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Butterfly Nectar Sources: Non-Native, Perennial Garden Plants Rich in Nectar
None of the plants listed below are native to Connecticut. Some appear on
lists of native plants for Connecticut because they are native elsewhere in the
USA and will grow in Connecticut gardens. Some of the plants grow wild in
Connecticut because they are naturalized (originating in another country or
another region of the USA, but once introduced to Connecticut, they are able to
reproduce and spread). All the plants listed will grow in Connecticut and have
been reported to attract butterflies. Note that individual butterfly tastes vary
and the flower quality varies regionally, so some species may not be as
attractive as expected to your butterflies. In general, plantings with large
masses or drifts of the same color are more attractive to butterflies than mixes
with a variety of colors in single plants or small clumps. Dead-heading the
plants will give longer bloom time. Showy cultivars for many of the species
listed below may enhance the appearance of your garden or the length of bloom
time. Cultivars have part of their name in single quotes. Use caution with
cultivars that have double flowers because often they lack fragrance or other
signals to pollinators or they even may be missing the nectar or pollen. For the
plants where only a genus is listed, you may wish to consult your local nursery
operator as to which species grow best and are most attractive to butterflies in
your area. Finally, avoid meadow mixes as they may contain species that are
invasive in Connecticut (for example, Dame's Rocket).
| Common Name |
Scientific Name |
Bloom |
| Asters |
Aster spp. (some species get ragged) |
Fall |
| Bee-balm (= Oswego Tea) |
Monarda didyma (spreads rapidly) |
Summer |
| Black-eyed Susan |
Rudbeckia
R. hirta var. pulcherrima (=
R. serotina)
R. nitida 'Autumn Sun' |
Summer/Fall
mid-Summer/Fall |
| Blazing Star |
Liatris spp.
L. spicata
L. pycnostachya |
late Summer
late Summer |
| Boltonia (= False Starwort) |
Boltonia asteroides |
Fall |
| Candytuft, Edging |
Iberis sempervirens |
late Spring |
| Chrysanthemum |
Chrysanthemum spp. (short, late season) |
Fall |
Coneflowers
Narrow-leaf Purple Coneflower
Purple Coneflower
Showy Coneflower
Sullivant’s Coneflower |
Echinacea angustifolia
Echinacea purpurea
Rudbeckia fulgida var.
speciosa
Rudbeckia fulgida var.
sullivantii (=
Rudbeckia 'Goldstrum') |
Fall
Fall
Fall
Fall |
Coreopsis (= Tickseed); e.g.,
Lance-leaved Tickseed
Large-flowered Tickseed
Tall Coreopsis
Whorled Coreopsis |
Coreopsis spp.
C. lanceolata (try ‘Sternthaler’)
C. grandiflora
C. tripteris
C. verticillata (try ‘Moonbeam’) |
Spring
Summer
mid-Summer-late Fall
Summer - Fall |
English Lavender
(subject to winter kill in poor drainage) |
Lavandula angustifolia (try 'Hidcote' or 'Munstead' ) |
early Sum/early Fall |
| Grape Hyacinths |
Muscari spp. |
Early Spring |
| Lupine |
Lupinus spp. |
Summer |
| Oriental Lily hybrids |
Lilium X rubrum |
late Summer |
| Oriental Poppy |
Papaver orientale |
early Summer |
Phlox e.g.,
Creeping Phlox
Garden (= Summer) Phlox
Wild Blue (= Woodland) Phlox |
Phlox
P. stolonifera
P. paniculata
P. divaricata |
Spring
Summer - Fall
Spring/early summer |
| Salvia |
Salvia spp.
e.g., Salvia nemorosa ‘May Night’ |
late Spring |
Scabiosa (=Dove Pincushion)
(will bloom all summer if deadheaded) |
Scabiosa columbaria (try ‘Butterfly Blue’) |
Summer |
| Snapdragon |
Antirrhinum majus |
Spring – Fall |
| Stoke's Aster (poor drainage in winter will kill) |
Stokesia laevis |
late Spring – Fall |
| Stonecrop (= Live Forever) |
Sedum spp. (try
Sedum purpureum ‘Autumn Joy’) |
late Summer – Fall |
| Sweet William |
Dianthus barbatus |
late Spring/early Summer |
| Thrift, Sea (= Common Thrift) |
Armeria maritima |
Spring |
| Yarrow |
Achillea millefolium |
Summer – early Fall |
Notes: The greatest number of butterfly species occurs in
Connecticut in the Summer when, in addition to nectar plants found in gardens,
there are many native plants blooming in the wild. Some butterflies may find
plenty of nectar without ever coming to a butterfly garden. Certain butterfly
species need nectar in the Spring and gardeners can be particularly helpful by
providing spring nectar sources. Lilac (Syringa
spp.) is a good shrub (or small tree) source of Spring nectar. Many perennial
plants will bloom longer if the spent blossoms are removed (deadheading).
However, when Fall comes, it is good for wildlife to leave the flowers to go to
seed (which also provides shelter for some over-wintering butterflies).
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