Butterflies are one of the most beautiful species that create quite a buzz and come in multiple varieties of colors, types, and breeds. If you have a garden, a lawn or a backyard with plants and flowers in it then it’s quite likely that you would want butterflies in there so that it adds to the whole charm of the place. The butterflies play a significant role in the pollination of other plants and they are also great to watch from the aesthetics point of view. It is extremely enjoyable and peaceful to go to your garden and see the various vibrant butterflies that flutter and move around.
So if you are looking to attract these beautiful species then there are hundreds of plants and flowers out there that are known to attract the butterflies. Let us have a look at some of these plants who are well known for attracting butterflies, their properties and how can you can choose to have them in your yard.
Different plants for attracting the butterflies
While there are so many plants and cultivations that are known to attract the butterflies, we will go through some of the best ones who are well known for their attraction properties.
Butterfly Bush: The butterfly bush is one of the most popular and well-known plantations that is known to attract butterflies on a large scale.
This colorful and vibrant shrub stands out in any lawn or garden and it is known to draw the butterflies with its blooms which are filled with nectar. The butterfly bush is full of nutrients that feed the butterflies who are hungry and in addition to that these plants or flowers are known for their sweet fragrance as well as bold and vibrant colors.
The ideal conditions for growing the butterfly bush are good sunlight and well-drained soil.
These plants are most tolerant of the droughts and are known to provide resistance to the rabbit as well as deer. It is worth noting that the butterfly bush has the potential to be invasive at some of the locations and thus before planting these you must check the local restrictions.
How do you grow a butterfly bush…
As far as instructions for growing the butterfly bush goes you must choose to plant the butterfly bush in a location where there’s a sunny spot and somewhere the plant will be able to receive a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight. These plants are not especially fussy about the type of the soil but they do the best in conditions where the soil is rich and is located in a well-drained location. For the butterfly bush, you must fertilize the soil in spring by applying slow-release, granular fertilizer. Then use the standard variety of the butterfly bush on the backside of the border where height will display the best effort in addition to the varieties of plant dwarf along the path of the garden. It is important to note that the butterfly bush is an attractive plant for the adult butterflies but it provides no nutrient value for the caterpillars who are native and hence you must include different species for their support.
In the northern region, the butterfly bush often dies back in the ground. So you need to be patient in spring as these plants are generally slow in breaking the dormancy.
If you experience a severe winter then you might likely need re-plantation. There are some locations or areas where the butterfly bush might become invasive and hence you must look for the newer varieties of seedless sterile. The various colors of butterfly bush that you can find include blue, purple, pink, yellow and white.
Some of the special features of the butterfly bush include attracting the butterflies, attracting hummingbirds and the fact they are relatively easier to grow. Some of the different varieties of butterfly bush that you can find include Black Knight, Cranrazz, Flutterby petite blue heaven, Miss Molly, Nanho blue, Nanho purple and Pink delight butterfly bush amongst others.
You can complement the butterfly bush in your mowed lawn with the varieties that include butterfly weed, coneflower, and Rose – knock out.
What are some important species of butterflies?
Yarrow: The yarrow is another important species of plants that you must have in your lawn if you want to attract the butterflies. The yarrow has lively, lush blooms that rise above the wonderful ferny foliage thus providing the ideal resting place for the traveling butterflies. The yarrow must be grown in well-drained, moist soil and an area that is exposed to the full sunlight. The yarrow plants love the sun and they grow in waves of gorgeous flowers beginning from the early summer to the fall. The yarrow provides aromatic foliage which is fern-like and thus adds to the whole texture and aesthetics of your garden even when the plant has not bloomed. Some of the colors of these flowers include white, yellow, red, pink and mauve. The yarrow is the native perennial and it grows 18-24 inches tall and thus loads of butterflies to the garden.
As far as growing instructions go, the yarrow should be planted in a location where there are at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight received. This plant is especially fussy about the type of soil but it prefers dry conditions of soil so you must ensure to keep it out of wet soil conditions or grounds. You must choose to water the soil only when the soil surface feels dry. You must dig and then divide the plant every 2-3 years for keeping it vigorous. There are some varieties of the yarrow that might topple after the heavy rains and therefore might need staking. An important point to note is that yarrow is not meant for animal or human consumption.
What are the yarrow watering needs?
The yarrow has low water requirements and needs sufficient light from the outside sun. Some of the special features of the yarrow include resistance to the deer and rabbit, fragrant foliage and flowers, convenient for growth and attracts butterflies. Some of the common varieties of the yarrow that you can find include Desert eve red yarrow, King Edward yarrow, Desert Eve rose yarrow, Moonshine yarrow, Strawberry seduction yarrow and Saucy seduction yarrow amongst others. You can complement the yarrow with the following varieties that include coneflower, bee balm and feather reed grass amongst others.
What are the Aster flowers?
Aster: The Aster flowers come with full stems as well as rich and vibrant which makes it one of the most attractive plants for the flyers and humans alike. These beautiful perennials are an ideal accessory for the colorful, vibrant and low-maintenance butterfly lawn or garden. The best conditions for the growth of asters are when they are planted in the well-drained soil and when they are exposed to the full sunlight. The asters are resistant to the drought and are convenient to grow. One of the advantages of growing asters is the fact that it provides the gardeners with sufficient bloom and loads of butterflies. The asters also attract multiple species of the caterpillars. When you grow the aster you are likely to see the generations of the butterflies in your lawn or garden.
The aster is a colorful, vibrant hue of plants and flowers that provide an aesthetic look to your garden and these species are super easy to grow. The asters are available in a variety of sizes and shapes which work efficiently in the garden beds or the containers. Some of the most common colors of the asters include purple, white, pink and blue. The asters are particularly preferred by the butterflies who choose to flock these nectar-rich flowers and blooms. The asters are one of the favorites of the monarch butterflies who choose to feast on late blooms during the fall migration. These perennials called asters make amazing cut flowers.
How about growing them…
As far as growing instructions are concerned these plants are not too bothered about the type of the soil. However, ideally, the asters prefer rich, well-drained locations or spots in the garden. You must always water the aster from below because they can get infected with the fungal diseases. You must also choose to cut asters to the ground at the time of spring before the beginning of the new growth. The asters with the taller varieties can grow 3 to 4 feet so you must consider staking of the plants when they are young so that they do not flop once they reach the size of maturity. The pinching of the plants in the time of late spring also provides promotion for the compact growth which is beneficial. Also important to note is the fact that Asters are not meant for animal or human consumption. Some of the features of the asters include a requirement of the outside sun for growth and medium water.
Some of the popular varieties of the aster include Believer purple, Hazy pink, Dragon blue, Henry purple, Henry blue, Magic purple, Magic pink, Peter III Blue and Woods blue amongst others.
These are some of the renowned plants known to attract butterflies.