Best Plants To Attract Butterflies In Florida

What plants draw butterflies in Florida ?

Bottlebrush , Firebush , Milkweed , and Lantana are some of the more coarse plants that draw butterflies to a Florida garden . If you want to have a successful butterfly stroke garden in Florida you must also suppose about having both ambrosia and host plants , but also render a body of water origin and shelter for butterfly stroke and babe caterpillars .

Boasting more than 180 different butterfly , with many native to the state and carry the honor of having the most various butterfly species east of the Mississippi River , Florida is a butterfly paradise for those wishing to grow plants to attract the fluttering beauties to their garden . Butterfly garden not only draw in these beneficial pollinator but also add yr - cycle color to the landscape and help the local ecosystem stay sizable .

The state ’s subtropical clime makes it potential to grow a wealth of unlike plants that call to attract butterflies to your landscape . Whether you are face for a specific flower colour , plant size or ones tolerating specific conditions , there are butterfly stroke plant suiting your perceptiveness and butterfly garden design .

Continue read because we cover basic butterfly horticulture bakshis and details on common butterfly - attracting plants that will have your Florida garden on fire in semblance and flamboyant fluttering wings .

Plants That Attract Butterflies In Florida

Black-eyed Susan

Forming 2- to 3 - foot mound , black - eyed Susan burst onto the scene in summer and fall with a vibrant display of jaundiced or orangish daisy - like flowers with bombastic browned centers . Deadheading spent blooms promotes more flowers . The perennial grow well in all surface area of the body politic , thriving in full sun and a diverseness of well - drained soils . It ’s a skilful choice for seaboard garden as the plant is salt- and drought - resistant .

Bottlebrush

Bottlebrush is a must have for those wanting a larger shrub that attracts butterfly as well as hummingbird in Central and South Florida . The evergreen plant raise vivid red peak spike , flower spring through fall adding color to the landscape almost year - round . Gardeners have choices in an upright and weeping variety that produce the same colorful blooms and the upright form grows up to 20 feet tall and spacious . Bottlebrush grow best in full sun and in a salmagundi of well - drained grunge and is salt- and drouth - resistant .

Butterfly Bush

Butterfly bush does just what its name suggests – attract a riches of butterfly stroke as well as bee to the garden . The semi - evergreen perennial fills with fragrant flush bunch that can be 2 foot prospicient and depend on the cultivar , can be purple , snowy or pinkish . Although it acquire well statewide , Florida offers many drawbacks to plant it right away into the ground , as nematodes , rust and mites cause problems . For the best looks and least amount of problems , develop butterfly bush in container and locate in full Lord’s Day . It has a low-toned tolerance to salt atomizer and drought .

Coral Bean

aboriginal coral dome flora proffer colour and pastime to a butterfly garden spring through fall , and the perennial thrives in gardens statewide . In spring , improbable spikes fill with red tubular flowers that pull in butterfly and hummingbirds . Spent flowers develop into seedpods that split open in evenfall bring out bright red cum held inside . The come are poisonous . plant life grow anywhere from 5 to 15 feet tall with a similar spread and warmer conditions produce larger plants . It grow well in sunlight to fond tad and in a variety of well - drained soils . Coral noggin is drought- and salt - resistant .

Coral Honeysuckle

Coral honeysuckle is a aboriginal vine that grows well in all sphere of Florida . In springtime , long tubular flowers form in clustering and keep blossom through summertime , attracting hummingbird as well as butterflies . Depending on the motley , flowers are coral red or yellow . The spent flower form into Berry , which pull in a variety of songster to the area . The leafage also add colourful interest , as the top of the leaves are shiny green , with silvery green bottom . Coral coast banksia tolerate sun to partial shade , but create the most bloom situated in full sun and tolerate a variety of slightly acidic well - drain dirt . It perform as an evergreen plant in Central and South Florida and semi - evergreen in North Florida .

Dill

Although an aromatic herbaceous plant with multiple culinary uses , Anethum graveolens also make a fragrant and useful addition to butterfly garden throughout the state . fit in to the University of Florida , the cultivar ‘ Long Island Mammoth ’ is best suited for develop in Florida . dill weed is an important element to butterfly stroke gardens as it work as a host plant and is the chosen host for the black swallowtail . Dill performs well in a cheery website with prolific well - drained grime . If you are low on infinite or want to add colour to a terrace , dill also performs well in container .

Fennel

Fennel wee-wee a in force addition to butterfly stroke gardens statewide when temperature cool in crepuscule and wintertime . Although the licorice - tasting culinary herb is primarily grown for its shoot , foliage and seeds , caterpillars , like those of the black swallowtail use it as a host flora . The clusters of lowly yellowed flower form umbel and attract butterfly stroke . Grow fennel in a sunny localisation with rich , well - drained soil and urine regularly . Fennel also do well grown in containers .

Firebush

Native firebush offers almost year - round of drinks gloss with its bright bunch of red tubelike flowers blooming from spring until a frost followed by cluster of little dark Charles Edward Berry . Hummingbirds delight in the flowers , as well as butterfly stroke like the gulf checkered lily and zebra longwing . The bush also attracts razzing feasting on the berries . The evergreen plant flourish statewide , but those in North Florida may have it conk to the ground only to regrow in spring . Firebush bring out the most flowers situated in full sun , although it also grows in fond shade and in well - drained soil . It ’s a welcome gain to gardens along the coast as its salt - tolerant and tolerates drouth once established .

Firecracker Plant

For an explosion of year - round color and a plant that hummingbirds and butterflies ca n’t outride away from , banger plant is sure to add eye - enamor effects to a butterfly stroke garden . The finely textured and thin fleeceable foliage anatomy into weeping hill , with a profuseness of vivid cerise , white-livered or Salmon River flowers seeming to rain down over the sides . Gardeners in Central and South Florida can grow cracker plant as a perennial and those in cool northern incision can either treat it as an yearly or grow it in containers for winter trade protection . It flowers best grown in full sun and in well - drained soil and plant life are salt- and drouth - tolerant .

Firespike

For a spectacular , class - round blooming evergreen shrub that ’s an all important increase for butterfly and hummingbird gardens , you ca n’t go wrong with firespike . It makes a picturesque showing with its 6 - foundation tall stiff and upright branches cover in large shiny dark-green leaves with foot long panicles on top filled with bright crimson tubular flowers . In areas of the body politic experiencing freezes , firespike dies to the soil only to resprout in give . It grows in a smorgasbord of well - drained soils turn up in full sunlight to fond shade and is relatively drought- and table salt - kind once established .

Gumbo-Limbo Tree

A South Florida aboriginal , gumbo - limbo trees will only thrive in the warmest sphere of the state where icing and freezes are n’t rough-cut . It adds an interesting charm to landscape with its smooth and coppery - colored shedding bark , leaving the trunk with a glossy appearance . Panicles of greenish - clean flowers come forth in spring , which attract various butterflies . Gumbo - oblivion form into large trees , raise anywhere from 25 to 50 metrical unit marvellous , so they demand a prominent infinite in the landscape or butterfly garden . These are salt- and drought - patient of semi - evergreen tree that tolerate growing in full Lord’s Day to partial shade and in various well - drained soils .

Jatropha

Jatropha plants offer a twelvemonth - round brilliantly colored display of clusters of bright red or pink blossom that will have hummingbird and butterflies shoot the breeze your garden . The two coarse species of this evergreen plant bush or humble tree that are hardy growing in South and Central Florida are Jatropha integerrima , commonly cry peregrine and Jatropha multifidi , better known as coral plant . Although they flower best grown in full sun , they also tolerate growing in fond shade and in a form of well - debilitate territory .

Lantana

It ’s easy to see why lantana is so popular in gardens throughout the state . Besides the fact that butterfly and bees love the almost yr - round flower clusters , this evergreen perennial is drought- , heat- and salt - tolerant , as well as being an easy to grow and low - sustentation plant . reckon on the cultivar , the clusters of blooms image in colors of red , purple , yellow , blanched and orange , with some a mix of all the colors . Lantana performs well as a ground cover , small bush or potted works and is certain to brighten butterfly stroke gardens with its profuse colorful display of flower . It performs best place in a sunny site in well - enfeeble soil and although tolerant of drouth , even body of water program develop the most abundance of flower .

Lion’s ear

Lion ’s ear gets its vulgar name from the heyday petals that resemble a lion ’s spike . This tropic recurrent shrub flower in summer and keep the color go through wintertime with its unequalled and center - catching orange two - lipped tubular flowers that form into tiered whorls around the stem . It ’s a great summation to butterfly gardens as it attracts bee , hummingbirds and butterflies . Plants can produce 3 to 6 base tall and it ’s hardy get statewide , although those experience freezes may have it croak to the soil and resprout in spring . This drought - tolerant industrial plant prefers a internet site with well - drained dirt located in full sun to partial shade .

Milkweed

Milkweed put to work overtime as a nectar rootage for various butterfly , bees and some insects , as well as a legion industrial plant and is the only works monarch butterfly stroke Caterpillar eat . There are two varieties of silkweed ordinarily found in the nation , the aboriginal butterfly weed ( Asclepias tuberosa ) and tropical milkweed ( Asclepias curassavica ) , with both perform as perennials statewide . butterfly stroke weed blooms with clusters of orangish or yellow flowers that part putting on their colourful show in summertime throughout fall . Tropical milkweed flower yr - rhythm producing clusters of tubelike flowers in red , orangish and xanthous . These salt- and drouth - tolerant perennials favor as web site site in full sun to fond shade and in well - drain soil .

Mexican Heather

Mexican heather offers a year - circle and non - stop show of lilliputian purple , snowy or red blooms against lacy drab light-green leaf , with the heyday attracting good pollinators like bees , hummingbirds and butterflies . This evergreen repeated forms into dense and stocky inflorescence bush averaging around 12 column inch tall . It also performs well in container . For the unspoiled operation , develop this unfearing bloomer in full Lord’s Day to partial shadowiness and in fertile , well - drained stain . Mexican heather do as a perennial in icing - free sections of Florida and in cool region , gardeners should treat as an yearly or grow it in pots for protection during winter .

Parsley

Gardeners throughout Florida should address Petroselinum crispum as a cool - time of year annual , as the intense heat of summer is in the main too hot for it to perform as a biennial . This culinary herb has a wealth of the States in the kitchen but it ’s also a host plant to butterfly caterpillars like the black swallowtail . The yellow flush spikes also attract butterflies . produce parsley in the garden in a site with prolific , well - drained dirt and in a location that sustain dawn sun and some shade during the afternoon . Parsley also do quite well grown in containers .

Passion Flower

gardener throughout Florida can dress up a fencing , pergola or treillage with this flowering vine that is also a indigen . Although there are several species of cacoethes flush native to Florida , Maypop ( Passiflora body forth ) is the showiest , producing alien 3- to 5 - inch blooms that are purple or lilac and with wavy interference fringe over the petals . Flowers last for a day and green oval fruits flesh after the blooms slice that are comestible , but said to not sample too beneficial . The blossom attract a host of pollinators from bee , butterfly , moths , hummingbirds , bats and other insect . It ’s also a host plant for zebra heliconia , checkered checkered lily and gulf fritillary butterfly . Grow passion flush in a sunny web site in fertile well - drain grime .

Pawpaw

A United States aborigine , pawpaw trees are hardy in northern sections of Florida , average out around 15 foot improbable . The deciduous tree diagram produces large 6- to 12 - inch retentive leaves and in springtime , just as the new leaf are uncurling , 2 - in over-embellished blooms outflow to life sentence . After the flowers slicing , 5 - inch ellipse fruit bod that are green and when ripe alteration to blackamoor and are said to savour like bananas . The zebra swallowtail butterfly uses pawpaw as a server plant and the fruit attract various wildlife . Grow in a site receiving full Dominicus to shade and in well - drain grime .

Penta

normally called asterisk blossom because of the profuse clustering of genius - shape flowers , penta is a must have in butterfly stroke or hummingbird gardens . Dark green lance - shaped and slightly foggy foliage highlight the attractive flower bunch in colouring material of reddened , pinks , purple , white and two - toned . strong temperatures boost an abundance of blooms . This evergreen plant perennial grows 3 feet tall and is hardy uprise throughout Florida . Penta prefers a well - debilitate , fertile soil with even water applications and in a gay to shadier location , with Lord’s Day promoting the most bloom .

Purple Coneflower

Purple coneflower is an herbaceous perennial throughout all but the most southern dowery of the state , although many people treat it as an annual . During winter , it give-up the ghost to the ground only to regrow in spring . Attractive clumps of gig - shape leaves highlight the stalks of majestic daisylike efflorescence with declamatory brown centers that attract various butterfly stroke . bloom starts in summer and impart on throughout drop . Grow this drought - kind beauty in full sun to partial Lord’s Day and in well - drained soil .

Saltbush

Saltbush is a aboriginal flowering shrub that is hardy throughout Florida and as its name suggest , it ’s tolerant to salt sprayer as well as drouth . Plants are dioecious , with both virile and female plant bloom , although the females put on the showiest display covered in small white heyday starting in fall . manful blooms are more yellow and not as showy as the females . Various butterfly stroke use the saltbush for nectar , include the sovereign butterfly . It grows well in full Sunday to fond subtlety and in soils that are wet to dry .

Butterfly Gardening 101 – Tips & Plants

Do n’t let lack of outer space stop you from create a butterfly stroke garden , because you could design your garden in as small of space as planting in container and fix it on a terrace . Those with declamatory area in their Florida landscape can almost fill their spaces with blooming perennial and shrub that are sure to be a come-on to butterflies , as well as other beneficial pollinator like bees and hummingbirds .

to boot , successful butterfly stroke gardens let in these major components :

When selecting plants for your butterfly garden , always consider the specific industrial plant ’s cultural preferences like favored light , moisture and grime conditions compared to the select country in your landscape . to boot , always produce multiple industrial plant together that have similar need to forbid potential ontogeny problem .

What are the Most Common Butterflies in Florida?

Even though Florida is base to so many unlike types of butterfly , some metal money are more common than others are . These are the ones you will most likely see palpitate around your garden drink nectar from your butterfly stroke works .

Some of the more common butterfly species include:

Can I use Pesticides on My Butterfly Plants?

Everyone has heard of dwindle away bee populations due to the overuse of pesticides , peculiarly synthetic type in the garden and on agriculture . Therefore , it goes to reason that to keep your landscape and the local ecosystem hefty , you should only use any eccentric of pesticide when it ’s absolutely necessary .

Additionally , just because a product submit it ’s organic does n’t mean it is n’t toxic to butterflies and beneficial pollinators . Although most organic pesticides are made from plant , it does n’t mean they are non - toxic to pollinator populations .

Butterflies do their natural action during the daytime hours , so if you must spray your plant with something , it ’s comfortably done during the very early or even hour so the Cartesian product has time to dry out .

Two of the good pesticide you may use are insecticidal scoop and horticultural oil . However , it ’s still good to apply directly to the targeted pestilence and done betimes in the morn or in the evening when the butterfly are n’t present . It ’s a honest idea to essay the product on a leaf to make indisputable there ’s no scathe before treating the entire flora .

Other more butterfly-friendly options in controlling pests include:

No matter where you reside in Florida or your amount of butterfly garden blank space , you wo n’t be at a expiration finding works that draw in the colorful beauties . Using Florida - friendly flora prune down on your time tending fussy organ transplant , giving you more clip to model back and enjoy the alluring dance of the butterflies .