A complete habitat is needed for a butterfly garden. It is just more than having pretty flowers that will have nectar. They need mud, water, sun and a plant to lay eggs that will feed the caterpillars. List below is a suggestion of plants that will attract butterflies. They choose flowers by smell, not by color.

Glass Gardens has a good selection of perennials, annuals and shrubs for your butterfly garden needs. Please note that Glass Gardens doesn't carry all the flowers listed below, these are listed as a helpful guide to our customers.

Basics for a butterfly garden:

Flowers, flowers and more flowers. You cannot have too many.

Plant in large groups instead of individual plants.

Choose the sunniest spot in your garden for the nectar flowers.

Try to protect your nectar flowers from the prevailing wind.

Make sure you have blooming flowers for all around seasons.

Avoid chemicals and pesticides. Try organic, if needed.

Butterflies like to basck in the early morning sunshine on sun-warmed rocks, bricks or gravel paths.

Provide a muddy puddle in a sunny spot.

Caterpillars are hungry. Provide plenty of host/larval plants for them to eat. Make sure to provide the correct plants. (plants that are originally from your area)

BUTTERFLY PLANTS

ANNUALS Ageratum Allyssum Cosmos Gallardia Impatiens Heliotrope Lantana Marigold Morning Glory Nasturtium Nicotiana Pentas Petunias Queen Anne's Lace Snapdragon Sunflower Thistle Tithonia Verbena Zinnias PERENNIALS Achillea Agastache Alcea Allium Arabis Armeria Artemesia Aruncus Asclepias Aster Astillbe Aubrieta Baptisia Centranthus Ceratostigma Chelone Cimicifuga Coreopsis Delphinium Dianthus Dictamnus Digitalis Echinacea Echinops Erigeron Eupatorium Gaillardia Geranium spp. Helianthus Heliopsis Hemerocallis Heuchera Iberis Leucanthemum Liatris Lonicera Lupinus Malva Monarda Nepta Origanum Penstemon Phlox Physostegia Rudbeckia Salvia Saponaria Scabiosa Sedum Solidago Viola HERBS Anise Borage Catnip Dill Fennel Hyssop Lavender Mints Oregano Rosemary Rue Sage VEGGIES/FRUITS Arugula Cabbage Carrot Celery Mustard Parsley Turnip Blueberry Raspberry Peach TREE/SHRUBS Aesculus-yellow buckeye Azalea spp – Azalea Asimina –common pawpaw Buddleia – butterfly bush Caryopteris cvs- Blue spirea Celtis occidentalis-common hackberry Chaenomeles cvs- quince Clethra – summersweet Cornus spp –dogwood Cottoneaster spp-cotoneaster Hibiscus-mallow Ligustrum spp –privet Lindera benzoin – spice bush Liriodendron tulipifera-tuliptree Punus sargentii- sargent cherry Rhododendron spp –rhododendron Saliz spp –willow Sassafras albidum- sassafras Syringa spp –lilac Viburnum spp – viburnum Weigela spp –weigela Wisteria spp - wisteria