Table 4. Butterfly and moth garden plants.

This table is based on a listing of plants rated excellent by Carrol L. Henderson in Landscaping for Wildlife, available through Minnesota’s Bookstore at the Minnesota Department of Natual Resources (612-297-3000 or 1-800-652-9747; ask for Minnesota’s Bookstore). Used with permission.

Key: Sun: F=full, FP=full to partial, PS=partial to shade, A=all light conditions; Comments: Hardy in MN zones 3-4, except where noted; Cat=caterpillars; AB=adult butterflies; AM=adult moths.

*Scientific name*	*Common name*	*Height*	*Sun*	*Comments*	*Cat*	AB	AM
Annuals
Anethum graveolens	dill	3'	F		X
Calendula officinalis	calendula, pot marigold	1'	FP			X
Heliotropium arborescens	heliotrope	1–2'	FP			X	X
Mirabilis jalapa	four o’clocks	1.5–2'	FP				X
Nicotiana alata	flowering tobacco	1.5–3'	FP				X
Petroselinum crispum	parsley	1'	FP		X
Petunia x hybrida	petunia	1'	FP			X	X
Pimpinella anisum	anise	1.5'	F		X
Rosemarinus officinalis	rosemary	2–3'	F			X
Tagetes erecta	American or African marigold	1.5–3'	F		X	X
Tagetes patula	French marigold	1'	F		X	X
Tithonia rotundifolia	Mexican sunflower	2.5'	F			X
*Scientific name*	*Common name*	*Height*	*Sun*	*Comments*	*Cat*	AB	AM
Annuals
Tropaeolum majus	nasturtium	1'	FP			X
Verbena spp.	verbena	8–14"	F			X
Zinnis elegans	zinnia	1–3'	FP			X
Biennials/perennials
Achillea millefolium	yarrow	2'	F			X
Alcea rosea	hollyhock	6'	F		X	X
Amorpha canescens	leadplant	2'	F			X
Anaphalis margaritacea	pearly everlasting	2'	F		X
Arabis spp.	rock cress	.5–1'	FP		X
Asclepias incarnata	swamp milkweed	4'	FP		X	X
Asclepias speciosa	showy milkweed	3'	FP		X	X
Asclepias syriaca	common milkweed	3'	FP		X	X
Asclepias tuberosa	butterflyweed	3'	FP			X
*Scientific name*	*Common name*	*Height*	*Sun*	*Comments*	*Cat*	AB	AM
Biennials/perennials
Aster ericoides	heath heather	3'	F		X	X
Aster spp.	aster	3–5'	FP		X	X
Bidens aristosa	tickseed sunflower	3–4'	F			X
Carex spp.	sedge	1'	F		X
Centaurea dealbata	Persian centaurea	2'	FP			X
Centaurea macrocephala	globe centaurea	3'	F	zones 4–5		X
Centaurea montana	mountain bluet	2'	F	zone 4		X
Chelone glabra	turtlehead	2'	F	zone 4		X
Cirsium flodmanii	prairie thistle	1–2'	F			X
Daucus carota	Queen Anne’s Lace	2'	FP		X	X
Dianthus barbatus	sweet William	1.5'	FP		X
Echinacea purpurea	purple coneflower	4'	FP			X
*Scientific name*	*Common name*	*Height*	*Sun*	*Comments*	*Cat*	AB	AM
Biennials/perennials
Echinops spp.	globe thistle	4'	FP			X
Epilobium angustifolium	fireweed	4'	FP				X
Erigeron spp.	fleabane	2'	F			X
Eupatorium maculatum	Joe-Pye weed	5'	FP			X
Eupatorium perfoliatum	boneset	3'	FP			X
Euthamia graminifolia	lance leaved goldenrod	2'	F			X
Gaillardia x grandiflora	blanketflower	2–3'	F			X
Gentiana septemfida var. lagondechiana	dwarf blue gentian	1'	A	zones 4–5			X
Helianthus laetiflorus	showy sunflower	2–4'	F			X
Helianthus maximiliani	narrow leaved sunflower	3–5'	F			X
Helianthus occidentalis	western sunflower	3'	F			X
Heliopsis helianthoides	oxeye daisy	3'	F			X
*Scientific name*	*Common name*	*Height*	*Sun*	*Comments*	*Cat*	AB	AM
Biennials/perennials
Hemerocallis spp.	daylily	3–6'	F			X
Hesperis matronalis	dame’s rocket	3'	PS				X
Houstonia spp.	houstonia	8"	F			X
Hyssopus officinalis	hyssop	2'	F			X
Liatris aspera	rough blazing star	2–3'	FP			X
Liatris cylindracea	dwarf blazing star	2'	FP			X
Liatris ligulistylus	meadow blazing star	1–1.5'	FP			X
Liatris punctata	dotted gayfeather	1'	FP			X
Liatris pycnostachya	prairie blazing star	5'	FP			X
Liatris spicata	gayfeather, blazing star	3'	F			X
Lilium candidum	Madonna lily	6'	FP				X
Lupinus perennis	lupine	2'	A		X	X
Lupinus ‘Russell Hybrids’	Russell lupine	5'	A		X	X
*Scientific name*	*Common name*	*Height*	*Sun*	*Comments*	*Cat*	AB	AM
Biennials/perennials
Mentha piperita	peppermint	2'	FP			X
Mentha spicata	spearmint	2'	PS	zones 4–5		X
Monarda didyma	scarlet bergamot	3'	A			X	X
Monarda fistulosa	wild bergamot	2'	F			X	X
Oenothera biennis	common evening primose	3–4'	F				X
Paeonia spp.	peony	3'	FP			X
Prunella vulgaris	selfheal	1'	FP	zones 4–5		X
Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’	Goldsturm black-eyed Susan	2'	FP		X	X
Rudbeckia hirta ‘Gloriosa’	gloriosa daisy	3'	FP		X	X
Rumex spp.	docks	2'	FP		X
Sedum albo-roseum	pink live forever	2'	A		X	X
Sedum spectabile	sedum	2'	A		X	X
*Scientific name*	*Common name*	*Height*	*Sun*	*Comments*	*Cat*	AB	AM
Biennials/perennials
Solidago nemoralis	gray goldenrod	2'	F			X
Solidago rigida	stiff goldenrod	4'	F			X
Solidago rugosa	rough stemmed goldenrod	1–7'	F			X
Solidago speciosa	showy goldenrod	3'	F			X
Thymus vulgaris	thyme	1'	F	zone 5		X
Trifolium pratense	red clover	1.5'	F			X
Vicia spp.	vetch	3'	F			X
Viola spp.	violets	1'	A		X
Trees, shrubs, vines
Acer negundo	boxelder	75'	FP		X
Aristolochia durior	Dutchman’s pipe	30'	FP	zones 4–5	X
Betula spp.	birch	—	FP		X
Ceanothus americanus	New Jersey tea	3'	FP			X
*Scientific name*	*Common name*	*Height*	*Sun*	*Comments*	*Cat*	AB	AM
Trees, shrubs, vines
Cephalanthus occidentalis	buttonbush	12'	FP	zones 4–5		X
Clethra alnifolia	sweet pepperbush	6'	FP	zones 4–5		X
Ledum groenlandicum	Labrador tea	3'	FP			X
Lindera benzoin	spicebush	15'	A	zones 4–5	X
Philadelphus coronarius	sweet mockorange	9'	FP			X
Populus spp.	poplar	—	A		X
Prunus spp.	stone fruits (e.g., plum, cherry)	—	F			X
Quercus spp.	oak	—	F		X
Rubus allegheniensis	wild blackberry	6'	FP			X
Salix discolor	pussy willow	10–20'	F			X
Salix humilis var. microphylla	prairie willow	4'	F		X
Salix nigra	black willow	50'	FP	zones 4–5	X	X
*Scientific name*	*Common name*	*Height*	*Sun*	*Comments*	*Cat*	AB	AM
Trees, shrubs, vines
Salix pentandra	laurel willow	36'	FP		X	X
Spirea alba	narrowleaf meadowsweet	4'	F			X
Spirea latifolia	broadleaf meadowsweet	6'	A			X
Spirea tomentosa	hard hack	4'	A			X
Symphoricarpos occidentalis	wolfberry	6'	A		X
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus	coralberry	3'	A		X
Syringa x hyacinthiflora	Canadian lilac	16'	FP	zones 4–5		X
Syringa josiflexa	Chinese/Hungarian lilac	15'	FP	zones 4–5		X
Syringa meyeri	dwarf Korean lilac	5'	FP	zones 4–5		X
Syringa patula ‘Miss Kim’	Miss Kim Korean lilac	4'	FP	zones 4–5		X
Syringa x prestoniae	Preston lilac	10'	FP			X
Weigelia florida	weigelia	9'	F	zones 4–5			X

	Back to "Creating a Butterfly Garden"
	Back to Table of Contents

Table 4. Butterfly and moth garden plants.

Back to "Creating a Butterfly Garden"

Back to Table of Contents