Butterfly Garden Basics

Compiled by Dr. Jaret C. Daniels, Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida

A well-planned butterfly garden becomes a small but representative sample of the surrounding habitat and as such provides a safe haven for butterflies and other wildlife to gather, seek shelter, acquire food and water, and reproduce.

• Major Components of a Successful Butterfly Garden
• Garden Design
• Garden Maintenance
• Benefits of Butterfly Gardening
• Herbs for Butterflies
• Butterflies of North Central Florida & Their Host Plants

Major Components of a Successful Butterfly Garden

1. Adult nectar sources: attract and nourish adult butterflies.
2. Larval host plants: attract ovipositing female butterflies, serve as a food source for developing larvae.
3. Shelter: vegetation that provides protection from temperature extremes, storms/rain, and predators as well as locations for roosting/sleeping.
4. Water source with fountain: allows for easy and consistent access to water for drinking and thermoregulation.

Garden Design

1. Provide a combination of adult nectar sources and larval host plants: attracts maximum variety of butterfly species; encourages butterflies to remain in your yard, reproduce, and build populations instead of just passing through; allows gardener to appreciate all life stages.
2. Incorporate native plants into the landscape whenever possible: most larval host plants are natives. They're adapted to the region, will produce a small but representative extension of the natural ecosystem, and can attract other wildlife.
3. Create horizontal and vertical heterogeneity: choosing plants that have different heights and growth habits creates numerous microclimates which in turn appeal to a greater diversity of butterfly species; provides shelter; creates levels/strata of feeding opportunities.
4. Aim for a consistent host plant and floral venue throughout the growing season: choose plants that have different blooming times; ensures that garden remains attractive and productive as long as possible; provides food for butterflies during periods of low natural availability.
5. Provide a number of different flower colors: different butterfly species are attracted to different flower colors so include yellow, orange, white, and blue flowers as well as reds, pinks, and purples.
6. Provide a mix of flower shapes: the feeding behavior and proboscis length of a butterfly dictate which flowers will be visited: long-tubed flowers, for example are typically more accessible to species with long probosces whereas many composites (daisy-like flowers) provide a feeding platform and easy nectar accessibility for smaller species.
7. Plant in shade as well as full sun: appeals to more butterfly species; many forest species prefer shadier locations.
8. Plant in groupings: are aesthetically pleasing; provide masses of color; are more apparent in landscape; allow larvae to locate additional food resources in event of shortage.
9. Choose appropriate plants for each location: understand each plan's basic water, light, and soil requirements so it will perform and grow to its maximum potential.

Return to top

Garden Maintenance

1. Give new plants a good start: water and mulch new plantings to insure firm establishment.
2. Fertilize: a regular fertilizing regiment will produce maximum growth and flower production.
3. Avoid pesticide application when possible: all butterfly life history stages are very sensitive to pesticides; avoid Bacillus thuringiensis; when pest problem arises treat it locally; use beneficial insects/natural enemies.
4. Learn to identify the butterfly species in your garden: provides greater enjoyment; allows for gardener to "plant" for particular local species.

Return to top

Benefits of Butterfly Gardening

1. Attract wildlife: bring butterflies and other wildlife into your garden for purposes of enjoyment, observation, study, and photography.
2. Ecosystem/habitat conservation: a well-planned butterfly garden becomes a small, but representative sample of the surrounding habitat and as such provides a safe haven for butterflies and other wildlife to gather, seek shelter, acquire food and water, reproduce and build populations; do not underestimate the importance of even a small garden.
3. Practical benefits:
   • Use of native plants: hardy and drought-tolerant, disease/pest resistant, adapted to region so perform better under local conditions.
   • Food for natural enemies: healthy butterfly populations attract and sustain healthy populations of beneficial insects/organisms as well as provide food for birds, lizards, mammals, etc. which in turn help control garden pests; most butterfly nectar sources also attract beneficial insects.
   • Plant diversity: less susceptible to pests/individual plants less apparent in landscape; large number of microclimates provide home/shelter for other insects including beneficials.
4. Scientific: keeping detailed logs on the butterfly species encountered, times, abundance can provide important and useful information on butterfly population numbers nationwide.
5. Therapeutic: provide soothing retreat from every day life
   • Herbs: most herbs are also excellent butterfly attractants; useful culinary plants and provide wonderful aromatherapy.

Return to top

Herbs for Butterflies

• Angelica, Angelica spp.
• Anise, Pimpinella anisum
• Anise Hyssop, Agastache foeniculum
• Basil, Ocimum spp.
• Bee Balm, Mondara didyma
• Caraway, Carum carvi
• Chaste Tree, Vitex agnus-castus
• Chives, Allium schoenoprasum
• Cow Parsnip, Heracleum spp.
• Culver's Root, Veronicastrum virginicum
• Dill, Anethum graveolens
• Dogbane, Apocynum cannabinum
• Elephant Garlic, Allium ampeloprasum
• Eupatorium, Eupatorium spp.
• Fennel, Foeniculum vulgare
• Horsemint, Monarda punctata
• Hyssop, Hyssop officinalis
• Lavender, Lavedula spp.
• Lovage, Levisticum officinale
• Mints, Mentha spp.
• New Jersey Tea, Ceanothus americanus
• Oregano, Origanum spp.
• Parsley, Petroselinum crispum
• Pineapple Sage, Salvia elegans
• Plantain, Plantago spp.
• Purple Coneflower, Echinacea purpurea
• Queen Anne's Lace, Daucus carota
• Rosemary, Rosmarinus spp.
• Scarlet Sage, Salvia cocinea
• Thyme, Thymus spp.
• Virginia Skullcap, Scutellaria laterifolia
• Wild Bergamot, Monarda fistulosa
• Wild Celery, Apium graveolens
• Yarrow, Achillea spp.

Return to top

Butterflies of North Central Florida & Their Host Plants

Swallowtails, Family Papilionidae

1. Giant Swallowtail, Papilio cresphontes
   • Hercules'-Club, Zanthozylum clava-hercules
   • Wild Lime, Zanthoxylum fagara
   • Common Rue, Ruta graveolens
   • Orange, Lemon and Grapefruit, Citrus spp.
2. Tiger Swallowtail, Papilio glaucus
   • Black Cherry, Prunus serotina
   • Chokecherry, Prunus virginiana
   • Sweet Bay, Magnolia virginiana
   • Tulip tree, Liriodendron tulipifera
   • Ash, Fraxinus spp.
3. Palamedes Swallowtail, Papilio palamedes
   • Red Bay, Persea borbonia
   • Swamp Bay, Persea palustris
   • Sweet Bay, Magnolia virginiana
4. Spicebush Swallowtail, Papilio troilus
   • Sassafras, Sassafras albidum
   • Camphor tree, Cinnamonum camphora
   • Spicebush, Lindera benzoin
5. Black Swallowtail, Papilio polyxenes
   • Fennel, Foeniculum vulgare
   • Dill, Anethum graveolens
   • Parsely, Petroselinium crispum
   • Carrot, Daucus carota
   • Virtually all other wild or cultivated members of the carrot family, Apiaceae
6. Zebra Swallowtail, Eurytides marcellus
   • Pawpaw, Asimina spp.
7. Pipevine Swallowtail, Battus philenor
   • Virginia Snakeroot, Aristolochia virginiana
   • Wooly pipe-vine, Aristolochia tomentosa
   • Dutchman's Pipe, Aristolochia macrophylla
   • Other pipe-vines, Aristolochia spp.
8. Polydamas Swallowtail, Battus polydamas
   • Pipevines, Aristolochia spp.

Return to top