Bringing Butterflies
to Your Home
I AM A FIRM believer in creating an
outdoor space that reminds people
they are part of a larger, natural
ecosystem. We spend our lives inside,
separated from the fresh air, sunshine, and
creatures great and small. Your yard, garden,
or lanai should be a place that connects you to
nature, giving you a place to enjoy the outdoors
as much as you enjoy the indoors. A wonderful
way to create a relaxing, nature-focused yard
is through butterfly gardens. Filled with color,
layers, and texture, these gardens elevate your
home’s exterior and give these beneficial insects
a home and food source. Here are some of the
ways I love to create these special gardens here
in Southwest Florida.
PERFECT PLANTS
The plants you choose are the most important
element of the garden. They give the butterflies
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a place to land, a food supply, and a safe home
for their eggs. The foliage also gives your yard
texture and visual interest. Butterflies are
attracted to color, especially red, hot pink,
and orange since these flowers tend to have
the most nectar. Plants like Penta, Jatropha,
Firebush, Lantana, Dune Sunflower, Red
Firespike, Coral Honeysuckle, and Morning
Glories are great options which provide nectar
for grown butterflies and encourages them to
lay eggs. These plants also provide the palette
that makes your yard a true retreat. Beyond
blooming options, I love to layer different
shades of green and interesting textures into a
butterfly garden. Blooming plants are seasonal
so there will be times when the colorful flowers
aren’t prominent. When that happens, using
differing greens or plants with colorful leaves is
a way to keep your butterfly garden (and yard)
visually interesting all year long. Blooming
COMMON FLORIDA
BUTTERFLIES
The caterpillars love
wild lime and citrus
leaves while adults
prefer scarlet honeysuckle,
lantana and
milkweeds.
Adult butterflies
love firebush,
hibiscus and
morning glories.
Caterpillars favor
lemon bacopa and
lippia while adults
like composite flowers
such as Spanish
needles, goldenrods
and asters.
They enjoy asters,
blue mist and gaillardia
while the
caterpillars like
legumes, mallows
and wild cotton.
Caterpillars exclusively
eat milkweed
leaves. Adults feed
on butterfly weed,
milkweeds, thistles,
and ironweed.
GIANT
SWALLOWTAIL
CLOUDLESS
SULPHUR
WHITE
PEACOCK
GRAY
HAIRSTREAK
MONARCH
GULF
FRITILLARY
The caterpillars dine
on poisonous passion
flower vines.
Plant lantana, liatris,
and scarlet sage to
attract adults.
The Monarch Butterfly is
probably the most iconic
butterfly. Their bright
orange wings outlined
in black make it easily
recognizable.