Monarch Butterflies especially like the following plants and flowers:
- Spider Milkweed (Asclepias viridis) - Butterflies lay their eggs on Milkweed and caterpillars eat only milkweed. Monarch butterflies need Milkweed to survive, but people treat it as a weed.
- Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
- Siberian Wallflower (Erysimum x marshallii)
- May Night Salvia (Salvia x superba 'Mainacht')
- Native flowering plants
Some tips:
- Plant flowers that bloom at different times throughout the spring and summer so there will be continuous blooms.
- Do not use insecticides
- Provide places, like flat stones, for the butterflies to rest in the sun.
- Provide a space for "puddling" and provide drinking water.
For more information visit:
http://www.nwf.org/How-to-Help/Garden-for-Wildlife/Gardening-Tips/How-to-Attract-Butterflies-to-Your-Garden.aspx
http://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National-Wildlife/Gardening/Archives/2010/Cater-to-Caterpillars-to-Help-Butterflies.aspx
