Friday, May 6, 2011

Need A Butterfly Magnet...?


I had an old farmer tell me one time that having a lot of butterflies around your yard or garden meant that it was healthy!

In keeping with that thought, I found a list over at the Farmer's Almanac that supposedly contains a number of plants that attract butterflies. If you have some of these plants, you should be in good shape. If you don't...but want to attract some, then maybe this list could help!

It's obvious: Butterflies and flowers were made for each other. As the poet pointed out, butterflies are flying flowers, and flowers are tethered butterflies.

In attracting butterflies to your garden, it's important to understand what they want most out of life: nectar. The ancients, who believed that nectar fell directly from heaven, named it after the wines of the gods. A butterfly's wish list also includes sunny open spaces, shelter from the wind, and fresh water.

For a nectar-rich flower border designed to satisfy these requirements, consider the plants listed below. Then invite a few butterflies over for a drink.

Beard tongue
(Penstemon)

Bee balm
(Monarda)

Butterfly bush
(Buddleia)

Catmint
(Nepeta)

Clove pink
(Dianthus)

Columbine
(Aquilegia)

Coral bells
(Heuchera)

Daylily
(Hemerocallis)

Larkspur
(Delphinium)

Desert candle
(Yucca)

Flag
(Iris)

Flowering tobacco
(Nicotiana alata)

Foxglove
(Digitalis)

Lily
(Lilium)

Lupine
(Lupinus)

Petunia
(Petunia)

Pincushion flower
(Scabiosa)

Red-hot poker
(Kniphofia)

Scarlet sage
(Salvia splendens)

Scarlet trumpet honeysuckle
(Lonicera sempervirens)

Soapwort
(Saponaria)

Summer phlox
(Phlox paniculata)

Verbena
(Verbena)

Weigela
(Weigela)

Here around my own garden, I've only seen a couple of butterflies...but I have to admit that I don't have any of these plants on the list! Guess I need to get some, huh?

What say we get some fresh coffee and sit outside before it gets too hot? The weather guy says the cooler weather is gone and HOT is on the way!

19 comments:

Momlady said...

And milkweed will attract Monarch butterflies.

Sixbears said...

Well, good thing I haven't gotten rid of the "weeds" butterflies like. Now wonder I have them around.

It's 43 degrees here this morning, so my cup of coffee is necessary. Nothing like it on a cool morning.

HermitJim said...

Hey Momlady...
Guess I should have known about the milkweed, but I didn't!

Just when I think I know it all...!

Hey, thanks for the visit today!


Hey SixBears...
Good excuse...I mean, reason not to mow 'em down!

I always knew that those weeds had a purpose!

Thanks, my friend, for coming by today!

JoJo said...

Thanks for the list I have some of those flowers already but I would like a few more. You can buy some for your mom for mothers day to go along side that new porch swing. :)
We are at 66 this morning so our cold spell is over I think. We get up to about 74 in the afternoon perfect weather.

TROUBLEnTX said...

When i did my landscaping, did it native, n to attract butterflies n hummingbirds. So instead of putting up the feeders, i used flowers. Well, flowering bushes n shrubs mostly. Even have a mimosa tree. Works.

HermitJim said...

Hey JoJo...
I think the butterflies mostly come here for the roses!

I have a few flowering hanging plants on the patio that they check out as well!

You have a great day, and thanks, sweetie, for coming by today!


Hey Trouble...
That's what I should have done to Mom's yard! I really hadn't planned to be here all that long when I came, but after the health problems (hers) I stuck around!

Still, maybe I can get a few to show up!

Hey, thanks for coming by today!

Anonymous said...

I actually have most of those in my garden :-) But thistles are great to attract butterflies too but not that funny to have inn the garden though :-) :-)

Have a great day now!
Christer.

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