Butterfly Nectar Sources

The summerlong display of large, 7" wide, ruffled and textured, white flowers are lightly edged in rose pink set against a backdrop of rich green foliage all on a heavy flowering well-branched plant. SUMMERIFIC® Ballet Slippers Perennial or Hardy Hibiscus is a vigorous clump-forming perennial that develops into a full, but compact well-branched plant with exceptional flower power. Like most other Walter's Gardens introductions, SUMMERIFIC® Ballet Slippers 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# 12842

Huge 8" wide purplish-pink flowers are held against a backdrop of deep dark green foliage throughout summer. Summerific® Berry Awesome Perennial Hibiscus is a compact well-branched large clump forming perennial with a naturally rounded habit. The SUMMERIFIC® Hibiscus are indeterminate types meaning that they flower all up and down the stems instead of just on the upper half of the plants creating a knockout display in the garden and landscape. Provide a full to mostly sunny location in moist to average moist to wet, moderately fertile soils. Summerific® Berry Awesome Perennial Hibiscus was a 2019 Proven Winners Perennial of the Year. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12057

The large bright bubblegum pink 8" wide, wind resistant flowers sport a contrasting dark burgundy eye and are held against a foil of dark green foliage providing a summerlong parade of flowers. SUMMERIFIC® Candy Crush Perennial or Hardy Hibiscus is a densely branching, perennial that develops into a full, well-branched upright to rounded plant. Walter's Gardens describes it as follows: "If you love 'Cranberry Crush', try 'Candy Crush'! This hardy Hibiscus shares all the great traits that made 'Cranberry Crush' popular: upright, columnar habit, fantastic garden presence, and excellent flower coverage".  Like most other Walter's Gardens introductions, SUMMERIFIC® Candy Crush is an indeterminate plant producing flowers from the top to the bottom of the plants creating a knockout 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# 12493

The 8-9" wide white flowers are blushed with cherry pink and are accented by contrasting dark cherry red and pink veining originating from the contrasting dark burgundy eye and running to the edges of the full overlapping petals. The large light colored flowers standout like spotlights against a wonderfully contrasting foil of purple to purplish-green foliage. SUMMERIFIC® Cherry Choco Latte Perennial or Hardy Hibiscus is a densely branching, clump-forming perennial that develops into a full, but compact well-branched plant with exceptional flower power. Like most other Walter's Gardens introductions, SUMMERIFIC® Cherry Choco Latte is an indeterminate plant producing flowers from the top to the bottom of the plants creating a traffic stopping display in the garden and landscape. Use caution when planting near roadways as vehicles may come to a sudden and unexpected stop. 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# 12495

The large rich scarlet red 8" wide, slightly cupped flowers are held against a foil of dark green foliage with purple overtones providing a summer into fall parade of flowers. SUMMERIFIC® Cranberry Crush Perennial or Hardy Hibiscus is a densely branching, perennial that develops into a full, but compact well-branched plant with exceptional flower power.  Like most other Walter's Gardens introductions, SUMMERIFIC® Cranberry Crush is an indeterminate plant producing flowers from the top to the bottom of the plants creating a traffic stopping display in the garden and landscape. Warning, hummingibirds may leave your neighbors gardens and use caution when planting near roadways as vehicles may come to an unexpected stop. 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# 12494

The exceptionally dark, near black foliage acts as the perfect foil to compliment the summerlong display of bright bubblegum pink, 7-8" wide flowers that are accented by dark pink to red veining all on a neatly compact rounded plant. SUMMERIFIC® Edge of Night Perennial Hibiscus tops out at just 36-40" high and is considered one of the most compact Hibiscus on the market today as well as boasting some of the darkest, practically black, foliage to date. The SUMMERIFIC® Hibiscus are indeterminate types meaning that they flower all up and down the stems instead of just on the upper half of the plants creating a knockout 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# 13101

The summerlong display of 8" wide intense deep magenta pink, crinkly flowers are centered by a deep burgundy eye and are held against a foil of near black foliage. SUMMERIFIC® Evening Rose Perennial or Hardy Hibiscus is a densely branching, clump-forming perennial that develops into a full, but compact well-branched plant with exceptional flower power. Like most other Walter's Gardens introductions, SUMMERIFIC® Evening Rose is an indeterminate plant producing flowers from the top to the bottom of the plants creating a traffic stopping display in the garden and landscape. The dark foliage and hot pink flowers are sure to make a statement in the garden and landscape. From Walter's Gardens: "we are proud to introduce 'Evening Rose' as an excellent combination of hot pink flowers and near black foliage. 8" puckered flowers cover the round, dense habit top to bottom. Compared to 'Berry Awesome', the foliage is much darker and the flower color is more magenta than lavender. A must have statement piece for your garden!" 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# 12496

Creamy yellow buds open to 8" wide french vanilla colored ruffled flowers with a dark red-burgundy eye that absolutely shine against the backdrop of deep dark green foliage throughout summer. SUMMERIFIC® French Vanilla Perennial Hibiscus is a compact well-branched large clump forming perennial with a naturally rounded habit. The Summerific® Hibiscus are indeterminate types meaning that they flower all up and down the stems instead of just on the upper half of the plants creating a knockout 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# 12058

2022 Missouri Botanic Garden Plants of Merit selection! The pinnacle of Hardy Hibiscus breeding in traffic stopping form! The summerlong display of huge 8-9" wide, textured, dark red flowers are set against a foil of deep dark maroonish-purple near black foliage all on a heavy flowering well-branched plant. SUMMERIFIC® Holy Grail Perennial or Hardy Hibiscus is a vigorous clump-forming perennial that develops into a full, but compact well-branched plant with exceptional flower power. Like most other Walter's Gardens introductions, SUMMERIFIC® Holy Grail 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# 12498

The newest color in the SUMMERIFIC® series! The summerlong display of large, 7-8" wide, ruffled and textured, lilac colored flowers with good substance are set against a backdrop of rich green, maple-like foliage all on a heavy flowering well-branched plant. Flowers may be deepest purple under cooler conditions. SUMMERIFIC® Lilac Crush Perennial or Hardy Hibiscus is a vigorous clump-forming perennial that develops into a full, rounded, slightly more upright growing, well-branched plant with exceptional flower power. Like most other Walter's Gardens introductions, SUMMERIFIC® Lilac Crush 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# 12844

The large 7-8" wide white to light pink flowers are centered by a deep red eye that radiates outward along the veins of the petals and the light colored petals darken slightly at the outer edges and are a standout against the darkly contrasting deep maroon foliage. SUMMERIFIC® Perfect Storm Perennial Hibiscus flowers throughout summer and is an indeterminate type meaning that they flower all up and down the stems instead of just on the upper half of the plants creating a knockout display in the garden and landscape. It matures to about 3' high and spreads out to 4-5' wide at maturity. Provide a full to mostly sunny location in moist to average moist to wet, moderately fertile soils. Catepillar host: Gray hairstreak. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12192

The large 8" wide, ruffled and textured, white flowers are heavily overlaid with sweetly contrasting deep rosy pink and a large dark burgundy eye simply that simply shine against the foil of deep green foliage. SUMMERIFIC® Spinderella Perennial or Hardy Hibiscus is a vigorous clump-forming perennial that develops into a full, rounded, compact growing, well-branched plant with exceptional flower power. Like most other Walter's Gardens introductions, SUMMERIFIC® Spinderella 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# 12845

It's sure to be love at first sight! The large 8" wide, ruffled and textured, traffic-stopping bright red flowers with a purplish eye are set against a backdrop of deep green, dark bronze-tinged foliage. SUMMERIFIC® Valentine's Crush Perennial or Hardy Hibiscus is a vigorous clump-forming perennial that develops into a full, rounded, initially upright growing, well-branched plant with exceptional flower power. Like most other Walter's Gardens introductions, SUMMERIFIC® Valentine's Crush 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# 12848

A flower power machine! SUNNY DAYS™ Lemon Coneflower produces wave after wave of large, dark lemon yellow, fragrant, upward facing flowers with frilly, nectar rich cones from summer into fall. This is a hardy clump forming perennial that will do best in fertile, well-drained, average moist soils in a full to mostly sunny site. The flower power and bright color lends this nativar to use as a container plant as well as in the garden and landscape. Leave seedheads for fall and winter songbirds to enjoy. Photos courtesy of TERRA NOVA® Nurseries, Inc. www.terranovanurseries.com, all rights reserved. Item# 13081

SUNNY DAYS™ Ruby Coneflower produces wave after wave of large, claret ruby red, fragrant, upward facing flowers with frilly, nectar rich cones from summer into fall. The double, anemone-like flowers hold their dark coloration with little fading and attract a variety of pollinators and garden beneficials. This is a hardy clump forming perennial that will do best in fertile, well-drained, average moist soils in a full to mostly sunny site. The flower power and bright color lends this nativar to use as a container plant as well as in the garden and landscape. Leave seedheads for fall and winter songbirds to enjoy. Photos courtesy of TERRA NOVA® Nurseries, Inc. www.terranovanurseries.com, all rights reserved. Item# 13082

This vigorous native produces masses of black-eyed golden yellow daisies from mid-summer to fall on tall sturdy stems. A vigorous clump forming perennial common to stream banks and moist areas but will do fine in average garden soils. The sweetly scented foliage gives it its common name. A good choice for the back of the border. Item# 9261.

Wonderfully fragrant of licorice or anise when bruised or dried, Sweet Goldenrod produces medium to large pyramidal clusters of golden yellow flowers in summer that are excellent for attracting pollinators and other beneficials. The flowers and foliage, fresh or dried, is often used to make a very nice herbal tea, as a mild spice in cooking, and could certainly be used in potpourris as well (Bonnie fell in love with the fragrance of the dried seed heads!). Another of the garden friendly clump forming Goldenrods, Sweet Goldenrod makes a nice addition to the garden, as well as in natural areas and along roadsides. Item# 10684.

Royal purple, 1/2" blooms that are edged in white lace, are born in drooping clusters from spring or early summer until frost and attract butterflies and bees. The nectar rich flowers are followed by grape-like clusters of 1/2" golden berries giving it the name of 'Golden Dewdrop'. Sweet Memories Purple Sky Flower is naturally a large multi-stemmed tropical shrub and can be trained into tree standards or use it as a hedge or screen in mild winter climates. In mild winters in zones 8B and 9, well-established plants may act as a die-back perennials or they can easily be overwintered as a container plants. Item# 579

Like a flashing neon sign that says "Eat at Joes!", a ring of large crepe-like watermelon pink petals, accented with purple bee guides, flare around the ends of the tubular flowers like a flamenco dress guiding in hummingbirds for a rich nectar reward. Sweet Talk™ Deep Pink Cuphea are compact well-branching plants that revel in the heat and sun of summer flowering from spring to fall. Use these heat and sun-loving tropicals in mixed containers, as specimens in pots or hanging baskets, or add them to the front of a sunny border or landscape. The Sweet Talk™ Cupheas will grow and flower best in a well-draining, fertile soil with average moisture. Images courtesy of PanAmerican Seed, all rights reserved. Item# 13315

Like a flashing neon sign that says "Eat at Joes!", a ring of large crepe-like deep reddish purple petals broadly edged in starkly contrasting white, flare around the ends of the tubular flowers like a flamenco dress guiding in hummingbirds for a rich nectar reward. Sweet Talk™ Lavender Splash Cuphea are compact well-branching plants that revel in the heat and sun of summer flowering from spring to fall. Use these heat and sun-loving tropicals in mixed containers, as specimens in pots or hanging baskets, or add them to the front of a sunny border or landscape. The Sweet Talk™ Cupheas will grow and flower best in a well-draining, fertile soil with average moisture. Images courtesy of PanAmerican Seed, all rights reserved. Item# 13316

Like a flashing neon sign that says "Eat at Joes!", a ring of large crepe-like intensely red petals, accented with purple bee guides, flare around the ends of the tubular flowers like a flamenco dress guiding in hummingbirds for a rich nectar reward. Sweet Talk™ Red Cuphea are compact well-branching plants that revel in the heat and sun of summer flowering from spring to fall. Use these heat and sun-loving tropicals in mixed containers, as specimens in pots or hanging baskets, or add them to the front of a sunny border or landscape. The Sweet Talk™ Cupheas will grow and flower best in a well-draining, fertile soil with average moisture. Images courtesy of PanAmerican Seed, all rights reserved. Item# 13314

Large dark purplish pink rays surround the green and copper tinged cone of nectar rich disk flowers in summer and interestingly the flowers always face eastward. The Tennessee Purple Coneflower is a rare species of Echinacea known only from a small area in central Tennessee around the Nashville area and was one of the very first plants to be added to the Endangered Species list but now the populations are stable enough that it has been unlisted and is a model success story for endangered plant species. A taprooted drought resistant native perennial, provide the Tennessee Purple Coneflower with a well-drained soil in a full to mostly sunny site in the garden and landscape. The flowers attract a menagerie of pollinators, especially butterflies, bees, as well as hummingbirds and other garden beneficials. Item# 11727

An exceptionally rare species found only in 4 Texas counties, Texan Trailing Phlox is a low growing groundhugging perennial that produces clusters of deep fuchsia pink Thrift-like flowers held above the low trailing stems that are densely covered in short needle-like deep green foliage. The flowers attract butterflies large and small alike. This evergreen native perennial needs excellent drainage and is typically found growing on sandy pimple mounds. It can be used as a groundcover in the garden and landscape where soils have excellent drainage. Texan Trailing Phlox, Phlox nivalis ssp. texensis, also makes an easy and forgiving container plant with stems that can trail to 12" or more. In containers use a cactus-like mix and preferrably unglazed terra cotta containers. Item# 11966