Nectar-rich plants that woo all the butterflies
While the decline of the honey bee is high on our radar right now, butterflies are coming in a close second. The monarch butterfly population is in steep decline (though there are reports of a slight recovery this spring). Why, you might ask, should you care?
First of all, we need to reflect on what butterflies represent: Freedom, a natural beauty, a fragile strength that gets them to Mexico and back to Canada each year and of course, there is that metamorphosis thing: From a caterpillar to the most magnificent winged pollinator.
For thousands of years, butterflies have represented all of the above.
The good news is you can make a measurable, positive difference to the population of butterflies and moths (another primary pollinator that deserves our attention) in your community by making smart choices where your garden is concerned.
Many plants attract butterflies effectively.
Here are some of my favourite butterfly plants. I recommend you plant them now.
Perennials will put down roots while the soil is still warm and will burst out of the soil next spring, ready to grow and bloom. Information relating to “nectar value” is quoted from the book Garden Butterflies of North America by Rick Mikula.
Buddleia/butterfly bush. A butterfly magnet. Indeed, if you visit a garden centre early in the morning you will find the butterfly bush that are in bloom covered in butterflies, in spite of the fact a garden retailer can have hundreds or thousands of plant species available in the same space.
The fragrance and pollen-rich nature of the flower of buddleia is powerful indeed.
Hardy to Zone 5, it often dies back to the base in the winter in my Zone 5 garden. If I am patient, it throws new growth up in June, in time for midsummer blossoms. Hummingbirds love it, too.
Black-eyed Susan (rudbeckia
hirta). This reliable perennial provides the daisy-shaped flower butterflies enjoy so much. Like a helicopter pad, this plant provides the perfect landing place for butterflies. The classic yellow flower is unmistakable as it seems to be taking over the planet.
I love this aggressive self-propagator but I do cut out many roots each spring to keep it from spreading throughout my entire garden. It blooms for up to 10 weeks, prefers the sun and grows about a metre high. Hardy to Zone 3.
Joe Pye weed (asclepias or eupa
toriadelphus). Another plant that will have you say, “Ah huh! I know that one!” as soon as you see it. High in nectar value, this perennial attracts milkweed tussock moths, monarch butterflies and many other colourful members of their family.
Cultivated varieties grow aggressively up to two metres high, while the native plants mature to about 1.5 metres.
This is another plant I tame before it takes over my yard.
Hardy to Zone 3. Blazing star (liatris). A great latesummer performer featuring tall spikes of white or purple flowers in clumps that behave themselves (they don’t travel all over your garden).
Look for the native plant or attractive cultivars. They grow to 1.2 metres high and are rich in nectar. Hardy to Zone 4. Yarrow (eriophyllum). An easy-togrow, aggressive bloomer that puts on quite a show for up to eight weeks each late summer. Some will still be in bloom in Toronto-area gardens.
The native yarrow grows to 0.8 of a metre high. There are many brightly coloured cultivars available that are great garden performers. I like the pastel-coloured ones. Nectar rich, according to the book. Hardy to Zone 2. Blanket flower (gaillardia). Not a reliable perennial, so plan on replanting it every couple of years. It makes up for its relatively short life, however, by hosting a wide range of butterflies, such as the bordered patch, as well as the painted schinia moth.
Prefers a sunny position. Hardy to Zone 4.
There are many other butterflyattracting plants available. I recommend you check the label when buying them. Some garden retailers use a butterfly icon on their signage to indicate a plant attracts butterflies.
And finally, a word in defence of moths.
As night flyers, moths get a bad rap. Perhaps they do not advertise well as they body-slam into the porch light.
Truth is, they are not only harmless to humans, they are useful pollinators (yes, pollination often occurs while we sleep).
The difference between a butterfly and moth? A butterfly stands with its wings together or slightly parted, while a moth tucks its wings into its body when still.
Both are necessary parts of a landscape that is rich with biodiversity. And we all need more of that. Mark Cullen is an expert gardener, Order of Canada recipient, author and broadcaster. Get his free monthly newsletter at markcullen.com. Look for his new bestseller, The New Canadian Garden, published by Dundurn Press. Follow him on Twitter @MarkCullen4 and on Facebook.