Butterfly Identification 9

The Silver Spotted Skipper

Nectar Plant:

Joe Pye Weed is loved by many butterflies. It is a tall perennial, but new shorter hybrids can be found. It likes a moist soil, so plant it by your mudpuddle or by the downspout.

Host Plant:

Wisteria is the host plant for the skipper, a very common butterfly. Be careful of placement of this vine as it can be extremely aggressive. There are reblooming wisterias now.

Butterfly Identification 8

The Painted Lady Butterfly

Nectar Plant:

Aster, a perennial fall flower is a butterfly magnet. Painted Ladies also enjoy butterfly bushes.

Host Plant:

The tall hollyhock is the host plant for Painted Lady butterflies. These plants are short lived perennials. Many consider them bianuals because the only bloom their second year.

If grown next to a wall, foundation or fence, hollyhocks can reach 7 feet. Their flowers can be found in a wide range of colors and in single or double blossom form.

Butterfly Identification 7

The Red Admiral Butterfly

Nectar Plant:

Anise Hyssop is a wonderful tall perennial with blue spiked flowers. Growing to 3 feet, this plant rarely needs to be deadheaded. The leaves are fragrant.

Host Plant:

OK beer lovers, this is a hops vine and the host plant for the red admiral. Hops has wonderful fall color. It can take some shade, but will not bloom well unless grown in full sun.

Butterfly Identification 6

The Fritillary

Host Plant:

Wild violet are only inches tall and bloom in spring.

Nectar Plant:

Fritillary butterflies love coneflowers. So do finches. There are new colors available now. Orange, red, yellow, white, even green...

Coneflowers are native prairie flowers that love dry, well drained soil. They are very drought tolerant. They grow to aprox. 3 feet tall and will rebloom all season long if deadheaded.

Butterfly Identification 5

The Cloudless Sulphur

Host Plant:

This plant is tropical.

Nectar Plant:

Beebalm is a long blooming perennial that not only attracts butterflies, but humming birds...especially the red flowers. It grows to about 2 feet and can take a moist foot. If your beebalm begins to thin out and look tired after a season or two, divide it. It gets lazy from time to time and division wakes it up.

Butterfly Identification 4

The Sleepy Orange Butterfly

Nectar Plant:

Coriopsis and other daisies. Coriopsis 'Moonbeam' is a dainty small (to 12 inched) perennial with

lemon yellow flowers. It has a very long bloom time if deadheaded.

Host Plant: Cassia.

This plant is tropical.

Butterfly Identification 3

The Cabbage White Butterfly

The cabbage white is the most common butterfly. Cursed by veggie growers everywhere, the cabbage white lays its eggs on plants from the cabbage family. They can strip a whole crop.

Still, it's a pretty little butterfly.

Host Plant: Any plant from the cabbage family.

Nectar Plant:

Catmint or nepeta (this is NOT catnip) is covered all summer long with butterflies. Nepeta, Walker's Low especially, is a low mounding perennial that grows to about 10 inches tall. It has a very long bloom time and usually needs deadheading (removal of spent blossoms for rebloom) only once a season.

It looks great with Knock out Roses.