Butterfly Nectar Sources

Large spikes of deep blue, tubular flowers are born in summer, late summer, and sometimes into fall on this clump forming native perennial wildflower. Under natural conditions Azure Blue Sage produces tall arching stems that terminate into large, often branching, spikes of flowers that are quite suited to use by Hummingbirds and butterflies. Great at the back of the garden or in natural settings. Item# 10460.

4-5" wide flowers with white petals and sepals are topped by a crown of white filaments with a light purple halo surrounding the central portion of these exotic looking flowers. Bahama Blue Passion Flower is a beautiful and vigorous free flowering selection of the Blue Crown Passion Flower, Passiflora caerulea, with all its hardiness and reliability. The nectar rich flowers are adored by larger bees and the foliage is a host to a variety of butterflies. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a moderately fertile, average moist, well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Click on "More Details and Growing Info" or the image to learn more about growing Passionvines as perennials in containers or in the garden and landscape. Item# 11222

This is the selection with the deepest red color, comes from seed collected in southern Baja California. It  flowers all summer and fall. It dies to the ground in winter, but faithfully returns from the ground each spring. An easy to grow and drought tolerant heirloom plant. A bee-keepers pollen favorite, we are told! Item # 9027.

An unusual conversation starting Milkweed that is eagerly consumed by caterpillars of Monarchs, Queens, and possibly Soldier butterflies. Balloon Milkweed is a vigorous heat and sun loving tropical African shrub that is grown as a dieback perennial except in areas with mild winter climates. It produces clusters of 1/2" wide cream to white star shaped flowers with a purplish 'eye' and the flowers attract butterflies along with a variety of other pollinators. Balloon Milkweed is adaptable to a wind range of soil types as long as they are well-drained and is moderately drought resistant once well established. Item# 10974.

The large flowers clusters open a a rich orangey yellow, darken to bright orange, and finally to a deep cherry pink with a red eye. Bandana® Cherry Sunrise Lantana makes a wonderful addition to the landscape or is compact enough to use in containers. The Bandana® series of Lantana are compact mounding plants growing to 18-24"H x 18-24"W with excellent flower power producing a heavy display of nectar rich flowers from spring until frost. The Bandana® Lantanas are a 2013 Louisiana Super Plant selection and have received high marks in trials across much of the US. Item# 11462

The large flowers clusters open a soft pastel yellow, briefly fade through purplish pink and golden yellow and finally mature to a soft pastel pink creating an overall peachy color. Bandana® Peach Lantana makes a wonderful addition to the landscape or is compact enough to use in containers. The Bandana® series of Lantana are compact mounding plants growing to 18-24"H x 18-24"W with excellent flower power producing a heavy display of nectar rich flowers from spring until frost. The Bandana® Lantanas are a 2013 Louisiana Super Plant selection and have received high marks in trials across much of the US. Item# 11154

Blanketed from spring to fall in clusters of flowers that open a creamy yellow and fade into shades of pastel pink reminiscent of the old Ham and Eggs. Bandana® Pink Lantana makes a wonderful addition to the landscape or is compact enough to use in containers. The Bandana® series of Lantana are compact mounding plants growing to 18-24"H x 18-24"W with excellent flower power producing a heavy display of nectar rich flowers from spring until frost. The Bandana® Lantanas are a 2013 Louisiana Super Plant selection and have received high marks in trials across much of the US. Item# 11459

Blanketed from spring to fall in clusters of flowers that open dark yellow, quickly fade through deep orange, and finally to deep red. Bandana® Red Lantana makes a wonderful addition to the landscape or is compact enough to use in containers. The Bandana® series of Lantana are compact mounding plants growing to 18-24"H x 18-24"W with excellent flower power producing a heavy display of nectar rich flowers from spring until frost. The Bandana® Lantanas are a 2013 Louisiana Super Plant selection and have received high marks in trials across much of the US. Item# 10817.

Blanketed from spring to fall in clusters of flowers that open a sunny yellow and fade into a dark rosey pink. Bandana® Rose Lantana makes a wonderful addition to the landscape or is compact enough to use in containers. The Bandana® series of Lantana are compact mounding plants growing to 18-24"H x 18-24"W with excellent flower power producing a heavy display of nectar rich flowers from spring until frost. The Bandana® Lantanas are a 2013 Louisiana Super Plant selection and have received high marks in trials across much of the US. Item# 10937.

The flowers of Bandana® White Lantana open white with a golden yellow throat that fades to pure white once the flowers have been pollinated. Sure to brighten up the landscape and yet compact enough to use in containers. The Bandana® series of Lantana are compact mounding plants growing to 18-24"H x 18-24"W with excellent flower power producing a heavy display of nectar rich flowers from spring until frost. The Bandana® Lantanas are a 2013 Louisiana Super Plant selection and have received high marks in trials across much of the US. Item# 10818.

The flowers of Bandana® White Lantana open white with a golden yellow throat that fades to pure white once the flowers have been pollinated. Sure to brighten up the landscape and yet compact enough to use in containers. The Bandana® series of Lantana are compact mounding plants growing to 18-24"H x 18-24"W with excellent flower power producing a heavy display of nectar rich flowers from spring until frost. The Bandana® Lantanas are a 2013 Louisiana Super Plant selection and have received high marks in trials across much of the US. Item# 11406

A succession of red tubular blooms that end in a purple bat-like 'face' are topped by a pair of glowing red 'ears' creating the interesting 'bat face' look. Batface Cuphea, or Georgia Scarlet Batface Cuphea, is a tough and reliable low mounding perennial which blooms from late spring to frost. Provide a well-drained soil with full to mostly sun for the best results. An excellent choice for hummingbirds, mixed containers, hanging baskets, and in mass plantings. Item# 1220

Round clusters of lavender to white tubular flowers are born in summer on this durable native perennial. Wild Bergamot is a clump forming native perennial with good deer resistance. Excellent for hummingbirds and butterflies. This tough little native is drought tolerant and prefers to be on the dry side of moist and is resistant to drought once well-established. The fragrant foliage has been used in teas, perfumes, potpourri, and more. Item# 10484.

Spikes of fuzzy, glowing red tubular blooms are borne from summer to frost attracting hummingbirds for the duration of the flowering period. Where protected from frosts and freezes Belize Sage can flower continuously throughout the year. Smooth glossy green foliage and a compact habit set this Salvia apart as well as its preference for partial shade conditions. An excellent choice for containers or in the ground anywhere it is hardy, or it is vigorous enough to grow as an annual in cooler climates. Item# 10118

Belle Starr Gold Lantana produces a endless display of deep golden yellow, nectar rich, rounded flower clusters on a vigorous mounding to trailing plant with deep dark green glossy foliage acting as a backdrop. A 2015 LSU Agcenter Plant with Potential, this hardy Lantana attracts loads of butterflies, bees, smaller pollinators, and other garden beneficials and flowers from spring to frost. Use Belle Starr Gold Lantana as filler/spiller for medium to large containers or as a groundcovering perennial in the garden or landscape. It was named for the famous outlaw queen associated with James - Younger gang. Item# 11146

The spike-like clusters (racemes) of tiny fragrant white flowers of Berlandier's Fiddlewood attract a whole host of pollinators including butterflies large and small, bees, and many other beneficials. Pollinated flowers are followed by long clusters of attractive orange berries that mature to black and are utilized by a variety of birds and mammals. This is an adaptable South Texas native that develops into a medium to large deciduous shrub to small tree. Item# 11368

White tubular blooms emerge from tall, velvety, purple calyxes on dense flower spikes from late summer to fall. This is considered to be the normal color form for the species. Soft velvety medium to gray-green foliage. Mexican Sage bush is a drought tolerant, sun and heat loving reliable clump forming perennial that is considered deer proof. Item# 10284.

Lavender flowers emerge from dense, dark purple to near black bottlebrush-like spikes beginning in summer and continuing until fall. Black Adder Agastache is a vigorous sterile hybrid with fragrant licorice scented foliage and so it continues to flower throughout the growing season. Easy to grow and the flowers attract loads of pollinators especially bees. Item# 10807.

Showy deep violet-purple, fragrant spikes, to 8" long, are held at the ends of the arching, woody stems. Black Knight Butterfly Bush is an exceptionally free-flowering shrub, producing the intensely deep purple, fragrant flowers  from spring until fall. An excellent choice for butterfly gardens as well as providing nectar for a host of other pollinators including hummingbirds. Black Knight, an RHS Award of Garden Merit winner, is still one of the most strikingly colored and popular of all Buddlejas grown today. Item# 322.

The dark purple to deep burgundy foliage nearly black foliage of this sturdy perennial is topped by spikes of sweetly contrasting purple to lilac flowers in mid to late spring. Flowers attract native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Blackbeard Penstemon or Beardtongue is hybrid selection of our native species (Penstemon species are found native only in North America) whose intensely colored foliage is sure to provide wonderful contrast with surrounding perennials in the garden and landscape or use it as a specimen in containers. Provide a full to mostly sunny location for the darkest foliage coloration and a well-drained, average moist soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Blackbeard Penstemon was selected not only for its foliage color but also for its compact habit and flower power. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 11904

One of the hottest new native grasses on the market! Blackhawks Big Bluestem starts off in spring as a deep green clump of upright to arching blades that may be tipped with red to purple. It is in late summer when the real show begins with the upright and arching foliage and flowering stems of August deepen to red to red-purple and further deepening and intensifying as the cooler fall weather arrives becoming nearly all black as its sturdy and showy flowering stems begin to mature. Blackhawks Big Bluestem is a slightly more compact plant reaching about 4-5' high when in flower. The species is native throughout much of the eastern 2/3's of the US and is a clumping to slowly spreading rhizomatous grass whose seeds are utilized by a number of seed eating birds. Provide a full to mostly sunny site with an average to well-drained, acidic soil for the deepest foliage colors and optimum vigor. Plants are in their best form when grown in a low fertility soil. Overly fertile soils can cause them to topple at maturity. Images courtesy of Brent Horvath, Intrinsic Perennials, all rights reserved. Item# 12169

The Bloomify™ Lantana series are the first certified sterile Lantana on the market. Bloomify™ Rose Lantana produces rounded clusters of flowers that open a soft yellow and fade through an orangey pink to deep fuchsia. These are compact and free flowering plants with a naturally rounded habit. Since they don't have to spend energy on ripening fruit they can spend much more time flowering. The compact habit of the Bloomify™ Rose Lantanas make them an easy choice for containers or in the garden and landscape. Attracts butterflies and other pollinators. Item# 11412

This award winning Agastache produces tall spikes of deep purplish blue tubular flowers held on sturdy stems atop rich deep green fragrant foliage. The flower show lasts for an exceptionally long period and begins in early summer with butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds all showing up for the feast. A drought resistant perennial preferring well drained mostly sunny sites, Blue Boa Agastache requires minimal care and provides big rewards. Photo courtesy of TERRA NOVA® Nurseries, Inc. www.terranovanurseries.com. Item# 10918.