Butterfly Nectar Sources

Clusters of deep red to red-orange flowers are each centered by contrasting orange to gold coronas but the most interesting thing about this cultivar is that is cloaked in beautifully variegated cream, pink, and green narrow foliage. Monarch Promise Butterflyweed, a selection of Asclepias curassavica, is an upright growing to vase-shaped, naturally evergreen, herbaceous tropical that flowers from spring to fall. It is sure to make for a colorful addition to containers as well as in the garden and landscape. In areas where freezes occur, like zone 8B, Butterfly Milkweed plants may freeze to the ground and generally return from the roots in spring but we cannot vouch for this specific cultivar's reliability as a die-back perennial. Caterpillar host: Queen and Monarch. Item# 12088

Large dense fragrant flower spikes to 12" long are composed of many hundreds of small orange-eyed flowers that open lavender and deepen to dark violet and indigo and are held atop a compact mound of blue-green foliage. The honey-mead like scented, nectar rich flowers of MONARCH® Blue Knight Butterfly Bush or Buddleia are adored by a host of pollinators and garden beneficials including butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and more! Provide a full to mostly sunny location in well-drained average moist soils for optimum health and flowering. This Walter's Gardens introduction and is part of the MONARCH® Butterfly Bush series that have been selected for rich colors, excellent flower power, and a midsize habit. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 11694

Spikes of deep royal purple fragrant flowers are held at the ends of sturdy stems against a backdrop of soft gray-green foliage from summer to fall. MONARCH® Dark Dynasty Butterfly Bush is a deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub with a densely branching compact habit that mature to about 3'H x 3-4'W. The fragrant dark flowers attract butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other garden beneficals with their nectar rich flowers.This Walter's Gardens introduction is part of the MONARCH® Butterfly Bush series that have been selected for rich colors, excellent flower power, and a midsize habit. Provide a well-drained soil in a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and flowering. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12061

The 7-12" long conical panicles are composed of numerous fragrant icy periwinkle blue flowers that attract pollinators of all shapes and sizes throughout summer and into fall. MONARCH® Glass Slippers Butterfly Bush is a deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub with gray-green foliage and a densely branching compact, mounding habit that matures to about 3'H x 4-5'W. The nectar rich flowers attract butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other garden beneficals. Provide a well-drained soil in a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and flowering. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12836

Large conical clusters of deep cerise red, to 10" long, composed of tiny fragrant nectar rich flowers sit atop the sturdy stems of this well-branched Butterfly Bush from summer through fall are held against softly contrasting a backdrop of gray green foliage. Prince Charming Buddleia is a vigorous hybrid and a 2018 Walter's Gardens introduction that is part of the MONARCH® Butterfly Bush series that have been selected for rich colors, excellent flower power, and a midsize habit. The flowers attract loads of butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Sterile Variety.  Item# 11783

The 6-8" long conical panicles are composed of numerous fragrant showy medium pink flowers that attract pollinators of all shapes and sizes throughout summer and into fall. MONARCH® Princess Pink Butterfly Bush is a deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub with medium green foliage and a densely branching, moderately vigorous habit that matures to about 5'H x 5-6'W. The nectar rich flowers attract butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other garden beneficals. Provide a well-drained soil in a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and flowering. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12837

The 7-9" long conical panicles are composed of numerous fragrant magenta flowers that attract pollinators of all shapes and sizes throughout summer and into fall. MONARCH® Queen of Hearts Butterfly Bush is a deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub with a densely branching compact habit that matures to about 3'H x 3-4'W. The fragrant dark reddish-pink flowers attract butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other garden beneficals. This Walter's Gardens introduction is part of the MONARCH® Butterfly Bush series that have been selected for rich colors, excellent flower power, and a midsize habit. Provide a well-drained soil in a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and flowering. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12062

In spring to early summer clusters of rich rosy pink flowers are produced atop 18-24" high sturdy stems providing a feast for butterflies and hummingbirds. Morris Berd Smooth Phlox, a highly disease resistant selection of Phlox glaberrima or P. carolina depending on the source, is a clump-forming, slowly spreading rhizomatous native perennial that readily develops into a dense groundcovering mass of foliage and stems. This sunloving perennial is decidous in the colder portions of its range but may remain evergreen with purplish winter foliage in warmer winter regions. This easy to grow Phlox has proven to be highly resistant to powdery mildew and was in the top four in trials both at Mt. Cuba Center and the Chicago Botanic Gardens. Provide Morris Berd Phlox with a full to mostly sunny site in an average moist, fertile, well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 12318

Brilliant, fiery orange balls of flowers are born atop sturdy, succulent gray stems and foliage throughout the year under frost free conditions. Mountain Fire Senecio is a tropical, drought tolerant, low evergreen shrub-like perennial that makes a beautiful addition to mixed cactus gardens or even as a small specimen plant. Provide full sun where possible and keep it on the dryer side of moist. A favorite nectar source of the Sulphur butterflies that enter the greenhouse! Item# 10214

Wow! Possibly THE darkest purple Salvia on the market today! Dark colored spikes of deep royal purple, sometimes with a hint of red, two-lipped tubular flowers are produced from spring to fall on a compact well-branched vigorous plant. Nachtvlinder Salvia is a perennial Salvia with excellent vigor and flower power growing to about 24" high and wide and is adorned with glossy green fragrant foliage. Nachtvlinder translates to "night butterfly" or "moth" and was discovered as a chance seedling in the gardens of Hessenhoff Nursery in the Netherlands and is reported to have withstood temperatures as low as -4^oF. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a well-drained, average moist, fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Nachtvlinder Salvia is compact enough for low-maintenance specimens or add it to the garden and landscape for a summer long show. The nectar rich flowers attract hummingbirds, bees, and the occasional butterfly. A Royal Horticulture Society 2015 Award of Garden Merit Winner. Item# 12474

Dense flattened clusters composed of showy white buds from which the small, often dotted, whitish to pinkish to light lavender, short-tubular flowers emerge and are produced over a long period. Flowering begins in mid to late spring to early summer and may continue into early fall with the flower clusters held atop sturdy 20-30" high stems and attract a host of smaller pollinators but especially bees. Narrowleaf Mountainmint, Pycnanthemum tenuifolium, is a neatly clump forming, herbaceous, native perennial with a relatively upright habit and is adorned in narrow, fine-textured deep green to bluish green foliage that may have a light fragrance when crushed. This species if found throughout most of the eastern and central US from east Texas to Florida and as far north as Wisconsin and Maine. Provide a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and flowering. Tough, easy, and adaptable to a wide range of soil types and mositure levels. The butterfly in the image is a Gray Hairstreak. Item# 10030

The silvery grass-like foliage of Narrowleaf Silk Grass could fool anyone to thinking it might actually be a grass but by late summer and fall you can be sure that this is definitely in the aster family when it puts up sturdy branching stems that are topped by loose clusters of nearly 1" wide golden yellow daisies. The flowers attract a variety of pollinators including butterflies and late season native bees storing up for winter. Narrowleaf Silk Grass, Pityopsis graminifolia, is a rhizomatous but non-aggressive, generally evergreen, native perennial found throughout the Southeastern US from near central Texas to Virginia and as far north as Kentucky and into southern Ohio. It makes a drought and deer and rabbit resistant informal ground cover or lawn replacement or allow it to naturalize along roadsides, meadows, and prairies or other naturalistic settings. Its main requirement is average or better drainage and a full sun to partly shaded site with average moisture. May reseed but generally only on exposed or disturbed soils. Item# 10686

A superb butterfly nectar plant! Masses of large pinkish-purple daisy-like blooms are often born from late spring to fall. An excellent cut flower that can last for up to a week in a vase. These seedlings originated from a vigorous native Louisiana population of this beautiful perennial. Item# 9256.

A rare and endangered perennial Hibiscus that is native to just a few counties in east Texas. 3-5" wide, creamy white Hibiscus flowers with a burgundy eye are born from mid-summer to fall. Finely textured, and deeply cut, deep green foliage adds to the charm of this Hibiscus. Seems to do equally well under moist conditions as under average garden conditions. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Item# 9400.

A butterfly and pollinator magnet and the standard in Trailing Lantanas! This low growing, groundcovering Lantana produces an endless display of deep golden yellow flowers from late spring to fall. The clusters of brilliant yellow flowers positively shine against the glossy dark green foliage. New Gold Lantana rarely fruits and its mostly sterile pollen make this long popular selection a gardener and landscapers dream with its impressive flower power and reliability! New Gold creates a low maintenance colorful groundcover or use it as a spring to fall filler, spiller, or specimen for medium to large containers. Item # 3032.

Clusters of purple frilly flowers are produced atop tall sturdy stems providing late summer and fall color as well as nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. New York Ironweed, Vernonia noveboracensis, is a vigorous growing clump forming native perennial preferring moist to wet to average moist, fertile soils where it grows 5-8' high providing a tall safe platform for pollinators. This tough and easy perennial is well suited to moist naturalistic areas like meadows and prairies where it can mix with fall flowering sunflowers and asters. Tolerant of periodic drought once well-established and can be grown in average moist garden soils. Reseeds, deadhead to prevent unwanted seedlings. Images courtesy of North Creek Nurseries, all rights reserved. Item# 12109

You can see why they named this series NIMBUS™! Dense cloud-like masses composed of hundreds of frilly lavender-pink flowers are held atop sturdy dark colored stems and the fine-textured Columbine-like bluish-green foliage beginning in mid-spring and continuing into summer. NIMBUS™ Pink Thalictrum is a clump-forming perennial that was selected for its more compact habit than the species as well as for its denser showier flower clusters. *They are tolerant of full sun in areas with cool summers but may do best with midday and afternoon shade or filtered shade in hot summer climates. We actually grow them under deciduous shade to good effect here in 8B. Meadow-Rue generally prefers a moist, well-drained, fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Flowering may be limited the first season but will increase with each year as the plants become better established. Photos courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc., www.terranovanurseries.com, all rights reserved. Item# 12871

You can see why they named this series NIMBUS™! Dense cloud-like masses composed of hundreds of frilly white flowers are held atop sturdy dark colored stems and the fine-textured Columbine-like bluish-green foliage beginning in mid-spring and continuing into summer. The flowers are followed by lavender-pink seedheads adding further interest. NIMBUS™ White Thalictrum is a clump-forming perennial that was selected for its more compact habit than the species as well as for its denser showier flower clusters. *They are tolerant of full sun in areas with cool summers but may do best with midday and afternoon shade or filtered shade in hot summer climates. We actually grow them under deciduous shade to good effect here in 8B. Meadow-Rue generally prefers a moist, well-drained, fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Flowering may be limited the first season but will increase with each year as the plants become better established. Photos courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc., www.terranovanurseries.com, all rights reserved. Item# 12870

Loose panicles composed of 1" long, white to pale pink to near lavender flowers with a golden 'beard' and purple bee guides are produced in mid to late spring on sturdy 18-24" stems attracting mainly bees and hummingbirds as well as occasional butterflies. Nodding Beardtongue, Penstemon laxiflorus, is a rosette to small clump forming, herbaceous, drought resistant perennial typically found growing in well-draining, sunny, upland sites in the Pineywoods, as well as tall grass prairies, and open sandy and rocky woodlands. While it is drought resistant it does seem to prefer average moisture during the growing season. May reseed on exposed soils. Provide Nodding Penstemon with a full to mostly sunny site in well-drained soils for optimum vigor and flowering. Makes an easy addition to naturalistic settings like roadsides, prairies, and meadows. Item# 9743

Clusters of 2-3" wide, widely flaring, 4-petalled, primrose yellow flowers are produced in late spring and early summer and are held against a foil of rich green foliage. Northern Sundrops, a selection of our native Oenothera fruticosa ssp. tetragona or sometimes just O. tetragona, is a tough and easy clump forming to short-rhizomatous, herbaceous perennial growing to 2-3' high and potentially to 5'. It is well suited to sunny, average moist to moist, average to well-drained sites. Unlike many of the Evening Primroses, Sundrop flowers are open during the day providing nectar and pollen to a variety of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Item# 13334

Who knew you could get such a rich dark purple from Salvia greggii?! Loads of royal purple, 2-lipped tubular flowers are born in from spring to fall on this low mounding, durable perennial. Great for Hummingbirds and Butterflies! Drought tolerant, deer resistant, and low maintenance. Create a mass of purple flowers in the garden or use it in containers, either way expect to be wowed by Nuevo Leon Autumn Sage! Item#10273.

Masses of 1" wide yellow-eyed bluish purple daisies absolutely cover this plant for weeks in late summer and fall. October Skies Aromatic Aster, a selection of Symphyotrichum oblongifolium, is a low mounding perennial that develops into a compact shrub-like plant by flowering time. Excellent fall color for the garden as well as drought tolerance and pest and disease resistance make this an excellent addition to the perennial or wildflower border and landscape. Prefers good to excellent drainage and a full to mostly sunny site. Caterpillar host: Field Crescent, Pearl Crescent, Texan Crescent, Roadside Checkerspot, Hoffman's Checkerspot, and American Lady. Item# 9913