Butterfly Nectar Sources

The Fragrant White Mistflower produces clusters of fragrant, white, nectar-rich flowers in fall just as the Monarch butterflies are migrating southward. The flowers attract a large variety of pollinators including bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, and other garden beneficials. This shrubby perennial native of the Edwards Plateau is a tough hombre that is moderately drought resistant and can develop into a somewhat woody shrub. Item# 11358

The bright yellow and green variegated foliage of this dwarf variegated Glossy Abelia is a standout in the garden, landscape, and even as a container plant where its sunny foliage contrasts nicely with surrounding perennials and shrubs. The new growth of Francis Mason Abelia emerges an orange to coppery color and matures to a sunny yellow to gold and green. Francis Mason is a naturally dwarf to semi-dwarf, semi-evergreen to deciduous, naturally rounded shrub selected for its boldly variegated foliage and its clusters of large white tinged pink, lightly fragrant, funnel shaped flowers that begin appearing in late spring or early summer and continue into fall on new growth. The nectar rich flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Provide a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and the brightest foliage color. Tough, pest and disease resistant, easy and reliable. Item# 12052

The red to pinkish-red and white tubular flowers emerge from between the spikes of chartreuse bracts from spring to fall to year-round under warm tropical conditiosn. The Fruit Cocktail Shrimp Plant, one the newest selections of Justicia brandegeeana, has a naturally more compact, better branching habit than the typical Red Shrimp Plant but in all other regards it is nearly identical. It is quite tolerant of light conditions ranging from full sun to light shade but may have the densest habit in sunnier conditions. The flowers attract hummingbirds, larger butterflies, and other pollinators. Use Shrimp Plants to add color in containers, as a specimen plant or in mixed container gardens, as well as in the garden and landscape. Provide an average to well-drained, moderately fertile, average moist soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 12724

The super cute, 1" long, hot fuchsia colored, nodding tubular flowers are tipped in starkly contrasting bright sunny yellow and are adorned with two tiny rounded purple to red-purple ears with matching filaments emerging from the tube that are tipped in yellow pollen. Funny Face Cuphea or Cigar Plant is a hybrid selection with a compact well-branched mounding habit and excellent spring to fall flower power all the while attracting hummingbirds, bees, and the occassional butterfly. Use this adorable heat and sunloving tropical in hanging baskets, window boxes and specimen containers, in mixed container gardens as a filler or spiller, or add it to the garden and landscape. Provide a full to partly shade location in an average moist, well-drained, fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Photos courtesy of PAC Elsner / Westhoff - www.pac-elsner.com / www.westflowers.de, all rights reserved. Item# 12460

Glowing intense red, 1" long two-lipped tubular flowers are borne along short spikes from summer to frost on this vigorous selection of the drought tolerant Autumn Sage. A 'must have' for the Hummingbird lover! Furman's Red Autumn Sage is an older selection that has proven to be one of the hardiest and most freely flowering of the compact red flowered Autumn Sages and has been deemed a reliable perennial well into zone 5B and 6. A 2005 Plant Select® Award winner. Provide a full to mostly sunny site with very good to excellent drainage for optimum health and flowering. Drought resistant once fully established, deer resistant and this tough little Salvia makes an easy and rewarding low water container specimen as well as a colorful addition to the garden and landscape. Item# 10518

Vigorous, repeat flowering, and reliably hardy to zone 6! Large rounded clusters, to 5" across, composed of deep blue trumpets are perched atop strong 3-4' sturdy stems on a tight clump forming plant with upright to arching narrow rich green foliage. Galaxy Blue Agapanthus has been successfully trialed for over 7 years in Zeeland, Michigan by the folks at Walter's Gardens with excellent reliability, vigor and cold hardiness.Flowering may begin in mid spring in zone 8 but will likely flower in summer where winters are coldest. Use Galaxy Blue Agapanthus anywhere you want to make a statement, including as a specimen container plants. The flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item#12735

Vigorous and reliably hardy to zone 6! Large rounded clusters, to 5" across, composed of pure white trumpets are perched atop strong 3-4' sturdy stems on a tight clump forming plant with upright to arching narrow rich green foliage. Galaxy White Agapanthus has been successfully trialed for over 7 years in Zeeland, Michigan by the folks at Walter's Gardens with excellent reliability, vigor and cold hardiness. Our plants are in bud at the time of this writing, 5-25-2020, but will likely flower in summer where winters are coldest. Use Galaxy White Agapanthus anywhere you want to make a statement and the flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item#12137

1 of only 5 Monardas to be selected as an RHS Award of Garden Merit winner, 1 of the top 10 in Mt. Cuba Center's 2014-2016 Monarda trials, and in the top 10 in trials at the Chicago Botanic Gardens in 1998! The extra large, 3-4" wide, clusters of 2" long, deep red tubular flowers are produced over an extended period beginning in late spring to midsummer, depending on your zone. Earlier in warmer climates and later in colder climates. Gardenview Scarlet Monarda or Beebalm, a hybrid selection of native US species, it is similar in many regards to Jacob Cline, still one of the most popular red cultivars, but has improved resistance to powdery mildew and a slightly more compact habit topping out at 3' high. This is a clump-forming, slowly spreading perennial  that enjoys ample sunlight in a moist but well-drained, fertile soil. Sure to be a hummingbird magnet! Item# 12818

Garlic Chives or Chinese Chives are similar to Society Garlic in foliage and durability but with a slightly lower growth habit and producing flat-topped clusters of white blooms from summer to fall. The nectar rich flowers are seemingly constantly abuzz with mainly smaller pollinators.The mildly garlic flavored foliage and flowers are widely utilized in Asian cuisine. Multiplies readily and may also reseed under good conditions. Provide a full to mostly sunny position in average to well-drained soils. Each pot contains multiple plants. Item# 3084

The 2-3" wide, rich pink daisies with a sweetly contrasting white eye are produced atop sturdy stems throughout the growing season above the low growing rosettes of deep green foliage. The Garvinea® Classic Femmy Gerber Daisy was developed to produce perennial Gerber Daisies specifically for the garden and landscape, as well as container culture, with excellent disease resistance under a variety of growing conditions and continuous flowering from spring to fall. The flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other garden beneficials and can also be used as long-lasting fresh cut flowers. Provide an average moist, fertile soil with sharp drainage for optimum vigor and continuous flowering. Item# 12556

The 2-1/2 to 3" wide, deep red daisies with a small green to yellow eye are produced atop sturdy stems throughout the growing season above the low growing rosettes of deep green foliage. The Garvinea® Sweet Love Gerber Daisy was developed to produce perennial Gerber Daisies specifically for the garden and landscape, as well as container culture, with excellent disease resistance under a variety of growing conditions and continuous flowering from spring to fall. The flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other garden beneficials and can also be used as long-lasting fresh cut flowers. Provide an average moist, fertile soil with sharp drainage for optimum vigor and continuous flowering. Item# 12557

One-sided, toothbrush-like, upward facing spikes of deep red hooked filaments spring erect from short purple to red-purple tubes from late winter to fall to potentially year-round. Guadi Chaudi Grevillea, a naturally occurring hybrid, is a very low growing, ground-hugging, naturally evergreen shrub with bronze and red-tinged oak-like foliage that can be readily used as a tough drought-resistant groundcover or allow it to spill over walls. Grevilleas need little supplemental water once well-established in the garden or landscape. Grevilleas may also be utilized as cut flowers. Do not use phosphorous containing fertilizers, especially in soil-less potting mixes and soils low in Iron. Item# 12641

Large ball-shaped clusters of pure white trumpet shaped flowers are produced in late spring and summer atop sturdy 2-3' high stalks attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Getty White Agapanthus, a seed grown strain of Agapanthus praecox ssp. orientalis, is one of the more reliably cold hardy Agapanthus cultivars that naturally goes dormant in fall. This is a clump forming perennial with rich green strap-like foliage that is sure to add a tropical flare to any sunny well-drained garden or landscape setting. Even though it is fairly cold tolerant, the plants will still benefit from a breathable mulch in any area that experiences freezing temperatures for extended periods. Agapanthus are somewhat drought resistant once well-established but generally prefer an average moist, fertile, well-drained soil in a full to mostly sunny site. Deer and rabbit resistant and moderately salt tolerant. Makes an easy and low maintenance container plant where not hardy. Item# 12768

The large 1-1/2" long tubular color-changing flowers are produced in spike-like clusters from the leaf axils and start out yellow and fade through orange into red tones and are held on 3-4'H sturdy stems. The flowers are produced during the spring, where plants are not frozen to the ground, and/or in fall just in time for migrating hummingbirds. The Giant Cigar Plant, Cuphea micropetala, is a herbaceous, slowly spreading, upright to branching perennial cloaked in dark green glossy foliage. Considered by many to be the most reliably cold hardy Cuphea species surviving into zone 7B if provided a breathable winter mulch. It typically spreads stoloniferously and via rhizomes but is not considered invasive or aggressive. As with basically all Cupheas, the Giant Cigar is heat and sunloving and will benefit from average moisture, in fertile soils with average or better drainage. Where not hardy it can easily be maintained as a medium to medium-large container plant. Item# 429

Large clusters of dense frilly purple flowers are borne from mid-summer to fall on this tall vigorous native perennial. An excellent choice for the back of the border where the butterflies and bees can enjoy it. Commonly found in moist clay soils but will do fine in average garden soils. Item# 9257.

Clusters of white to lilac, up to 1" wide, star-shaped, lightly fragrant flowers are produced nearly continuously throughout the warmer months of the year. The large velvety, white to gray green, large rounded tropical foliage of the Giant Milkweed make excellent fodder for Monarch caterpillars and one leaf can provide a substantial amount of food. A large growing shrub in tropical climates where it can be trained into a tree form, grown as a shrub, or hedge. The Giant Milkweed can easily be maintained as a large container plant. Item# 11038

A nearly continuous display of dark-eyed 3-4" wide dark golden yellow daisies are held above the rosettes of deep green foliage throughout summer attracting bees and a variety of other garden beneficials. Glitters Like Gold Black-Eyed Susan is a hybrid Rudbeckia boasting improved vigor, longer flowering, and resistance to leaf spot as compared to the longtime favorite Goldstrum. This easy sunloving clump-forming perennial grows to 30-36"H x 18"W and the ripened seedheads provide fodder for songbirds in fall and winter. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in average to well-drained soils with average moisture and fertility. Item# 12284

The clusters of purple to purplish-pink 3" wide trumpet shaped flowers with a nicely contrasting white ring surrounding the yellow throats that are lined with fine magenta lines that guide large bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to the nectar and pollen reward inside. The Glowvine, Bignonia magnifica, is a highly desireable, exceptionally free flowering, naturally evergreen tropical vine with unusual pairs of oval leaflets that are centered by its grasping tendrils. Once mature, these easy to grow vigorous vines can flower continuously throughout the year under warm tropical conditions. The Glowvine (a.k.a. Glow Vine) can be trained as a shrub and overwintered indoors with regular pruning or allow it to cover fences, trellises, and arbors in tropical regions. Item# 12033

You can grow this award winning Bluebeard for its foliage alone! The new bright yellow spring foliage retains its color throughout the growing season even in the hot and humid south. In late summer and fall, dense whorled clusters of deep violet-blue, nectar rich, tubular flowers are held above and among the wonderfully contrasting foliage. Gold Crest Bluebeard, a Caryopteris hybrid, was selected for its heat tolerant brilliant foliage, for its dense compact habit, and its pollinator attracting flowers. In zone 6 Bluebeard tends to act more like a clump forming die-back perennial and becomes more shrub-like where winters are milder, although, it benefits from a hard late winter or early spring pruning since it flowers on new growth. Somewhat drought resistant once well-established and prefers a sunny site in a well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Won Best Pollinator Friendly Perennial for the Southeast in 2019 at the UGA Trial Gardens and was rated above a 4.5 out 5 at both Penn State(2021) and Mississippi State(2020) trial gardens as 2nd year perennials! Images courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12506

Golden Alexanders ( zizea aurea) produces flat topped clusters of tiny yellow flowers atop tall 2-3' high stems in spring atop the rosette of glossy lobed foliage. This is a member of the carrot family, Apiaceae previously Umbelliferaceae, and is a host of the Black Swallowtail butterfly caterpillar. A native clump forming perennial, Golden Alexanders, Zizia aurea, is found throughout the central and eastern US. It is commonly found in moist woodlands, roadsides, meadows, and prairies. The flowers attract a variety of smaller pollinators including bees and butterflies. The ripened seed heads are utilized by songbirds. Item# 11774

3" wide golden yellow trumpet shaped flowers are held against a foil of glossy, deep green foliage are produced from spring to fall to potentially year-round on mature plants attracting butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. The Golden Butterfly Allamanda, a selection of Allamanda cathartica, is a compact form of this naturally evergreen, tropical, scandent shrub growing to 2-3' high and wide making it the perfect choice for a tropical specimen container plant and can also be enjoyed in hanging baskets and sunny window boxes. The key to success with Allandas is an average moist, fertile, well-draining soil, that should be allowed to become semi-dry between waterings, and a warm to hot, full sun to part sun site. Item# 12782

Purplish-blue, 4-6'' spikes are held above, and contrast nicely with, the bright golden to greenish yellow, anise scented foliage in summer. An upright growing clump forming perennial. This popular herb is considered one of the 50 fundamental Chinese herbs and is great for making jellies, potpourris, teas, soups, and more. An excellent plant for attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Item# 10450.

Dense clusters of golden yellow flowers sit atop sturdy 18-24" stems that emerge from the rosette of bluish to grayish green wide foliage with the nectar and pollen laden flowers attracting a myriad of pollinators in late summer and into fall. Golden Rockets Stiff Goldenrod, a compact growing selection of Solidago rigid subsp. humilis, is a naturally clump-forming Goldenrod with clean disease resistant gray-green foliage and enough manners for the garden and landscape or add it to naturalistic settings like prairies and meadows. This subspecies is found in most midwestern states and provides weeks of much needed color in late summer and fall. Somewhat drought resistant once fully established. Provide this tough native with a full to mostly sunny site in an average to semi-dry, well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 12320