Butterflies are easy to attract to your Oklahoma garden or landscape. Providing groups ofplants that offer nectar (food for adults) and hosting (food for caterpillars) will lead to masses of butterflies happy to delight you with their beauty. Larger groups of plants make it easier for butterflies to locate your garden from the air. Here are a few of their favorites:
Host plants:
Passionflower vine (Gulf Fritillary)
Milkweed(s) (Monarch and Queens butterflies)
Parsley (Black Swallowtail)
Pipevine (Pipevine swallowtail)
* Be prepared for heavy munching on these plants – they are caterpillar food!
Annual Nectar Plants:
Tithonia (Mexican Sunflowers)Cosmos
Zinnias
Crownbeard
Lantana
Tropical Milkweed
Sunflowers
* Many of these are easy to plant from seed.
Perennial Nectar Plants:
Perennial Lantana
Mistflower (s)
Goldenrod
Purple Coneflowers
Black Eyed Susan
Salvia (s)Oregano
Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)
A critical reminder: Never use insecticides in your garden – butterflies are an insect species.
Where to get plants? In Oklahoma City, some great vendors are:
A lovely source for seeds is Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.