A number in front of a flower name indicates a particularly recommended plant (1 = most recommended). Numbers in "BLOOM SEASON" correspond to the month (4 = April, 5 = May, etc.). Abbreviations: A=alien species, N = native species.

		FLOWER	HEIGHT	COLOR	BLOOM SEASON	ATTRACTED BUTTERFLIES	COMMENTS
N		Verbenas    Verbena	6-12"	pink lavendar	3-11	Gulf Fritillary Skippers
N		Purple coneflower    Echinacea purpurea	1-3'	pink	6-10	many	deadhead (remove dead flowers)
A		Mexican sunflower    Tithonia rotundifolia	6'	orange	6-11	many	stake stems
N		Seaside goldenrod    Solidago sempervirens	2-8'	yellow	8-10	Monarch	maintains itself
N		Climbing aster    Aster caroliniensis	6-7'	pale purple	8-11	Gulf Fritillary Skippers	needs pruning; attracts more bees
		False heather    Cuphea hyssopifolia	6-12"	lavendar	12-6	Gulf Fritillary	requires sun
N		Blue porterweed    Stachytarpheta jamaicensis	3-5'	blue	all	Gulf Fritillary Zebra Skippers
A		Butterfly bush    Buddleia davidii	6'	pink purple	all	Giant Swallowtail Zebra Gulf Fritillary Red Admiral White Peacock Monarch Skippers	deadhead (remove dead flowers); needs water
N		Butterfly weed    Asclepias tuberosa	1-3'	orange	all	Monarch Queen	major nectar & caterpillar plant
A		Golden dewdrop    Duranta repens	to 18'	lavendar	all	Zebra Giant Swallowtail Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Sulphurs Gulf Fritillary Red Admiral Monarch	easy to grow; important nectar source
		Hibiscus    Hibiscus denudatus	10-12'	red	all	Gulf Fritillary	requires sun
		Lantana    Lantana montevidensis	2-3'	lavendar	all	American Snout Zebra Gulf Fritillary Red Admiral White Peacock Monarch Skippers	grows out from center; prune but always leave some in bloom
A		Malay ixora    Ixora coccinea	3-4'	red	all	Gulf Fritillary Monarch	requires sun
		Pentas    Pentas lanceolata	3-5'	red,cerise lavendar	all	Giant Swallowtail Sulphurs Zebra Gulf Fritillary Red Admiral White Peacock Monarch Skippers	may be grown as a hedge or in clumps; may need replanting every few years
N		Spanish needles    Bidens alba	3-4'	white	all	Miami Blue Zebra Gulf Fritillary Skippers
A		Stokes aster    Stokesia laevis	12-18"	purple blue	all	Zebra Gulf Fritillary	deadhead (remove dead flowers)

Abbreviations: A = alien species, N = native species.

	FLOWER	COMMENTS
N	Black-eyed Susans(Rudbeckia)	no butterflies attracted
	Black foot(Melampodium)
	Blue sage(Eranthemum pulchellum)	pretty cerulean blue but butterflies not attracted
	Dwarf pink pentas(Pentas)	see "NECTAR FLOWERS" for regular pentas
N	Firebush(Hamelia patens)	variable; no butterflies attracted in some gardens; but attractive to butterflies in other gardens
	Fire spike(Odontonema strictum)	no butterflies attracted
	Gold lantana(Lantana ouatifolia)
N	Indian blanket(Gaillardia pulchella)	no butterflies attracted
	Mexican sage(Salvia leucantha)
N	Partridge pea(Chamaecrista fasciculata)	skippers at flowers but no caterpillars on plants
N	Ruellia(Ruellia caroliniensis)	no butterflies attracted
N	Scarlet sage(Salvia coccinea)	no butterflies attracted
	Van Hout's sage (Salvia vanhoutii)

A number in front of a plant name indicates a particularly recommended plant (1 = most recommended). Abbreviations: A=alien species, N = native species.

		NAME	HEIGHT	BUTTERFLY CATERPILLARS	COMMENTS
N	3	Butterfly pea    Clitoria mariana	vine	Silver-spotted Skipper Long-tailed Skipper	grow in sun or semi-shade
N	6	Cassias    Cassia	5-20'	Cloudless Sulphur Orange-barred Sulphur	fast growing; weak stemmed (stake)
A		Dill    Anethum graveolens	3-4'	Eastern Black Swallowtail	grow near nectar source such as purple lantana
A		Fennel    Foeniculum vulgare	3'	Eastern Black Swallowtail	keep moist
A		Grapefruit, lemon    Citrus maxima, limon	10-30'	Giant Swallowtail	remember: do not spray
A	4	Mexican milkweed    Asclepias curassavica	1-3'	Monarch	both caterpillar & nectar source
N	1	Passion vine    Passiflora incarnata	vine	Zebra Gulf Fritillary	plant throughout the year
N		Passion vine    Passiflora morifolia	vine	Julia Gulf Fritillary
N	2	Pipevines    Aristolochia	vine	Polydamas Swallowtail	grow in semi-shade
N		Ruellias    Ruellia (nudiflora, occidentalis)	1'	White Peacock	grow in sun or half sun
N	5	White-flowered milkweed    Asclepias perennis	2'	Monarch

A number in front of a butterfly indicates a particularly likely species (1 = most expected to be observed). Numbers in "FLIGHT PERIOD" and "CATERPILLAR SEASON" correspond to the month (4 = April, 5 = May, etc.), with < meaning earlier in the month, m the middle of the month, and > late in the month.

	NAME	FLIGHT PERIOD	CATERPILLAR SEASON	CATERPILLAR FOOD PLANTS	COMMENTS
3	Pipevine Swallowtail    Battus philenor	1-12	1-12	pipevines
3	Polydamas Swallowtail    Battus polydamas	1-12	1-12	pipevines
2	Black Swallowtail    Papilio polyxenes	1-12	1-12	parsley family (dill)
1	Giant Swallowtail    Papilio cresphontes	1-12	1-12	citruses
2	Spicebush Swallowtail    Papilio troilus	3-12	3-12	spicebush, camphor tree, sweet bay, prickly ash
	Great Southern White    Ascia monuste	1-12	1-12	mustard (cabbage) family; nasturtium
2	Cloudless Sulphur    Phoebis sennae	1-12	1-12	cassias
1	Orange-barred Sulphur    Phoebis philea	1-12	1-12	cassias
	Miami Blue    Hemiargus thomasi	1-12	1-12	balloon vines
1	Zebra    Heliconius charitonius	1-12	1-12	passion vines
1	Gulf Fritillary    Agraulis vanillae	1-12	1-12	passion vines (but red kind not accepted)
	Pearl Crescent    Phyciodes tharos	1-12	1-12	asters
1	Red Admiral    Vanessa atalanta	4-10	4-9	nettles, false nettles
3	Common Buckeye    Junonia coenia	1-12	2-11	snapdragons, plantain, ruellias, verbenas
3	White Peacock    Anartia jatrophae	1-12	2-11	ruellias
1	Monarch    Danaus plexippus	1-12	1-12	milkweeds	breeds year-round, fewer in summer
3	Queen    Danaus gilippus	1-12	1-12	milkweeds, milkvines
	Silver-spotted Skipper    Epargyreus clarus	1-12	1-12	Butterfly pea, beggar's-ticks
	Long-tailed Skipper    Urbanus proteus	1-12	2-11	Butterfly pea and other legumes
	Fiery Skipper    Hylephila phyleus	1-12	1-12	Bermuda grass

Numbers in "FLIGHT PERIOD" and "CATERPILLAR SEASON" correspond to the month (4 = April, 5 = May, etc.), with < meaning earlier in the month, m the middle of the month, and > late in the month.

	NAME	FLIGHT PERIOD	CATERPILLAR SEASON	CATERPILLAR FOOD PLANTS	COMMENTS
none to list.

USDA ZONE: 10

   The soil is sandy; gardens can be enriched with potting soil and mulch. The summer heat and high humidity is continuous from July through September, with afternoon showers in summer.

Copyright © 1996 by the North American Butterfly Association, Inc. All rights reserved.