Perennial Plants that Attract Butterflies

Here are a few favorite perennials that attract butterflies. Some are nectar sources for mature butterflies, and others are host plants for butterfly larvae. Every good butterfly garden should include both categories. Many of these plants also attract hummingbirds.

Turk's cap

Butterfly weed

Yellow thistle

Milkweed

Mexican hat coneflower

Montauk daisy

Pineapple mint

'Joanna Reed' catmint

'De La Mina' verbena

Hummingbird trumpet

Joe-pye weed

Cardinal flower

New York ironweed

'Herbstonne' rudbeckia

Bee balm

'Husker Red' beardstongue

Echium pininana

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Find out which plants are perfect companions for your perennials in Perennial Companions.

Grow a broad array of butterfly-attracting annuals, perennials and shades with Shade, Annual and Perennials Garden Wheels.

Use Seeds for a Hummingbird Garden to grow nectar filled blooms that will attract many darting hummingbirds.

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