Southwest Nectar Plants That Attract Butterflies
Alyssum     Asters     Black-eyed Susan     Buckwheat     Butterfly Bush
Centranthus      Chrysanthemum Paludosum      Chuparosa       Cosmos
Coreopsis       Day Lilies         Desert Lavender        Echinacea      Fennel
Goldenrod       Heliotrope       Ice Plant        Impatiens        Japanese Honeysuckle
Lantana       Lavender      Lilacs         Lupine         Marigold       Mexican Sunflower
Milkweed       Mint        Pentas       Petunias       Phlox      Rhododendron
Sage        Snapdragons       Verbena       Yarrow        Zinnias
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Adult butterflies consume flower nectar from a wide range of flowers, which they sip through a long curling 'tongue' called a proboscis. Because of the way they feed, flower form is more important to them than flower color, though color does attract them - especially reds, and yellows. Butterflies like plants with short tubular flowers like the 'butterfly bush', and they also like flat, daisy-shaped flowers. Single blossoms are better than double blossom plants as they help give them a platform to stand on when feeding. Though some species will visit throughout most of the year, butterflies visit the most in summer - especially in late summer. They will stay late into the fall if you plant autumn bloomers like asters, chrysanthemums, boltonia, sedum and goldenrod. From flowering herbs and shrubs to perennials, here's a list of plants that attract and feed southwest butterflies their needed nectar, and grow well throughout the southwest states.

Alyssum (Lobularia maritima): Commonly known as Sweet Alyssum and Sweet Alice. Boasting white, pink, and lavender flowers that have a lovely honey scent, most butterfly species - especially Cabbage Whites, and ladybugs love this low-growing annual (6" tall). Plant in alkaline soil between October and April. Easy to grow and dependable, Alyssum blooms quickly from seeds (within 6 weeks), and easily reseeds itself several times throughout the year. It likes full sun except in summertime, and for an extended bloom, provide shade in the afternoon. A low and compact plant, Alyssum is a great addition to the edge of a garden bed, and grows especially well with roses, bulbs, plum trees, calendula, and okra. If you are creating a Butterfly Garden on your patio or balcony, Sweet Alyssum grows well in containers and window boxes. Useful to the vegetable gardener, Alyssum attracts beneficial insects that pollinate squash and tomato crops, and also attracts insects that feed on pesky mealy bugs, spider mites, thrips and scale insects. Sweet Alyssum is a native of the Mediterranean.
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Asters: A member of the Daisy family, Asters are perennials and have over 600 species that range from 6" to 8" tall, and offer small daisy-like flowers (usually with yellow centers), that come in a variety of colors including blue, lavender, purple, pink, red, and white. No doubt about it - if you want butterflies in your garden, then Asters are a sure way to go! This colorful family is an absolute favorite nectar source and attracts quite a number of butterfly species in the southwest including - Swallowtails, Checkerspots, Skippers, Whites and Sulphurs, Blues, Ladies and painted Ladies, Crescents, Admirals, Buckeyes, Viceroys, and even Monarchs. Zones vary according to variety. Asters love full sun to light shade, and well-drained soil that is rich in hummus. Plant the short varieties in near the front of borders and beds, and the tall ones in meadow gardens. They grow best in cool summers, and need mulch in winter. To encourage more flowers, pinch back in early summer. It's also good to divide them very couple of years in the spring. They are a good companion to chrysanthemums and together their blossoms attract butterflies into the late fall. The name Aster comes from the Latin word meaning 'star'.
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Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia): Often seen growing wild in fields or brightening roadsides, Black-eyed Susans are long-blooming (from June-October), and easy to grow. A member of the daisy family, their cheerful yellow flowers are a great nectar source for a variety of butterfly species including Whites, Sulphurs, Brush-foots, Skippers, and Blues; and is a favorite of the Great Spangled Fritillary. The Gloriosa Daisy variety is also a favorite for butterflies. Black-eyed Susans are tough and easy to grow, and depending on the variety, these perennials and biennials can grow from 2-5' tall, and from zones 1-24. They grow well in masses in beds, borders and meadows. They also grow well in containers - ideal for 'Patio Butterfly Gardens'. They love full sun and average to moist, well-drained soil. Grow from seed or division.
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Buckwheat (Eriogonum): Buckwheat is native to most areas in the West, especially the California coastal regions. Offering tiny pink-red blossoms that grow in clusters that are dome, flat or ball shaped; the different varieties of Buckwheat are a favorite nectar source for most butterfly species including a variety of Coppers, Hairstreaks, Elfins, Blues, Metalmarks, Checkerspots, Wood-Nymphs, Duskywings, Skippers, Ladies and Painted Ladies. Buckwheat is also an excellent larval host plant feeding a number of caterpillar species. Hardy and easy to grow, Buckwheat likes full sun, little to moderate water, and grows best in well-drained, loose and rocky soil. Most buckwheats are wind and heat tolerant, though it is best to give them a good soaking twice a month in really hot climates. They grow in a variety of zones according to species. Depending on the variety, you can plant them on dry banks, in rocky areas and rock gardens. They often reseed, and require some pruning and replacing.
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Butterfly Bush (Buddleja): The name says it all - this is definitely a favorite nectar plant for butterflies! Noted for their large clusters of tiny fragrant flowers with colors including lavender-blue, crimson, white, pale purple, orange, and yellow; this evergreen shrub attracts a number of butterfly species including Monarchs, Fritillaries, Ladies and Painted Ladies, Whites and Sulphurs, Swallowtails, Hairstreaks, Admirals, Mourning Cloaks, Bordered Patches, Hackberries, Common Buckeyes, Crescents, Red-Spotted Purples, Skippers, and Question Marks. Though growth zones and trends depend on the variety, butterfly bush does like full sun to partial shade; moderate to regular water; and rich, well-drained soil. If you are creating your butterfly garden on your balcony or patio, butterfly bush grows well in containers.
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Centranthus (Valerian): It's fragrant and large, showy spires of small red, white, or pink flowers make this bushy plant attractive to birds, bees and butterflies. Along with yellow, the color red really attracts butterflies. So, try planting red valerian (Centranthus ruber), and you will really attract a variety of butterfly species - especially Swallowtails and Painted Ladies. It is especially best to plant a number of clumps together. A perennial, Centranthus varieties grow in zones 2-9 and 12-24, and do best in areas that have cool summers, though is adaptable enough to grow in warmer climates. It enjoys full sun, poor to average well-drained soil that is neutral to alkaline, and requires little to moderate water. Growing up to 2-3 feet tall, plant in sunny borders. Deadhead for repeat blooming. It is self-sowing, and grows well from seed, division and stem cuttings. It is native to the Mediterranean and is considered a weed in many parts the West.
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Chrysanthemum Paludosum: Though this beautiful plant offers tiny white blossoms similar to miniature Shasta daisies, it's the bright yellow flower center that attracts a variety of butterflies, making it a favorite nectar source to Monarchs and Cloudless Sulphurs. It also attracts other beneficial insects to your garden. Available as seeds or nursery plants, this annual grows in zones 1-24, and do best to planted between October through April. Low-growing (8"-10" tall), it does well being planted with bulbs and roses, and also as a garden edging. To attract butterflies in the fall, plant them with asters. It is also a great companion plant for lettuce. Gardeners love the fact that it is disease free and repels most pesky insects. It is a Western Mediterranean native.
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Chuparosa (Anisacanthus thurberi): A desert honeysuckle offering 1-2" long spikes of nectar-filled tubular yellow-orange or orange-red flowers, the chuparosa is a favorite nectar source for butterflies such as 'Desert' Black Swallowtails, Tiny Checkerspots, and Sheep Skippers. It is also a larval food source. A heat resistant evergreen, it is fairly drought tolerant if watered deeply every few weeks during really hot summers. In mild winters it will into grow 4' tall and up to 4' wide shrub. It enjoys full sun, and grows well in zones 8-13, 18-23. It grows best if treated as a perennial and is cut to the ground before spring. It is native to northern Mexico, the Sonoran Desert of Southern Arizona and New Mexico.
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Cosmos (Asteraceae): Butterflies love to land on these big colorful daisy-like blossoms that are available in a variety of colors including pinks, purples, yellows and even oranges. They are a favorite source of nectar for a variety of butterfly species including Monarchs, Painted Ladies, Sachems, Silvery Checkerspots, Common Buckeyes, Pearl Crescents, and Cloudless Sulphurs. Available as annuals and perennials, and depending on the variety, they grow in zones 1-24, and are non-stop bloomers from summer through fall. If you are in the low desert, it is best to plant them by seed. Plant from March through August. The pink, magenta and rose varieties prefer afternoon shade - especially during the summer. They are drought tolerant plants, but require deep watering when needed. They also reseed themselves, and make lovely cut flowers. According to the variety, Cosmos can grow anywhere from 2-8' tall and look beautiful planted in masses in borders, meadows ,or in-between shrubs. Cosmos also grow well in containers which is great if you are creating a small or patio butterfly garden. Cosmos will also attract a variety of birds and beneficial 'mealy bug eating' insects such as ladybugs and green lacewings, to your garden. They are native to tropical America and Mexico.
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Coreopsis: Also known as tick-seed, Coreopsis is part of the daisy family. Its bright flowers in shades of sunshine yellow, orange, and maroon, attract a variety of butterflies and is favored as a nectar source by species such as the Great Spangled Fritillary, the Silver-Spotted Skipper, the Spring Azure, Viceroy, Red Admiral and the Pearl Crescent. Easy to grow, coreopsis is available as seed or nursery plants, and as annual or perennial varieties. Planting zones are according to species, though they grow pretty well in zones 1-24. Plant them between October and April, in full sun, and in well-drained soil that is average or humus-rich. They require little to moderate amounts of water. Plant them massed in borders and beds. If you are creating a Butterfly Garden on your patio or balcony, many species will grow in containers. Trim dead blossoms to instigate more blooms. They do reseed themselves, and the seed will also attract birds to your garden. Helpful to the gardener, coreopsis repels most pest insects; and attracts insects that feed on mealybugs, scale insects, thrips, spider mites, and whiteflies; and attracts pollinators such as hoverflies. The name coreopsis hails from the Greek word 'koris' which means bug, and 'opsis' in that the seeds resemble a bug or tick.
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Day Lilies: (Hemerocallis): With over 30,000 cultivars that produce flowers in shades of red, pink, yellow, orange, white, and pastel; the large lily-like flowers clusters of the daylily are a favorite source of nectar to most of butterfly species found in the southwest. Depending on the variety, daylilies grow from 12"-6' tall, with flowers that are 2-8" wide. Growing well in zones 1-24, daylilies are easy to grow, very tolerant and practically trouble-free. From borders and beds to rock gardens and meadows, they do well in most landscape areas that are sunny or partially shaded. They grow in a variety of soils but especially like moist and well-drained, humus-rich soil. Propagate by division. To attract butterflies or hummingbirds plant them in masses, or in containers if you are planning a patio garden. Daylily blossoms only last a day, hence their name which is derived from the Greek words 'hemero' which means day, and 'kallos' which means beauty.
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Desert Lavender (Hyptis emoryi): Offering lots of tiny blue-violet flowers on short spikes, desert lavender is a wonderful nectar source for butterflies such as the Great Purple Hairstreak, the 'Loki' Juniper Hairstreak, the California Patch, and the Painted Lady. It blooms throughout the year but is heaviest in the spring. Native to the desert Southwest, this evergreen shrub grows well in zones 8-14, 18-24. Easy to grow, it loves the full sun, is drought tolerant but does well with moderate watering, and likes soil that has good drainage. It can grow from 3-10' tall and 3-8' wide. It has a lovely lavender fragrance after the rains, or if brushed against.
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Echinacea: Also known as 'purple cone flowers', the pretty pink or white daisy-like flowers on the Echinacea attract a large number of butterfly species, especially Tawny-Edged Skippers, Monarchs, Silver-Spotted Skippers, Horace's Duskywings, Sachems, Great Spangled Fritillaries, and Common Wood Nymphs.  A wildflower in the central and eastern states, Echinacea are tough long-lived plants that bloom throughout summer, sometimes even from late spring to early winter. Growing in zones 1-24, they like full sun but will tolerate partial shade, and like soil that is humus-rich and well-drained. To attract butterflies plant in masses in beds and borders. Deadhead to prolong blooming. Reaching up to 4' tall with 4" flowers, they are popular for as cut or dry flowers. The name 'Echinacea is derived from the Greek word 'echinos' which means hedgehog - the base of the plant is rather prickly. Echinacea is also used by many cultures for its medicinal properties.
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