Bring on the butterflies with these pollinator plants
As gardeners, we often find joy in welcoming butterflies into our backyards. With their whimsical charm, butterflies are not just delightful to observe, they are essential for the pollination of our fruit and vegetable crops.
If you would like to attract more butterflies to your garden, visit the Master Gardeners of Butler County plant sale at the Flower and Food Fest on Saturday, May 18, at Alameda Park, Butler Township.
We are pleased to be selling a pollinator kit of six perennials that are sure to attract butterflies: black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida “Goldsturm”); clustered mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum); blue star (Amsonia “Blue Ice”); bee balm (Monarda didyma x “Judith's Fancy Fuchsia”); swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata); and whorled milkweed (A. verticillata).
As natives and nativars (a cultivar derived from native parents), these plants are well-suited to our environment and climate, providing essential food and nutrition for not only adult butterflies but also their earlier life stages of larvae (caterpillars) and pupae (chrysalises). They are also easy to grow, making them particularly suitable for novice gardeners and several are deer resistant.
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida “Goldsturm“) is a perennial cultivar of a well-known favorite. This compact mounding plant is easily recognizable with its cheerful, daisy-like yellow petals and black center. Black-eyed Susans thrive in sunny spots, and this cultivar grows to a height of 24 to 36 inches. Established plants are generally resistant to deer, but young plants might benefit from some protection. A wonderful bonus is that black-eyed Susans are an excellent, long-blooming food source for pollinators.
Clustered mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum) is an understated delight in a flower bed. Unlike its mint family (Lamiaceae) relatives, this is a well-behaved native perennial that forms a compact mound of silvery sage-green leaves and small soft white and green flowers. For pollinators, the nectar of their flowers is a rich source of food in June. Growing from 24 to 36 inches high, mountain mint enjoys sun or light shade.
Blue star (Amsonia “Blue Ice”) provides a beautiful show from late spring into summer with blue star-shaped flowers above glossy green leaves, followed by golden yellow leaves in autumn. Growing from 12 to 15 inches high, this perennial hybrid Amsonia fits perfectly at the front of the flower bed; it needs minimal maintenance and is deer resistant.
Bee balm (Monarda didyma x “Judith's Fancy Fuchsia”) is a prolific bloomer of vibrant purple-red flowers and reaches up to 44 inches high. Attractive to butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds, this summer bloomer also makes a fragrant cut flower.
The final two plants are crucial host plants for the larvae of the magnificent monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). Observing the larvae as they grow and transform into butterflies is a truly rewarding experience. These native plants provide a milky latex sap that is the only food for the monarch caterpillar. It is important to wear gloves when handling these plants, as the sap can cause skin irritation. It also makes the plant unpalatable to deer.
Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) grows 3 to 5 feet tall and is a prolific bloomer with large blush-pink flowers. By deadheading spent blooms, you can encourage a second round of flowering. This plant thrives in sunny locations. If you prefer to control its spread, simply remove the blooms before they have a chance to set seed.
Whorled milkweed (Asclepias verticillata) is a native perennial with slender, upright stems and narrow, whorled leaves. It produces clusters of small, white flowers and blooms from mid to late summer, making it a beautiful late-season food source for butterflies. This milkweed spreads by rhizome and seed, thriving in dry, sandy soils. Though less aggressive than common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), it can be thinned out in spring or grown in a container. At 24 to 36 inches, this is one of the shorter milkweeds.
Discover these pollinator plants at the Food & Flower Fest from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 18. The Butler County Master Gardeners will be there to answer questions and help with choosing the perfect plants for a pollinator-friendly garden.
Penn State Extension offers additional information on gardening for butterflies. If you have questions about native plants that attract butterflies, call the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Butler County at their Garden Hotline at 724-287-4761 extension 7 or email the Master Gardeners at butlermg@psu.edu.
Danielle Fannin is a Penn State Extension Butler County Master Gardener.
