Butterfly Nectar Sources

Dense 18-24" high spikes of large wine-purple, almost foxglove-like flowers with a striped white throat are produced beginning in late spring and can continue into fall if periodically deadheaded. The flowers attract bees, hummingbirds, and even butterflies. CHA CHA™ Purple Penstemon, a complex hybrid of native Penstemon species, is a clump forming perennial with glossy deep green narrow foliage selected for its denser flower spikes and more compact habit that lends it to use as a low maintenance container plant as well as in the garden and landscape. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in an average moist, well-drained, fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Photos courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc., www.terranovanurseries.com, all rights reserved. Item# 12857

Not just another yellow Lantana, Chapel Hill Yellow is a superior selection that has the habit of New Gold but with the cold hardiness of Miss Huff. It produces clusters of primrose yellow flowers from spring to frost on a low and spreading plant and like all Lantana the flowers attract loads of butterflies and other pollinators. It is sure to brighten up gardens throughout zone 7 and easily lends itself to use as a groundcover in the garden and landscape or spilling from large containers. Item# 10808.

A sport of the ever popular Miss Huff Lantana, Chapel Hill™ Pink Huff produces clusters of flowers that open primrose yellow and fade to a medium rosy pink with an orange eye on a slightly more compact plant but with the reliable hardiness of its parent. Lantana are excellent pollinator plants attracting a myriad of bees, butterflies, and numerous other garden beneficials are lured in by the promise of rich ample nectar. These are die-back perennials in zones 7,8, and 9 that return from the crown once soil temperatures begin to warm in spring. Not only are they excellent for pollinators, Lantana provide a continuous display of color from spring to frost. Provide a full to mostly sunny position and average or better drainage. An easy and low maintenance addition to the garden, landscape, and for larger containers. Expect Chapel Hill™ Pink Huff Lantana to have a mounding to bush-like habit. Item# 11626

Large 3" wide dark reddish-purple trumpet shaped flowers are borne throughout summer to year-round under warm tropical conditions adorn the vine-like stems of this tropical. Cherries Jubilee Allamanda, a selection of Allamanda blanchetii, is a naturally evergreen, scandent (a.k.a. vine-like) large arching to shrub to vine-like shrub that revels in the heat and sun of summer. The flowers may be visited by butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. It can be trained as an espalier, trellis, or even as a tree form and can be allowed to trail along fences and up arbors in freeze free climates. Cool winter temperatures and frosts may cause some leaf drop. Provide Cherries Jubiliee Alllamanda with a full to partly sunny site in an average moist but never soggy wet, well-drained, fertile soil for optimum vigor and continuous flowering. Where not hardy it is easily overwintered in a warm sunny window.  Item# 356

As sexy as Hot Lips but in an all new shade! The spikes of two-lipped tubular bright white flowers are tipped with a broad band of deep cherry red at the tips of the petals creating a stunning contrast. Flowers may be solid cherry red when the weather is cool and dreary but quickly revert to their two-toned splendor with a little sunshine. Cherry Lips Salvia begins flowering in late spring or early summer and continues into fall, all the while attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. A hybrid of the two native species S. greggii and S. microphylla, a.k.a S. x jamensis, this sunloving Sage develops into a naturally rounded, shrub-like perennial that may remain evergreen in mild winter climates, like zones 9B-10, but acts like a die-back perennial where temperatures fall much below about 30^oF. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in well-drained, average moist, fertile soils for maximum flower power. Item# 12471

Spikes of deep red, 1" long tubular flowers are produced throughout the growing season on this low growing, semi-spreading Salvia greggii hybrid making it an excellent addition near the front of the garden or landscape. Cherry Queen begins flowering earlier and over a longer period than its parents Salvia greggii and Salvia blepharophylla. Add Cherry Queen Salvia to the garden or enjoy it as a low maintenance container plant in any sunny location. Good drainage and ample sunlight are key and the hummingbirds will surely thank you. Item# 11401

Deep fiery red, 1" long tubular flowers tipped in white are produced throughout the growing season to year round under warm tropical conditions attracting hummingbirds and the occasional larger butterfly. Cherrybells Cigar Plant is a selection of Cuphea ignea with a compact habit and good resistance to leaf spotting, It is a naturally evergreen, herbaceous tropical whose full bushy yet somewhat compact habit lend it to use for sunny hanging baskets, window boxes, or add this neat little guy to mixed containers where it can mingle among and around the taller plants and will eventually spill over the edges to some extent. For optimum growth and vigor provide a full to mostly sunny site in a fertile, well-drained, average moist soil.  Images courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12880

2013 AAS Perennial of the Year! This award winning seed grown Purple Cone Flower produces 3-4" wide daisies in brilliant colors ranging from red, orange, yellow, pink, purple, and cream. Sturdy and winter hardy compact plants with excellent flower power. The Purple Coneflower is an excellent plant for pollinators with its nectar rich flowers. Provide ample sunlight and good drainage. Flowers the first year! Image courtesy of Kieft Seed. Item# 10525.

Graceful foot-long spikes of fuzzy bright fuchsia tubular flowers are produced from summer through fall and throughout winter under frost free conditions on a mannerly shade tolerant plant with deep green textured foliage. Chiapas Sage develops into a 3' high and wide plant and hails from the Cloud Forests of San Cristobal, Chiapas, Mexico and should do wonderfully in the humid central and eastern US. It is frost tender but is reported to withstand zone 7 winters if given a breathable protective winter mulch in a well-drained soil. In hot summer climates plan to give Chiapas Sage midday and afternoon shade and it can tolerate light shade and will be sure to brighten up these areas. The nectar rich flowers are a treat for hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators. Easy to overwinter as a container plant and floriferous enough to be enjoyed as an annual. Item# 11691 

Medium pink trumpets are produced from spring to fall atop the tall sturdy stems adorned with deep green narrow foliage. Chi-Chi Pink Ruellia or Mexican Petunia was selected and introduced by Scott Ogden the bulb guru of the South. This is neither a seedless nor a clump forming form and so it may spread by both means. It can be controlled somewhat by growing it as a container plant. The flowers attract bees, butterflies, and even the occassional hummingbird. Easy and reliable once established. Provide Chi-Chi Pink Ruellia with a moist to average moist fertile soil in a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and flowering. This plant will act like a die-back perennial returning from the crown in spring where winters experience freezing temperatures. Item# 12164

A small native tree or large thicket forming, suckering shrub which is covered with lightly fragrant white flowers in late winter or early spring before the leaves emerge and are followed by about 1" diameter or slightly larger red to yellow fruit. The Chickasaw Plum, Prunus angustifolia, is widely distributed throughout the south central and southeastern portion of the US and is typically found on well-draining sandy sites although it is considered to be fairly adaptable even in clay soils. Fruit quality varies from tree to tree with some fruits being tart to sweet while that on other trees may be bitter and typically ripens in early to midsummer. The dense growing canopy offers protection to nesting birds, the flowers attract a variety of pollinators especially bees, and the fruit can be eaten fresh or made into preserves or jelly. Provide this deciduous native with a full to mostly sunny site, with average or better drainage, and an average moist soil. Item# 1097

An excellent plant for attracting butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees, the Chinese Abelia produces clusters of fragrant white flowers from early summer to fall on an upright to rounded semi-evergreen shrub. An easy to grow, drought tolerant, and pest resistant, and reliable shrub. Item# 9680

The 6" long conical panicles are composed of numerous fragrant deep magenta colored flowers that attract pollinators of all shapes and sizes throughout summer and into fall. Chrysalis™ Cranberry Butterfly Bush is a deciduous to semi-evergreen petite shrub with medium green to gray-green foliage and a densely branching, compact habit that matures to about 2'H x 2-3'W. The Chrysalis™ Buddleja series were selected for their excellent flower power, a compact size but with good vigor - making them an easy choice for containers, as well as zone 5 root hardiness. The nectar rich flowers attract butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other garden beneficals. Provide a well-drained soil in a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and flowering. Images courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12838

Up to 6" wide, fragrant, slightly rounded, white flower clusters arch away from their structure on semi-lax stems showing off numerous small white flowers that attract bees and butterflies. The dark green glossy foliage creates a strong contrast to the brilliant white flowers. This native Climbing Hydrangea is typically found growing where soils are consistently moist in shaded to filtered shade conditions. It is a hardy deciduous woody vine that uses a multitude of rootlets along its stems to grab onto structures for support and may be used as a groundcover as well. Only mature vertical growing stems produce the new growth that creates the early to midsummer flowering stems. A west central Louisiana selection. Item# 12066

Considered by many to be the best of the Mountain Mints, Clustered Mountain Mint produces an abundance of tiny whitish tubular blooms touched with purple or lavender in tight clusters held above the attractive bluish white bracts. The bracts are probably more showy than the flowers but the flowers attract loads of pollinators including bees and small butterflies. The foliage is wonderfully fragrant and can be used in teas and cooking. This is a durable and slowly spreading native perennial that flowers throughout the summer months. Item# 10029.

The spikes of ball-shaped deep red-pink buds uncurl into deep rosy pink and cream flowers that may be produced throughout the year on mature plants and are sure to attract low-flying hummingbirds and some larger bees. Coastal Gem Grevillea is a very low growing nearly ground-hugging, evergreen, subtropical shrub that tops out at about 1' high and can reach 4-5' feet across at maturity. It makes an easy choice as an evergreen groundcover in tough situations where hardy or add it to rock and xeric gardens for a long-flowering specimen plant. Coastal Gem Grevillea is one of the few US hybrids and was developed at the University of California's Santa Cruz Arboretum and has proven to be cold hardy well into zone 8. It is tolerant of full sun to part sun conditions and needs little supplemental water once well-established in the garden and landscape. Grevilleas can be maintained as container plants where not hardy and the flowers make long-lasting cutflowers. Do not use phosphorous containing fertilizers, especially in soil-less potting mixes and soils low in Iron. Item# 12639

The 3" wide, cornflower-like daisies open white, slowly work their way through shades of lavender, and finally deepen to a violet blue creating a rainbow of cool-colored flowers even on the same flower stalk. Colorwheel Stokesia is just as tough and reliable as its brethren creating a mound of foliage on a durable and dense clump forming native perennial. Stokesia Daisy is one of those plant it and forget it perennials, once they become established in nearly any garden or landscape they require almost no additional care. Image courtesy of North Creek Nurseries. Item# 10928.

Small clusters of large 4-petaled sunny yellow flowers are lightly fragrant and open in the evening to attract pollinating moths and may last until about noon the following day when they attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Ripe seeds are utilized by songbirds. Common Evening Primrose is a tall growing tap-rooted native biennial species found throughout most of the lower 48 states and into Canada. It is common in disturbed areas, meadows and prairies. The first year it produces a rosette of foliage and the second year it shoots up to 3-6' high and begins flowering in summer and may continue into fall under good conditions. The Common Evening Primrose will readily reseed on exposed soils. It is a good addition to naturilized areas or add it to the Moon Moth Garden. Item# 11761

Huge rosettes of extremely soft fuzzy evergreen gray-green foliage subtends the tall spikes of yellow flowers in summer. Considered to be one of the very first plants introduced into the US and was used herbally by Native American Indians and settlers as well as in its homeland of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Item# 9950.

3-4" wide, yellow,  sunflower-like flowers are born on 4-8'H+ sturdy stems over an extended period in summer on this durable, native, clump-forming, tap-rooted perennial. The dark green, deeply dissected foliage of the Compass Plant was used as a compass as the large leaves generally point north and south. Attracts butterflies and other pollinators. Item# 10309.

The large creamy white flowers emerge from loose purple-black tinged spikes and calyxes from spring to fall attracting hummingbirds and other garden beneficials. Cool Cream Salvia, a selection or hybrid of the Little Leaf or Mountain Sage, Salvia microphylla, boasts excellent vigor and flower power with flowering beginning early and continuing reliably through summer and into fall. In areas where hard freezes do not occur, The Mountain Sages may develop a shrubby semi-woody base, while in zone 8 and colder, established plants act more like herbaceous perennials dying back to near ground level and returning in early spring. Enjoy these colorful pollinator attractors in the garden and landscape or as rewarding and forgiving container specimens. Provide full sun to partly shaded sites in well-drained, fertile soils for optimum vigor and flowering. Images courtesy of Jadelty Plant Propagation Nursery, all rights reserved. Item# 13146