13 Flowers That Attract Butterflies to Your Garden

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Butterflies inject lively color and motion into a garden, moving from one bloom to the next like graceful fairies. They also add aesthetic value and, therefore, play a role in pollination (maintaining ecological balance). When planting the right plants, it may be easier than you think to attract these delicate creatures to your garden.

Certain flowers attract butterflies and provide them with nectar and a resting spot. For great success all around, plant some of these flowers in your garden. You will create somewhere for butterflies to flourish, resulting in a balanced ecosystem, too. The right plants, from brilliant zinnias to sweet-scented lavenders, can turn your garden into an oasis for butterflies.

Zinnias

Butterflies are particularly fond of this colorful flower due to its copious nectar production. Zinnias come in a wide range of colors, are very low-maintenance, and most types can grow easily nearly anywhere. Their broad, seemingly sturdy petals give butterflies a platform to land and feed.

Lavender

The fragrant purple spikes of lavender are highly calming to people and also appeal to many butterflies. This stalwart appreciates full sun and well-drained soil and produces copious nectar from early summer through fall. Thanks to its aromatic leaves, it is a pleasure to grow.

Coneflowers

Echinacea, or coneflowers, are much loved for their daisy-like looks and equally generous nectar. They produce season-long blooms from summer to early fall and attract butterflies the year around. They are low maintenance and can handle droughts, which makes them excellent for new gardeners.

Butterfly Bush

As its name implies, the butterfly bush is a must-have for anyone wanting to attract these winged guests. Its fragrant flower spikes bloom all summer, making it one of our most popular scented plants. The whorls of nectar-rich flowers are a favorite with bees. The bush comes in various colors, including purple and white, making it a diverse addition to your garden aesthetics.

Milkweed

Milkweeds are also a food source for several butterflies in their migratory ways and the only plant that the Monarch needs to survive. They have pink or orange clusters of flowers that pop in any garden setting. Milkweed can grow in almost any type of soil and thus supports the life cycles of butterflies.

Marigolds

Marigolds, with their vibrant colors, are also a hit butterfly magnet. Their flowers are low maintenance and work well in brighter environments, making them popular for borders and containers. They even have some pest-preventing properties, which is good for the overall health of your garden.

Lantanas

Lantanas are very colorful and nectar-rich, attractive to butterflies. Living happily in warm regions, they offer flowers year-round. Despite their small flower clusters, they can immensely light up a garden while offering resources for pollinators.

Salvia

Salvia’s tall tubular blooms are offered in shades of blue, pink, or red. These towers are a favorite attraction for numerous types of butterflies to feed. Salvia plants also showcase drought tolerance, perfect for different cultivation conditions.

Asters

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Asters produce numerous small, star-like flowers, a favorite nectar source for butterflies in late summer/fall. Almost all of these perennials tolerate full sun and well-drained soils and help increase biodiversity in the garden. The various colors add an autumn atmosphere.

Verbena

Verbena is a must for butterfly enthusiasts with its lovely flower clusters. These colorful in-shade flowers work great for ground cover or even hanging baskets, giving you plenty of options to create style. Verbenas are known for blooming all season and are extremely attractive to pollinators.

Bee Balm

Bee balm is famous for its unusual tubular flowers that bring in butterflies and hummingbirds. A plant to up the color and add red hot flames to your garden, grow strelitzia in fiery shades of orange against vibrant blue skies. Its fragrant foliage is an additional bonus, fending off a few garden insects.

Black-eyed Susan

Black-eyed Susans have beautiful golden flowers with dark heads that butterflies love. When grown in the garden, they prefer full sun and are drought-tolerant once established. Their lovely, sunny coloration will brighten up every landscape.

Phlox

Phlox’s fragrant, colorful clusters attract butterflies and other pollinators. These flowers thrive in full sun and well-drained soil and are found in garden borders or mixed plantings. They come in shades of pink, lavender, and white.