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3 8

I'm beginning to clean out my butterfly garden today. I have common milkweed. I also grow marigolds to attract butterflies & to deter pests. Does anyone else else grow specific flowers to attract butterflies? There's a great list of flowers & flowering shrubs that attract butterflies & caterpillars. Check out [gardeners.com]. Have & great day!

MermaidSuzy888 6 Apr 29
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0

Level 7

I find zinnias are about the easiest flowers to grow from seed and the butterflies love them. I also have some native Florida plants, Russian Sage, porterweed, mistflowers and more. natives & typical garden flowers.

TerriCity Level 7 May 8, 2018
2

Level 8

I grow Golden Alexander here in the Midwest for Black Swallowtails. Not only do they taste bad to deer and rabbits, (unlike fennel and dill) but the toxin makes the caterpillars taste bad to birds as well. Another plus is that it's native and perrenial
Also, I grow Antennaria, or Pussytoes, for American Lady Butterflies.
Nettles for Red Admirals, and Swamp Milkweed for Monarchs..
Known to have better manners in a garden than Common Milkweed and well received by Monarch larvae.

Leafhead Level 8 Apr 30, 2018
2

Level 7

I grow a few butterfly bushes, St. John's Wort, and let some native flowers grow. I try to keep an eye on what plants the butterflies and bees like, so I can grow more of them.

Careful to check which region you're in before planting Buddhlea. It is banned in a lot of states because of its invasive habits into surrounding native habitats.
I treat it as one big annual here. I may get a season or two.

@Leafhead noted. I always check for that kind of thing. I have been fighting the invasive honeysuckle in Indian and Ohio for years. It grows fast than I can destroy it!

@CraeftSmith
Yeah, Honeysuckle is a thing here, and Buckthorn. Garlic Mustard is worse yet.
For bugs we get Japanese Beetles, the terror of any garden!

@Leafhead Japanese beetles are the worst. I am still trying to figure out a diy trap for them. I know you can buy them, but that's not how I work lol

@TheAstroChuck I can't for certain say this won't be effective, but usually it takes something tough, like diatomaceous earth, to cut the caraprice of beetles.

@TheAstroChuck
What a nifty idea! I'll have to try that. My BFF grows Evening Primrose as a trap, though I consider it to be the ugliest plant around.

@TheAstroChuck
Noted. I figured what would kill the goose would kill the gander
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