Plants that can attract butterflies
Both pretty and key pollinators, butterflies are welcome guests in your garden. These native plants compiled by American Home Shield can attract them.
A look at butterfly-attracting plants that are native to the United States
Cultivating a flower garden that serves as a serene landscape while supporting a healthy ecosystem requires the right plants, care, and—perhaps most importantly—pollinators.
Pollinators, from bees to bats, provide essential support for more than one-third of the world's edible crops by moving pollen between flowers, helping plants reproduce in the process. Among the most beloved pollinators is the butterfly: a symbol of good luck and transformation, beautiful to look at, and a vital part of the ecosystem and food supply. Enticing them doesn't have to be difficult, either. Filling your garden with the right mix of native plants can do the work for you.
American Home Shield compiled a list of butterfly-attracting plants native to the United States using data from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas at Austin. These annuals provide food and safe places for butterflies to lay their eggs.
The plants on this list encourage butterflies to reproduce, lay their eggs, and make a home in your garden. And most are native blooms that can support the environment along the way.
A diverse, native garden is key to making up for habitat loss and encouraging pollination, according to the USDA. That's because they reduce air pollution, water, and pesticide use by naturally thriving in the area they are planted, meaning you could also save on pricey fertilizers, water bills, and more.
Consider incorporating these blooms into your landscape to attract butterflies and support your local habitat.
Agalinis paupercula var. borealis
- Common name(s): Smallflower False Foxglove
- Attracted butterflies: Baltimore checkerspots
- Bloom colors: White, red, pink, yellow
- Bloom time: July-October
- Plant size: Up to about 2 feet tall
- Native states: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Wisconsin
Agalinis paupercula var. paupercula
- Common name(s): Smallflower False Foxglove
- Attracted butterflies: Baltimore checkerspots
- Bloom colors: White, red, pink, yellow
- Bloom time: July-September
- Plant size: Up to about 2 feet tall
- Native states: Connecticut, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin
Amaranthus tuberculatus
- Common name(s): Roughfruit Amaranth, Water Hemp
- Attracted butterflies: Common checkered-skipper
- Bloom colors: White, pink, green
- Bloom time: June-November
- Plant size: Up to about 6 feet tall, occasionally taller
- Native states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Ambrosia trifida
- Common name(s): Great Ragweed, Giant Ragweed
- Attracted butterflies: Bordered patch
- Bloom colors: Green, brown
- Bloom time: June-October
- Plant size: Up to about 12 feet tall, often shorter
- Native habitat: Waste places, fields, and roadsides.
- Native states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
Amphicarpaea bracteata
- Common name(s): American Hogpeanut
- Attracted butterflies: Silver-spotted skipper, northern cloudywing
- Bloom colors: White, pink, purple
- Bloom time: August-September
- Plant size: Stems twining, up to about 5 feet long
- Native habitat: Woodlands
- Native states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Arabis glabra
- Common name(s): Tower Rockcress
- Attracted butterflies: Large marble
- Bloom colors: White
- Bloom time: March-July
- Plant size: Up to about 5 feet tall, often shorter
- Native states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
Bidens alba
- Common name(s): Common Beggarticks, Shepherd's Needles, Spanish Needles, Butterfly Needles, Hairy Beggarticks, Romerillo
- Attracted butterflies: Florida duskywing
- Bloom colors: White, yellow
- Bloom time: January-December
- Plant size: Up to about 8 feet tall, often much shorter
- Native states: Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Missouri, Pennsylvania
Camissonia contorta
- Common name(s): Plains Evening-primrose
- Attracted butterflies: Kern primrose sphinx
- Bloom colors: Red, yellow
- Bloom time: March-July
- Plant size: Up to about 20 inches tall
- Native states: California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington
Chenopodium album
- Common name(s): Lambsquarters
- Attracted butterflies: Common sootywing, western pygmy-blue
- Bloom colors: Green, brown
- Bloom time: June-October
- Plant size: Stems erect to sprawling, up to about 10 feet long
- Native habitat: Cultivated land, disturbed sites, and roadsides.
- Native states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
Cirsium horridulum
- Common name(s): Bristle Thistle, Yellow Thistle, Horrid Thistle, Purple Thistle, Spiny Thistle, Bull Thistle
- Attracted butterflies: Little metalmark
- Bloom colors: White, red, pink, yellow, purple
- Bloom time: May-August
- Plant size: Up to about 8 feet tall, often much shorter
- Native habitat: Shores, marshes, sandy or peaty fields.
- Native states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia
Croton capitatus
- Common name(s): Hogwort, Texas Goatweed
- Attracted butterflies: Goatweed leafwing
- Bloom colors: White
- Bloom time: July-September
- Native states: Alabama, Arkansas, Washington D.C., Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Eriogonum abertianum
- Common name(s): Abert's Buckwheat, Abert's Wild Buckwheat
- Attracted butterflies: Crescent metalmark
- Bloom colors: White, pink, yellow
- Bloom time: January-December
- Plant size: Up to about 28 inches tall
- Native states: Arizona, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas
Helianthus argophyllus
- Common name(s): Silverleaf Sunflower
- Attracted butterflies: Bordered patch and silvery checkerspot
- Bloom colors: Yellow
- Bloom time: August-November
- Plant size: 3 to 10 feet tall
- Native states: Florida, North Carolina, Texas
Lupinus texensis
- Common name(s): Texas Bluebonnet, Bluebonnet, Texas Lupine, Buffalo Clover, Wolf Flower
- Attracted butterflies: Hairstreak butterfly, elfin butterfly
- Bloom colors: White, blue
- Bloom time: March-May
- Plant size: Up to 60 cm tall
- Native habitat: Prairies; open fields; roadsides
- Native states: Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas
Peritoma serrulata
- Common name(s): Rocky Mountain Bee-plant, Stinking-clover, Bee Spiderflower, Navajo Spinach, Pink Cleome, Toothed Spiderflower, Skunkweed
- Attracted butterflies: Checkered white
- Bloom colors: White, purple
- Bloom time: May-September
- Plant size: Usually to about 32 in height Can reach 6 feet in height
- Native habitat: Shortgrass and mixed grass prairies, pastures, pinyon pine and juniper woodland, desert scrub, roadsides, stabilized sand dunes
- Native states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium ssp. obtusifolium
- Common name(s): Blunt-leaf Rabbit-tobacco, Rabbit Tobacco, Sweet Everlasting, Fragrant Cudweed
- Attracted butterflies: American lady
- Bloom colors: White
- Bloom time: August-October
- Plant size: Up to about 3 feet tall
- Native habitat: Dry clearings; woodland edges; fields
- Native states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Rudbeckia hirta
- Common name(s): Black-eyed Susan, Common Black-eyed Susan, Brown-eyed Susan, Blackeyed Susan
- Attracted butterflies: Bordered patch
- Bloom colors: Red, orange, yellow
- Bloom time: March-November
- Plant size: Up to about 3 feet tall
- Native habitat: Prairie, Plains, Meadows, Pastures, Savannas, Woodlands' edge, Opening
- Native states: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima
- Common name(s): Black-eyed Susan, Blackeyed Susan, Brown-eyed Susan, Pinewoods Coneflower
- Attracted butterflies: Silvery checkerspot
- Bloom colors: Red, orange, yellow
- Bloom time: March-November
- Plant size: Up to about 3 feet tall
- Native habitat: Prairie/Meadow/Field
- Native states: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
Sida rhombifolia
- Common name(s): Cuban Jute, Axocatzin
- Attracted butterflies: Tropical checkered-skipper
- Bloom colors: Yellow
- Bloom time: January-December
- Plant size: Up to about 3 feet tall
- Native states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia
Verbena stricta
- Common name(s): Hoary Verbena, Hoary Vervain, Tall Vervain, Woolly Verbena
- Attracted butterflies: Common buckeye
- Bloom colors: Blue, purple
- Bloom time: June-September
- Plant size: Up to about 6 feet tall
- Native habitat: Fields; prairies
- Native states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
Viola nephrophylla
- Common name(s): Northern Bog Violet, Wanderer Violet, Entire-leaved Prairie Violet, Small Mottled Blue Violet
- Attracted butterflies: Nokomis fritillary
- Bloom colors: White, purple, violet
- Bloom time: January-September
- Plant size: Up to about 6 inches tall
- Native states: Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
Zizania aquatica
- Common name(s): Annual Wildrice, Wild Rice
- Attracted butterflies: Broad-winged skipper
- Bloom colors: Green
- Bloom time: June-August
- Plant size: Stems up to about 15 feet tall, often much shorter Usually emergent
- Native habitat: Marshes, ponds, lakes, borders of sluggish rivers.
- Native states: Alabama, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin
Data reporting by Elena Cox. Story editing by Jeff Inglis. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick.
This story originally appeared on American Home Shield and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
The plants on this list encourage butterflies to reproduce, lay their eggs, and make a home in your garden.