Plants that Attract Butterflies

NATIVE PLANTS (EASTERN CANADA)FLOWERING TIMEPREFERRED CONDITIONS
Asters  Symphyotrichum sp.late summer through fallfull sun, dry through to areas
Bee Balm/Bergamot  Monarda didyma, Monarda fistulosasummerfull sun to partial shade, rich moist soils
Black-Eyed Susan  Rudbeckia hirtasummer to late fallfull sun, drier areas
Blazing Star  Liatris spicatalate summerfull sun, medium to well drained soils
Butterfly Weed  Asclepias tuberosasummerfull sun, medium to well drained soils
Cardinal Flower  Lobelia cardinalislate summerfull sun to partial shade, damp to wet soils
Columbine  Aquilegia canadensisSpring to summerpart shade, sandy or loamy soils
Common Milkweed  Asclepias syriacaJuly-Augustfull sun, sandy or loamy soils
Coneflowers  Echinacea purpureasummer to fallfull sun to part shade, drier soils
Cut-leaf coneflower  Rudbeckia laciniatasummer to fallfull sun, damp areas
Blue False Indigo  Baptisia australislate spring through summerfull sun, well drained soils
Joe-Pye Weed  Eutrochium maculatumJuly to Septemberfull sun, damp to wet areas
Meadow Rue  Thalictrum pubescensJuly-Augustfull sun, damp to wettish areas
Pink Tickseed  Coreopsis roseaJuly-Augustfull sun, damp to dry soils
Swamp Milkweed  Asclepias incarnataAugustfull sun, damp to wet soils
Turtlehead  Chelone glabraJuly-Augustfull sun, damp soils
Yarrow  Achillea millefolium lanulosaJuly-Septemberfull sun, drier areas

Note:  These native plants are perennials and increase in size each year.  They also self-seed.

NON-NATIVE  PERENNIALSFLOWERING TIMEPREFERRED CONDITIONS
Anise Hyssop  Agastache foeniculumLate summer to fallFull sun, moist but well-drained soil
Catmint  Nepata sp.June-AugustFull sun to light shade, average well-drained soil
Culver’s Root  Veronicastrum virginicumAugust-SeptemberFull sun, moist heavy soil
Hollyhock (biennial)  Alcea sp.SummerFull sun, Moist, well drained average soil
Lance leafed coreopsis  Coreopsis lanceolataLate Spring-SummerFull sun, average to rich well-drained soil
Lupine  Lupinus polyphyllusSpring to SummerFull sun, rich acidic moist but well-drained soil
Perennial Salvia  Salvia NemerosaJune to AugustFull sun to light shade, well-drained sandy or loamy soil
Perennial Sunflower  Helianthus maximillianiSummer to FallFull sun, damp to dry average soil
Phlox  Phlox paniculataSpring-Late SummerFull sun to light shade, average to rich, moist well-drained soil
Pincushion Flower  Scabosia sp.SummerFull sun, sandy or loamy well-drained soil
NON-NATIVE ANNUALS
Cornflower  Centaura cyanusMay to AugustFull sun, poor to average soil
Cosmos  Cosmos, sp.Summer to FallFull sun, loamy soil
Herbs: sage, borage, oregano,  S.officinalis, B.officinalis, Origanum vulgareSummerFull sun, sandy to loamy well drained soil
Marigolds  Tagetes sp.Spring to FallFull sun to light shade, Sandy to loamy soil
Salvia  Salvia sp.June to SeptemberFull sun, slightly acidic, average, Well-drained soil.
Snapdragon  Antirrhinum majusSpring to FallFull sun to light shade, rich, moist, well-drained soil
Sunflower  Helianthus annusSummer to Early FallFull sun, sandy to loamy soil
Zinnia  Zinnia elegansSummer to FallFull sun, rich loamy moist but well-drained soil

Note:  There are many good reference materials with more detail and longer plant lists.  See the Resources page for suggestions.