms spring to fall
• Dill – spring to fall
• Fennel – summer to fall
• Hollyhocks – blooms summer
• Impatiens – summer to fall
• Lavender – blooms spring to fall
• Lupine (including blue bonnets) – blooms spring
• Marigold – summer to fall
  

  Monarch Chrysalis

• Mints – spring to fall
• Nasturtium – early spring and late fall
• Parsley – spring to fall
• Phlox – blooms late spring to fall
• Purple Coneflower (Echinacea) – blooms summer to fall
• Sage – blooms spring to fall
• Salvia – blooms late spring to fall
• Shasta Daisy – blooms late spring to fall
• Thistle – blooms spring to fall
• Yarrow – blooms late spring to fall
• Zinnia – blooms summer to fall

Basically, almost anything with a bloom can become a nectar plant including the dreaded dandelion.

Sam with a Monarch

For a list of butterflies of Texas, you can try The Butterfly Site and for an even more specific list for the DFW Metroplex you can try the Dallas Lepidoptera Society’s site.  I also saw that the Texas  Discovery Gardens will be hosting a “Butterfly Gardening Workshop” on Thursday, April 30.  It costs $60 ($50 for members) but it looks like you get a lot for the cost of registration.

Other great resources are Gardens with Wings and Monarch Watch.

May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun
And find your shoulder to light on,
To bring you luck, happiness and riches
Today, tomorrow and beyond.
~Irish Blessing