I spent years trying to lure butterflies with expensive commercial seed mixes before realizing they prefer tough, scrappy plants over delicate greenhouse hybrids. These are the twelve heavy hitters that actually keep our yards buzzing from spring through fall.
1. Plant Milkweed for Monarchs
If you want Monarchs, this is non-negotiable. It’s the only plant their caterpillars will eat, so you’re building a nursery rather than just a diner. Joanna planted three swamp milkweeds last year and counted fourteen caterpillars by July (yes, really). Just make sure you plant a variety native to your region.
2. Sow Zinnias for a Budget Buffet
Zinnias are the easiest, cheapest way to get massive butterfly traffic. They grow effortlessly from seed and provide wide, flat landing pads for bigger species like Swallowtails. Honestly, I’d skip the fancy cultivars and just grab a cheap packet of giant mixed zinnias (trust me on this one).
3. Use Joe-Pye Weed as a Giant Centerpiece
This plant gets huge and acts like a beacon for every pollinator in the neighborhood. It thrives in moist soil and can reach seven feet tall, making it a perfect backdrop plant. This is the one we reach for most when trying to fill a large, empty corner.
4. Grow Parsley and Dill for Caterpillars
Black Swallowtails lay their eggs exclusively on plants in the carrot family, including parsley, dill, and fennel. Christina tested this on her balcony herb garden last summer and found five caterpillars munching on her dill within a week. Plant extra so you don’t mind sharing.
Now for the ones that provide color late in the season.
5. Add Asters for Late-Season Feeding
When everything else looks tired in September, asters are just getting started. They provide critical late-season nectar for migrating butterflies trying to bulk up before winter. This is one of those 15 Flowers that come back every year that actually earns its keep. Plant them in full sun for the best bloom density.
6. Choose Sterile Butterfly Bushes
The name isn’t an exaggeration. The cone-shaped blooms pump out nectar for months. Worth every minute. They can be aggressive spreaders in some areas, so look for sterile varieties that won’t take over your yard.
7. Rely on Purple Coneflower for Tough Spots
Echinacea doesn’t care about drought, poor soil, or neglect. The sturdy stems give butterflies a solid place to rest while they feed. Don’t cut them down in the fall. Leave the dried seed heads to feed birds through the winter (cheaper than you’d think).
8. Grow Lantana in Hot Climates
When the August sun fries your other flowers, lantana just blooms harder. It’s perfect for containers and hanging baskets if you’re working with limited space. Best bang for your buck on this whole list if you live in a hot climate.
9. Plant Liatris for Unique Spikes
Also known as Blazing Star, this plant looks like a purple bottle brush. Butterflies love the unique shape, and it pairs perfectly with lower-growing mounding plants. We often use it as one of our 11 Self-Seeding Flowers That Provide Continuous Seasonal Color.
These next few are more for adding serious visual impact.
10. Use Sunflowers as Landing Pads
Bigger butterflies need a stable place to land, and sunflowers deliver. You don’t need the giant ones, since branching varieties like ‘Autumn Beauty’ produce dozens of smaller heads all season. Dead simple. Just poke a seed in the dirt and step back.
11. Plant Salvia for a Hummingbird Bonus
You plant it for the butterflies, but the hummingbirds will fight them for it. The tubular flowers are packed with nectar. Make sure to deadhead the spent blooms to keep new ones coming.
12. Grow Tall Garden Phlox for Scent
This mid-summer bloomer smells fantastic and draws in butterflies from blocks away. It forms dense clusters of flowers that make it easy for pollinators to walk around and feed. Give it plenty of airflow so it doesn’t get powdery mildew.
Don’t try to plant a massive butterfly sanctuary all at once. Pick three, try them this weekend, and see what happens.