Buddleia
Many species of butterflies are attracted to beautiful, fragrant Buddleias, and Eastern Tiger Swallowtails are no exception. Every butterfly garden should contain at least one or more of these popular flowering butterfly attractants. Buddleia {B. davidii}, also commonly called "butterfly bush" or "summer lilac," are deciduous or semi evergreen shrubs whose blossoms are made up of cone-shaped clusters of tiny flowers of lavender, pink, purple, red, white, or yellow. The foliage of buddleias is a beautiful silver-gray, its soft fuzzy leaves growing from four to eight inches in length. Buddleias bloom throughout summer and late fall, providing butterflies with an abundance of rich nectar. This variety responds well to light pruning to maintain a desired size. Deadheading spent blossoms helps prevent self-seeding and also promotes another flush of blooms later in the summer.
B. alternifolia {fountain butterfly bush} is another striking variety. Its clusters of tiny flowers are also cone-shaped and will often reach 18 inches in length. The lance-shaped foliage of the fountain butterfly bush is similar in shape and color to that of willows. Fountain butterfly bushes can grow in height from three to ten feet or more in one season, but can be pruned to maintain a desired size. Pruning back in the spring also promotes more blossoms. This species is great for planting against a sunny wall, or it can be trained to grow with a single trunk, making a showy single specimen shrub.
Monarda
Monarda {Monarda Didyma} makes stunning hedges or borders and will bring swallowtail butterflies flocking to your garden. Its striking blossoms come in either red, white, or pink and will also attract many hummingbirds!
Monarda is a very showy clump-forming perennial. Its blossoms are bright scarlet and bloom profusely from mid-summer through early fall. The blossoms of Monarda are somewhat shaggy in appearance and are tubular-shaped. Monarda's medium green oval-shaped leaves are very aromatic, as Monarda is a member of the mint family.
Monardas prefer moderately fertile well-drained soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. They enjoy full sun to partial shade and should be kept quite moist in hot summer areas. Clumps can be divided and replanted in early spring, providing you with more plants for your butterfly garden. Water your Monarda regularly during summer months in hot climates.
Lilacs
Lilacs {Syringa vulgaris} are certain to bring many Swallowtail butterflies to visit your garden. They come in a wonderful array of colors today including violet, pink, blue, magenta, white to creamy white, lilac, and purple, depending on their species. Common lilacs {Syringa vulgaris} are hardy deciduous shrubs with heart-shaped deep green leaves. Their fragrant blossoms consist of large clusters formed by a myriad of tiny florets borne at the ends of its branches. It's not unusual for the common lilac to grow to 15-20 feet tall. If you're planning to plant some in your butterfly garden, be sure to provide them with plenty of room to grow and spread.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: | View all related messages |
For a complete listing of article comments, questions, and other discussions related to Naomi Mathews's Butterfly Gardening topic, please visit the Discussions page.