Virginia’s diverse landscapes offer a perfect habitat for a variety of butterflies. By creating a butterfly garden, you can not only enjoy their beauty but also contribute to their conservation. Let’s explore how to attract these winged wonders to your backyard.
What Are Butterflies Attracted To?
In spring, female butterflies will be mostly concerned with finding their species’ specific host plants on which to lay fertilized eggs. Instinctively, they know they must find plants to ensure that their caterpillars will have appropriate food for survival after hatching. Both male and female butterflies will be looking for flowers with nectar for their own survival. And, they will be searching for shelter from rainy or windy weather, a sunny place for basking, and a source of water. Because many natural butterfly habitats in North America are disappearing at an alarming rate, it is becoming increasingly difficult for butterflies to find these necessities of life.
Key Considerations for Virginia Gardens:
Starting a butterfly garden can be simple and rewarding if you follow these pointers!
Sunlight
Butterflies love sunny areas, so choose a location that receives ample sunlight throughout the day.
Avoid Pesticides
Pesticides can harm butterflies and their larvae. By using pesticides you may be killing off the very insects you made your garden for!
Make The Most of Your Space
You don’t have to have a large area to get a response. Just a few select plants will spur some action. A combination of woody shrubs, perennials, and annual flowers works best, but using just a couple of plants can still yield results. Planting a section of wildflowers is an easy way to cover a problem area and lure some butterflies to your yard. If you don’t have room for a garden, fuchsia, petunia, or impatiens hanging baskets will attract butterflies as well as hummingbirds.
Plants that Attract Butterflies
Host Plants
Providing host plants for caterpillars to feed on will allow you to watch the metamorphosis from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. So, do not discourage caterpillars. They may make your garden plants look bad but it is usually only temporary.
- Swamp Milkweed
- Butterfly Weed
- Wild Columbine
- Wild Geranium
Nectar Plants
It’s obvious: Butterflies and flowers were made for each other. In attracting butterflies to your garden, it’s important to understand what they want most out of life: nectar. For a nectar-rich flower border designed to satisfy these requirements, consider any of these native Virginia plants:
Woody Shrubs
Perennials
- Achillea (Yarrow)
- Butterfly Weed
- Aster
- Shasta Daisy
- Cosmos
- Carnation
- Coneflower
- Joe-Pye Weed
- Sunflower
Annuals and Tender
- Heliotrope
- Lantana
- Rosemary
- Marigolds
- Petunias
- Geraniums
- Snapdragons
- Portulaca
- Zinnias
- Allysum
- Fuchsia
- Vinca
- Dahlia
- Impatiens
- Salvia
- Verbena
Note: While most of the plants listed are nectar plants, some nectar plants can also serve as host plants for specific butterfly species.
Visit a Local Garden Center
Visit one of our 17 convenient locations across Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C. to explore our vast selection of butterfly-attracting plants and get expert advice on creating the perfect garden for your space.