Butterfly Nectar Sources

Loads of pink, trumpet-shaped flowers are tucked among and atop the narrow dark green foliage from spring to frost all on a low and compact plant. Flowers of the Mexican Petunia attracting bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Katie Pink Dwarf Ruellia, a selection of R. tweediana or sometimes R. simplex, is a dwarf, root hardy, clump-forming, naturally evergreen tropical that is adorned in narrow deep green, sometimes tinged with purple or bronze tones, weeping foliage creating small individual mounds on their own similar to Liriope. Use this heat and sunloving, shade-tolerant perennial as a border, groundcover, as well as a filler in container gardens. In zones 8-9, Ruellia act like die-back perennials that freeze back and then return from their crown in spring once the weather and soil temperatures begin to properly warm. An insulative but breathable organic mulch will help to ensure their return in areas that experience freezing temperatures. Easy and reliable! Item# 917

The full, rounded, funnel shaped, rich rosy red flowers are randomly marbled with splashes of white, but can also be solid red, pink, or near solid white, are produced in mid to late spring attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Kobai #2 Evergreen Azalea, a.k.a Red Plum, is a rare Satsuki hybrid with a dwarf compact, naturally rounded mound forming habit making this a popular choice for bonsai but it is equally desirable in the garden and landscape where its multi-colored flowers are sure to make a big splash. Provide your evergreen Azaleas with a well-drained, average moist, humus rich, acid soil and topdress with an organic mulch for the best results. Item# 12574

Intense true red 1" long tubular flowers adorn dense 12-24" high spikes atop the gray green fragrant foliage of this dwarf Agastache beginning in spring and continuing well into fall. Kudos™ Red Dwarf Hummingbird Mint is a true hummingbird magnet and the compact habit of this Agastache lends it to use in containers where you can draw these aerial acrobats for up close viewing as well as in the garden and landscape. Provide a full to mostly sunny location in a well-drained soil for optimum health and flowering. Periodic removal of spent flower spikes will help to keep the plants looking clean and fresh as well as to make way for new flower spikes. Image courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc. www.terranovanurseries.com, all rights reserved. Item# 11649

The large pink, dark-eyed flowers of Lady Baltimore Hibiscus are sure to make a statement in the late spring and summer garden. This root hardy, die-back perennial has a compact 5' x 5' habit and is tolerant of soil moisture levels ranging from average moist to wet soils. Lord and Lady Baltimore Hibiscus are the earliest flowering cultivars that we grow. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Item# 10318.

Multitudes of 3-4" wide golden yellow daisies with a tan to dark brown 'eye' sit atop sturdy 18-24" stems and are produced in late spring to early summer and may repeat if deadheaded. The Large-Flower or Rough Coneflower, Rudbeckia grandiflora, is a tough and easy to grow clump forming perennial that can produce 80 or more flowering stems per clump once mature. This is probably one of the most underutilized native perennials as it has one of the most uniform habits of the native Coneflowers, it is long-lived and it can tolerate the moist to wet settings of acid bogs as well as short periods of drought once well-established. This is one of the major components of our Once-Mown Meadows here onsite. Provide a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and flowering. Deer and rabbit resistant and the flowers attract a variety of smaller pollinators. Item# 9885

Large clusters of 3" wide, trumpet-shaped, purple flowers, with a slightly darker purple halo and yellow and white throat, may be produced throughout the year under warm tropical conditions or late spring or early summer until fall as a perennial. The large showy flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The Laurel Leaf Blue Trumpet Vine, Thunbergia laurifolia, is a close cousin of the more commonly available and highly popular Blue Sky Vine, T. grandiflora, but appears to have a longer flowering season and slightly narrower foliage than the latter. This is a naturally evergreen, moderately vigorous, tuberous rooted, twining, tropical vine that we expect to be a root hardy, summer flowering, die-back perennial into zone 8B. Where not hardy, it can be enjoyed as a container plant that is overwintered in a bright or sunny window. Provide a full to mostly sunny site, in average moist, fertile, well-drained soils for optimum vigor and flowering. Item#11797

Nectar-rich, light purple flowers are produced continuously from spring to fall on tall spikes that butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds cannot seem to resist! Lavender Porterweed is a medium to large growing exceptionally full and vigorous Porterweed was once considered to be a purple form of the highly popular Coral Porterweed although we have learned that this is a sterile or nearly sterile hybrid cultivar. Porterweeds are excellent nectar producers outperforming nearly all other butterfly plants in the garden. Item# 483

Large, soft lemony yellow flowers with paler lower lips and slightly darker tubes and hoods are produced in spikes from mid to late spring until fall attracting hummingbirds, occasional larger butterflies, and larger bees. Lemon Pie Salvia, likely a hybrid of Salvia greggii the Autumn Sage, develops into a compact 18-24"H x 12-18"W with good flower power. Its smaller stature lends it to use as a (forgiving) container plant for a sunny area or add it to the garden and landscape. Provide a well-drained soil in full to mostly sunny conditions and never keep soggy wet. An RHS Award of Garden Merit winner! Photos courtesy of New World Plants, LTD., all rights reserved. Item# 13141

Tall, dense spikes composed of large, blue-purple, tubular flowers that emerge from chartreuse colored calyxes beginning and late summer and continuing into fall attracting hummingbirds, larger butterflies, and potentially some larger bees. Limelight Mexican Sage, a selection of Salvia mexicana, is a vigorous, large growing, clump-forming, herbaceous perennial adorned in large, deep green to bluish-green foliage that acts as a nice foil for the lighter colored flower spikes. Grows to about 6'H x 3-6'W by the end of the growing season. *In areas that experience hard freezes, like in zones 8 and 9, provide a breathable but insulative, preferably organic winter mulch. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in an average moist, well-drained, not overly fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 13580

Intense pure red, massive, dinner plate sized flowers are produced beginning in early summer and continuing until fall on this vigorous and free flowering perennial Hibiscus. Lord Baltimore is one of the first widely cultivated Hardy Hibiscus developed by Robert Darby in the 1950's and it is still popular to this day! Perennial Hibiscus produce the largest flowers of any perennial in the garden and the rich red of Lord Baltimore may even stop traffic, if accidentally. It is a vigorous upright to spreading perennial that easily fits into the back of the perennial border or as a specimen in moist sites. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Item# 11017

Deep glowing red, starry flowers with tubular throats are held on sturdy 24-36" high stems and flower over an extended period beginning in summer and often into fall under good conditions. An obviously hummingbird pollinated perennial but it aslo attracts some larger butterflies, especially Sulphurs. The Louisiana Catchfly, Silene subciliata, is a rare, drought resistant, clump forming, tap-rooted, native perennial that is found only in Western Louisiana and East Texas. It is typically seen growing on well-drained sandy loams to loamy sands and so areas with good to excellent drainage will be optimum. While the Louisiana Catchfly can tolerate the filtered shade of open Longleaf Pine forests, plants tend to be sturdier and shorter in full to mostly sunny sites. The rosettes are cloaked in rounded narrow, medium-green foliage and remain evergreen in zone 8B. This is one of the few Silenes that easily tolerates the heat and humidity of Southeastern summers. Easy and reliable once established. Item# 9522

Much like our old favorite the Butterfly Ginger but with much larger (like the size of a Luna Moth) white fragrant flowers that are borne from early summer to fall on shorter sturdier stems to 3-4'H and large lush tropical foliage. An excellent cut flower whose fragrance can fill a room. Multiplies readily but not uncontrollably. Item# 9775.

A sterile clump forming selection! Machu™ Morado Ruellia produces a summer long display of purple trumpet shaped flowers that attract bees and larger butterflies. This new introduction boasts a slightly more compact habit than the similar Purple Showers but with all the flower power, heat tolerance, and adaptability and with a sterile non-invasive clump forming habit. Machu™ Morado Ruellia or Mexican Petunia is an easy to grow heat and sunloving tropical well suited to container culture as well as in the garden and landscape. Adaptable to soil types but prefers a sunny site in a fertile moist to average moist soil. Item# 12072

Large clusters of 1" wide starry golden yellow flowers with anthers that age to a contrasting red may be produced throughout the year under warm tropical conditions. The flowers attract bees and butterflies and if pollinated they are followed by 3/4-1" wide helicopter-like samaras. Maiden's Jealousy, Tristellateia australasiae, is a naturally evergreen tropical twining woody climber with rich green foliage and purplish stems on the growth. It can be grown in the ground in areas with mild winters and can also be grown as a container plant where not hardy. Provide a full to mostly sunny site for optimum flowering. Maiden's Jealousy should be fairly tolerant of soil types as it is a component of Mangrove swamps and coastal forests in Tropical Asia, the Pacific Islands, and Australia. Item# 12026

Exceptionally fragrant with a strong spearmint aroma! Malcolm's Whiteleaf Mountainmint, a.k.a. Malcolm's Mint, was selected and introduced by its namesake Dr. Malcolm Vidrine for its strong minty fragrance in lieu of the typical, sometimes camphor-like, fragrance more common to this species. This is a clump forming native perennial with an upright to rounded growth habit reaching about 3' high by flowering. The dainty flowers are pollinated by a variety of smaller pollinators but are especially relished by bees. Easy to grow and deer and pest resistant. Whiteleaf Mountainmint is somewhat drought resistant once well-established. Clusters of tiny, light pink, tubular flowers are encircled by a mass of velvety white, bract-like leaves in mid to late summer. Item# 12627

Tall spikes of glowing red to purplish-red, 2-3" tubular blooms are born in summer above the foliage of this tough native perennial. A drought tolerant and hardy shrublet that freezes back to the ground to return in spring. The flowers are followed by dark colored bean pods that split open to display their brilliant red-orange beans that can remain on the plant all winter. Excellent for Hummingbirds. Caterpillar host: Holly Blue. Item# 9408.

Coming again for 2026! Large, 3-4" wide, bright white, funnel-shaped flowers with a starkly contrasting purple eye are produced in clusters as early as May or June and can continue into early fall attracting a variety of pollinators including bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and hummingbird moths. Man of the Earth, Ipomoea pandurata, is a native, twining, tuberous rooted, herbaceous, perennial morning glory with large, medium green, heart shaped foliage and can grow to 15-30' in length. It gets its common name from the fact that the massive sweet potato-like tubers can range from between 20-40 pounds or more. This species is found throughout most of the central and eastern US and into Canada. Locally we usually find this species in well-drained, often deep, sandy soils. Provide the Man of the Earth with a full to mostly sunny site in average moist, fertile soils for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 9731

Masses of primrose yellow, 1" long trumpets herald the coming of spring and have a strong Jasmine-like fragrance that is produced in early evening and at night suggesting that they are pollinated by hummingbird or sphinx moths as well as by native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. *It is not a suitable nectar plant for honeybees. Margarita Carolina Yellow Jessamine, with larger flowers, more flowers, and improved cold hardiness over the species surviving -25^oF at North Creek Nurseries in Landenberg, PA. This a native, twining, evergreen to semi-evergreen vine with glossy, dark green, narrow foliage that can climb up to 20' high but is just as happy on a 6' fence or other sturdy support. The species, Gelsemium sempervirens, is native to the southeastern US, but, Margarita was selected by Don Jacobs of Eco Gardens in Decatur, Georgia. Provide Carolina Yellow Jasmine with a full sun to mostly sunny site in an average to well-drained, fertile soil for optimum growth and to maximize flowering. Although, it is shade tolerant it doesn't flower as profusely. Tough and easy as well as drought, deer, and rabbit resistant. Its fragrance is enough to stop you in your tracks on an evening stroll! A Pennsylvania Horticulture Society Gold Medal Award Winner! Item# 9071

From large dense clusters of light green calyxes emerge large, velvety purple tubular flowers at the ends of tall sturdy stems beginning in late summer and continuing until frost or nearly throughout the year in mild winter climates. Margie Griffith is a large and vigorous growing Salvia with medium green foliage on a fairly full plant. Named and hybridized by Donna Dittman of LSU. Excellent for hummingbirds! Item# 11329

Bright sunny yellow ruffled petals surround the yellow rounded cones of this Helenium beginning in midsummer and continuing well into fall. The flowers attract smaller butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. Mariachi™ Sombrero Helenium is an easy to grow and pest resistant perennial that provides a riot of color on sturdy, compact, upright plants. Provide a full to mostly sunny location and average moisture. Image courtesy of Plants Nouveau, all rights reserved. Item# 12211

Intense dark magenta-red 6-8" wide heavily textured flowers have a compimentary deep red halo surrounding the burgundy eye with the summer to fall display held against a foil of purple and bronzed tinged young maple-like foliage that matures to deep green. Mars Madness Perennial or Hardy Hibiscus is a vigorous clump-forming perennial that develops into a full, well-branched plant with great flower power!  Like most other Walter's Gardens introductions, Mars Madness is an indeterminate plant producing flowers from the top to the bottom of the plants creating an amazing summer into fall display in the garden and landscape. Provide a full to mostly sunny location in moist to average moist to wet, moderately fertile soils. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12499