Flowers: Showy blue/purple spikes in spring to early fall. Bronze-green foliage.
Uses: Great ground cover. Flowers attractive to butterflies. Deer resistant. Beautiful planted in masses, will provide a blanket of blue flowers in spring. Good drainage soil is essential to avoid crown rot. Originally from Europe.
Alcea hybrid, Vietnamese Hollyhock
Zones: 10-12, annual
Light: Full sun
Size: 3-4’in height
Plant: 18-24” apart
Water: Drought tolerant once established
Flowers: Rose cherry pink. Blooms spring-fall.
Uses: Good background plant in mixed borders. Host plant for Painted lady butterfly and their larvae (black wooly caterpillar with tan markings). Nectar source for Zebra Swallowtail.
Alocasia, Elephant Ear;Alocasis macrorrhizos
Zones: 10-11, dies to ground in winter 8b but comes back in the spring
Size: Varies to type. 2’-10’H
Light: Sun to shade depending on variety
Soil: Well-drained potting mix or crumbly loamy soil. Prefers moist soil. Fertilize with liquid fertilizer in growing season.
Propagate: Cut off clump or rhizome division.
Leaves: Large heart shaped leaves.
Uses: Focal plant, textural interest.
Angelonia, Archangel Dark Purple, Summer Dragon; Angelonia augustifolia
Zones: Hardy to 40
Light: Prefers full sun
Size: 12-14”H-10-12”W
Water: Low, once established
Flowers: Large. Vibrant purple flowers. Blooms spring, summer and fall.
Uses: Attracts butterflies.
Asiatic Lilies; Lilium spp. (Asiatic types)
Zones: 3-8
Light: Full sun to partial sun. At least 6 hours of sunlight daily.
Size: 18”-4’ in height
Soil: Well drained, organic material added
Flowers: Trumpet shaped flowers in white, pink, orange, yellow and gold. Bloom in May to late summer.
Uses: Attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds.
Athena Sun Euryops; Euryops ‘Athena Sun’
Zones: 9
Light: Full sun
Size: 15-18” in height and 15-18”in width
Fertilization: Monthly
Flowers: Small yellow daisy-like flowers. Blooms spring, summer, and fall.
Uses: Attracts butterflies.
Basil; Ocimum basilicum
Zones: Annual 2-11, Perennial zone 10
Light: Full sun
Size: 12-24” in height
Plant: 18-24 “ apart
Uses: Herb, medicinal. Attracts butterflies. Host plant for larvae.
Bergamont, Bee Balm; Monarda didyma
Zones: 4-8, Perennial
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Size: 2-4’ in height and 9-12” in width
Water: Prefers moist soil
Flowers: Beautiful blooms of red, pink, purple or white. Very fragrant flowers. Cut back to 2 inches in fall. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage rebloom in late summer. Divide every 2-3 years.
Diseases: Powdery mildew can occur on foliage in hot, humid conditions. Reduce watering and make sure to space 18-24 inches apart so plant has good air flow.
Uses: medicinal herb used by American Indians, for digestive uses. Leaves can be used for tea or as insect repellant. Attracts butterflies, birds, hummingbirds, and bees.
Black-Eyed Susan; Rudbeckia herta
Zones: 3-9
Light: Prefers full sun, but can tolerate partial shae
Size: 12-14” in height
Flowers: Orange, red and yellow flowers that bloom summer to fall.
Uses: Nectar source that will lead a parade of butterflies and hummingbirds to your landscape. Very drought tolerant!
Blue Daze Evolvulus; Evolvulus mutallianus ‘Blue Daze’
Zones: All zones; not hardy as perennial lower than 32 degrees
Light: Full sun
Size: 8-10” in height and 18-24” in width
Water: Water twice per week
Flowers: Delicate, small ocean-blue flowers that bloom summer-fall. Attracts
Uses: Butterflies and hummingbirds. Great ground cover.
Bottlebrush; Callistemon spp.
Zones: 8b-11
Light: Full sun to part sun
Size: 6-30’ in height and 6-15’ in width
Flowers: Red brush shaped flowers spring through summer.
Uses: Attracts butterflies, birds, and beneficial insects. Medium to low wind resistance.
Cannas; Canna indica
Zones: 8-11
Light: Full sun
Size: 2-6 ’in height can spread rapidly as they grow from rhizomes
Fertilization: Start spring and fertilize monthly, stop 6 weeks before first frost
Flowers: Many colors available! Yellow, Apricot, Orange, Red, Coral, etc.
Uses: Attract Monarchs, Swallowtails. Only Host plant for Brown Skipper Butterfly larvae (yellow green with brown or red head)
Flowers: Trumpet shaped white, pink, or purple flowers in late fall.
Uses: Attracts hummingbirds and bees. Resistant to deer.
Peggy Martin Antique Rose, Rosa ‘Peggy Martin’
Zones: 4-9
Light: Full sun
Size: Climbing rose (semi thornless)
Flowers: Delicate, small pink fragrant blossoms.
Uses: Attractive to butterflies and bees. This rose survived being under hurricane salt water for 2 weeks. It is pest-free and would make a great addition to your garden!
PowWow Wild Berry Coneflower; Echinacea purpurea
Zones: 4-9
Light: Full sun to light shade
Size: 15-18” in height and 12-18” in width
Water: Low once established
Flowers: Rose-purple flowers that are long lasting. Bloom summer-fall.
Uses: Ideal for sunny borders, mixed container. Useful for cutting garden. Attracts butterflies, (Painted ladies, Swallowtails; Gulf Fritillaria, Monarchs), birds and hummingbirds. Resistant to deer, drought, heat, humidity and is poor soil tolerant.
Purple Passionflower; Passiflora incarnata
Zones: 6-11
Light: Bright to moderate light, not direct
Size: Herbaceous vine can grow 25 feet long
Flowers: Purple and white blooms June-October. Maypop fruit develops 2-3 months after it blooms. Invasive so prune in early spring. Consider planting in containers.
Uses: Host larvae (gold with black spikes caterpillar) plant for the Gulf and Variegated Fritillary. Nectar source for Gulf and Variegated Fritillary, Julia and Zebra (Heliconia) butterflies.
Rattlesnake Master; Erynium yuccifolium
Zones: Perennial Zone 8b
Light: Full sun
Size: 4-5’ in height and 2-3’ in width
Soil: Dry, sandy soil.
Water: Drought tolerant
Uses: Host plant for Black Swallowtails
Rose Milkweed; Asclepias incarnata (Swamp Milkweed)
Zones: Perennial 8b, dies back in winter, returns in spring
Light: Full sun to light shade
Size: 2-4’ in height
Water: Needs consistently wet soil. Do Not let it dry out.
Flowers: Rose/pink clusters, blooms spring-fall
Uses: Monarch host plant. Attractive to other butterflies and bees.
Rosemary; Salvia Rosmarinus
Zones: 8-11
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Size: 2-6’ in height and 2-5’ in width
Soil: Chalk, clay, sand, and loam
Flowers: Blue-purple flowers
Uses: Attracts honeybees, mason bees, bumblebees, and flower bees. Host plant for butterfly larvae.
Saw Palmetto; Serenoa repens
Zones: 8-10
Light: Full fun to shade
Size: 5-10’ in height and 4-10’ in width
Flowers: small whitish-yellow flowers on 3-foot spikes in spring attract bees. In fall it has yellow berries that the birds and mammals love.
Uses: Host plant for monk and palmetto skipper butterfly larvae. Extract from the yellow berries are considered by some to be an alternative treatment for prostate cancer. Be careful where you plant this plant as they are hard to remove.
Seaside Goldenrod; Solidago sempervirens
Zones: 3-9
Light: Full sun
Size: 2-8’ in height
Plant: 12-18” apart
Soil: Prefers moist, wet soil
Flowers: clusters of deep yellow flowers, leaves are somewhat succulent. Blooms August-October
Uses: Special value to native and honeybees. Attractive to butterflies, birds, and bees.
Shoal Creek Chaste Tree; Vitex agnus-castus ‘Shoal Creek’
Zones: 7b-11
Light: Full sun
Size: 15’ in height and 15’ in width
Water: Keep moist first year, water twice per week in the years following
Flowers: Orange/red clusters of small flowers. Blooms summer/fall.
Uses: Attracts Monarch and Queen butterflies. Food source for the Monarch larvae, which are white, green, and black with black horns.
Sunflower; Helianthus
Zones: All, annual (non-hardy below 32 degrees)
Light: Full sun
Size: 36-48” in height and 16-24” in width
Fertilization: Summer
Flowers: Large brown disks surrounded by yellow petals. Bloom in summer.
Uses: Good for Painted Lady butterflies to lay their eggs on due to large flat flowers.
Sunshine Mimosa, Powder Puff; Mimosa strigilosa
Zones: Perennial
Light: sun to partial shade
Size: Ground cover
Flowers: Small pink, blooms non-stop from spring to fall. Spreads quickly.
Water: Water to establish and then very drought tolerant
Uses: Attract butterflies. Very effective for erosion control.
Texas Star Hibiscus; Hibiscus coccineus
Zones: 8-11, vigorous perennial. Dies to ground in winter but returns in spring
Light: Full sun
Size: 4-6’ in height and 3-4’ in width
Flowers: Showy red or white star shaped flowers. Blooms spring through fall.
Uses: Good plant for back of landscape beds. Good focal plant. Attracts a parade of butterflies and hummingbirds to landscape.
Verbena; Verbena officinalis
Zones: 7-11
Light: Full sun
Size: 1’ in height and 2-5’ in width
Flowers: Clusters of blue/purple flowers that blooms spring and summer.
Uses: Attracts butterflies. Good for sunny borders.
Wild Black Cherry; Prunus serotine
Zones: 3-9
Light: Full sun to part shade
Size: 60-90’ in height
Water: Very drought tolerant once established
Flowers: Fragrant flowers. Fall leaves yellow and orange.
Uses: Butterflies, birds and wildlife devour this plant! Larvae host plant for Eastern Swallowtail, Red-spotted Purple and Coral hairstreak butterflies. Leaves can be poisonous to livestock if eaten in large amounts.
Wooly Paw-Paw; Asimina incana
Zones: 5-9
Light: full sun to heavy shade
Size: 2-5’ in height
Flowers: Outer white petals and inner cream-colored petals. Three inch oblong yellow green berries.
Uses: Host plant for the Zebra Swallowtail butterfly larvae (blue green with yellow stripes)
Zinnia; Zinnia elegans
Zones: 2-11, Native to North America and some of Central America
Light: Full sun
Size: 6-14” in height
Soil: Drought tolerant
Flowers: many colors. Low maintenance and heat tolerant.
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