Skip to content

Top Navigation

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Food
  • Holidays & Entertaining
  • Home & Garden
  • Style & Culture
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Southern Living

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • These Haircuts Are Going To Be Huge in 2021

      The trendy haircuts you’ll be seeing everywhere next year. Read More Next
    • How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      Learn how to season this Southern kitchen staple in five easy steps. Read More Next
    • The Right Way to Heat a Pre-Cooked Ham

      It's so easy, trust us. Read More Next
  • Food

    Food

    See All Food

    Lost Cakes of the South

    These simple and spectacular Southern cakes deserve a comeback
    • All Food
    • All Recipes
    • Holidays & Occasions
    • Quick Fix Suppers
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Casseroles
    • Healthy Recipes
  • Holidays & Entertaining

    Holidays & Entertaining

    See All Holidays & Entertaining

    70 Wedding Vow Examples That Will Melt Your Heart

    Fight writer's block and find ways to express your love with these romantic, funny, and short wedding vow examples.
    • Christmas
    • Entertaining
    • Thanksgiving
    • Southern Weddings
    • Easter
    • Kentucky Derby
    • Valentine's Day
    • 4th of July
    • Mother's Day
  • Home & Garden

    Home & Garden

    See All Home & Garden

    7 Paint Colors We’re Loving for Kitchen Cabinets in 2020

    ‘Tis the season to ditch your all-white palette in favor of something a little bolder and brighter.
    • Home Decor Ideas
    • Idea Houses
    • Before & After
    • Inspired Communities
    • Curb Appeal
    • House Plans & Builders
    • The Grumpy Gardener
    • Plant Names A-Z
  • Style & Culture

    Style & Culture

    See All Style & Culture

    50 Books Everyone Should Read in Their Lifetime

    Curl up with a classic!
    • Southern Culture
    • Hair
    • Travel
    • Beauty
    • Pets
    • Southern Fashion
    • Healthy Living
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Southern Living
  2. Gardening Ideas
  3. Plants that Attract Butterflies

Plants that Attract Butterflies

June 22, 2016
Skip gallery slides
Save FB Tweet
Attract butterflies by planting pinks, purples, reds, yellows, and oranges. We’ll show you the best flower varieties to get your garden fluttering.We all know that the butterfly bush, such as Ultra Violet™ Buddleia, is one of the best shrubs we can plant to attract butterflies to the garden. On a smaller scale, Pink Moody Blues™ Veronica produces similar flower spikes rich in nectar. A gold-toned swallowtail butterfly sipping nectar from agapanthus is picture-worthy. You’ll enjoy watching butterflies land on the bold blossoms of Little Blue Fountain™ Agapanthus. Also include flowering shrubs such as Confetti® Abelia and Little Bonnie™ Dwarf Spiraea to provide butterflies with shelter as well as nectar-rich blooms. Make sure these plants take well to their new home by with this guide. Take a closer look at these butterfly-attracting blooms to turn your garden into a magical butterfly oasis like this hidden cottage garden.
Start Slideshow

1 of 10

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Rainbow Sensation™ Weigela

This beauty will provide a rainbow of color from spring to fall. It features attractive, variegated foliage with dense clusters of soft pink, funnel-shaped flowers that will bloom in profusion in May.

USDA Zones: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Exposure: Full sun to part shade

Learn more about Rainbow Sensation™ Weigela

1 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 10

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

‘Princess Dark Lavender’ Verbena

This stunner blooms from spring until fall. Pale purple flowers form crowns around deep green foliage. The best part? They’re disease and pest resistant and drought-tolerant.

USDA Zones: 8, 9, 10, 11
Exposure: Full sun

Learn more about ‘Princess Dark Lavender’ Verbena

2 of 10

3 of 10

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Stars and Stripes Pentas™

Bounds of scarlet flower clusters with pink centers are a butterfly paradise. Lush dark green and white variegated foliage will provide a hearty addition to your garden. Grows 12-24" high with a clumping habit.

USDA Zones: 9, 10, 11
Exposure: Full sun

Learn more about Stars and Stripes Pentas™

3 of 10

Advertisement

4 of 10

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

‘Real Charmer’ Leucanthemum

Real Charmer is a summer-blooming perennial with large cream to lemon decorative blooms with fancy fringed deep golden central petals. This variety will provide plentiful blooms with improved disease resistance. It prefers well-drained soil in the sunny border.

USDA Zones: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Exposure: Full sun

Learn more about 'Real Charmer' Leucanthemum

4 of 10

5 of 10

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Ultra Violet™ Buddleia

This buddleia grows compactly into an attractive rounded shape, unlike other butterfly bushes that often become tall and lanky. Its violet blooms are a beacon for butterflies and honeybees and will rebloom from late spring into fall.

USDA Zones: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Exposure: Full sun

Learn more about Ultra Violet™ Buddleia

5 of 10

6 of 10

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Pink Moody Blues™ Veronica

This compact bush is covered in pink spikes of blooms all season long. It will flower up to the first frost and is drought-tolerant.

USDA Zones: 6, 7, 8, 9
Exposure: Full sun

Learn more about Pink Moody Blues™ Veronica

6 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 10

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Little Blue Fountain™ Agapanthus

With its deep blue coloring and dwarf size, Blue Fountain is perfect for patio containers and useful as a cut flower. As with other agapanthus this one tolerates near coastal conditions, frost and neglect. If you live close to the coast you’ll likely see even more plentiful blooms.

USDA Zones: 8, 9, 10
Exposure: Full sun to part shade

Learn more about Little Blue Fountain™ Agapanthus

7 of 10

8 of 10

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Confetti® Abelia

This compact, rounded shrub is a winner for borders. It features pink, white, and green variegated foliage that will provide year-round color.

USDA Zones: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Exposure: Full sun to part shade

Learn more about Confetti® Abelia

8 of 10

9 of 10

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Little Bonnie™ Dwarf Spiraea

Expect profuse lavender-pink spring blooms along with sporadic blooms throughout summer. It’s heat tolerant and will attract both birds and butterflies.

USDA Zones: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Exposure: Full sun to part shade

Learn more about Little Bonnie™ Dwarf Spiraea

9 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 10

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Bells of Fire Tecoma™

This evergreen mid-sized shrub with a subtropical to tropical appearance and bell-shaped flowers will bloom continuously until frost. Use it as a border, in a container, as an accent, or in mass for a colorful punch.

USDA Zones: 8, 9, 10, 11
Exposure: Full sun

Learn more about Bells of Fire Tecoma™

10 of 10

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 10 Rainbow Sensation™ Weigela
2 of 10 ‘Princess Dark Lavender’ Verbena
3 of 10 Stars and Stripes Pentas™
4 of 10 ‘Real Charmer’ Leucanthemum
5 of 10 Ultra Violet™ Buddleia
6 of 10 Pink Moody Blues™ Veronica
7 of 10 Little Blue Fountain™ Agapanthus
8 of 10 Confetti® Abelia
9 of 10 Little Bonnie™ Dwarf Spiraea
10 of 10 Bells of Fire Tecoma™

Share options

Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Login

Southern Living

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • About Us
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Books from Southern Living
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
  • Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
Southern Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. Southern Living is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporationthis link opens in a new tab All Rights Reserved. Southern Living may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.southernliving.com

View image

Plants that Attract Butterflies
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.