Get All A Flutter

Butterfly Gardening in Florida

So maybe you've been to the Butterfly Rainforest at the Florida Museum here in Gainesville.  Wouldn't it be fantastic to recreate your own smaller scale version in your own yard? Here are some tips to attract butterflies to your garden.

But first some background on butterflies in Florida. The butterfly "season" in Florida begins in the Fall and lasts through winter. Different species are active during different times of the season and are attracted to different plants. All butterflies need nectar when they are adults. However, you can also provide plants for the other stages in the life of a butterfly including the larval stage (caterpillar). By including some larvae stage host plants in your garden you will promote a longer-term presence of butterflies. A couple of easy host plants for the larval stage of the Black Swallowtail include Fennel and Parsley. Yes, the common household herbs. Plant from seed now and they should be large enough by Fall to support the larvae. Other butterflies like vines and trees as host plants. If you have a fence that could support a vine, look for Woolly Dutchman's Pipevine, Purple Passionflower and the more common Wisteria. These vines are somewhat obscure so call the Alacuha extension office to see if they have any in stock. And yes the caterpillars will consume these plants! Black Swallowtail

or adult butterflies, a large number of flowers will attract them. Large butterflies typically need larger blossoms and smaller adult species need smaller blossoms. So plant a variety of flowering plants to attract a greater variety. Some common options available at big box or local garden stores (I like Garden Gate Nursery) include Black Eyed Susan, Coneflower, Salvia, Milkweed, Asters, Chives, Lantana, Fireweed, Plumbago and Tickseed (the Florida State Wildflower).

When selecting flowering plants get a variety of heights and growth habits. For example, don't plant only Black Eyed Susan and Tickseed as these are approximately the same height with similar bloom sizes. Add a creeping vine or a larger plant or something with a differently shaped bloom. This will attract a diversity of butterflies to your garden. Plant in groupings and try to mix in plants that bloom at different times, though many on the above list will bloom all Summer and Fall.

When adding butterfly attracting plants follow the typical steps for establishing new specimens. Water when establishing and fertilize the plants to maximize the blooms. Also, avoid pesticides on any plant that may attract butterflies. 

How about the famous Monarch butterfly? Yes, they do migrate to Florida in the Fall. Florida also has a year-round Monarch population. As adults monarchs are attracted to larger blooms. As larvae, they almost exclusively reproduce in native milkweed plants. These are difficult to find so once again contact the Extension office for locations where this may be available including their nursery. The milkweed at big box stores are typically not the natives species and are invasive.

Diverse blooms

Creating a butterfly garden has many benefits to both the insects and the gardener. Monitor the species that come visit and learn their names. Plant some herbs to attract butterflies and get the bonus of aromatherapy.  With all the noise and business of our world, watching butterflies will reduce your stress level and make your garden a place of peace and relaxation.