Butterfly Friendly Plants: Top 10

What would a garden be without butterflies? We will show you 10 butterfly-friendly plants that will also attract colorful moths to your garden.

whether young or old, butterflies With their colorful exterior and their playfully easy flight, they have always amazed the eyes of all generations. But the colorful insect is not only worth protecting because of its beauty. What few know: butterflies are among the most important pollinators in the garden and are therefore real beneficials. Wild plants in particular are often dependent on pollination by butterflies, but crops are also reliably pollinated by some species. On the other hand, caterpillar damage, which many gardeners fear, is often not a problem - in fact, caterpillars also prefer wild plants such as stinging nettles (Urtica), sorrel (Rumex) or various grasses. If the caterpillars do attack a garden plant, they cause unsightly feeding spots, but the plants usually do not die from this. If you let the caterpillars do as they please, most plants will recover quickly and you will be rewarded with colorful garden dwellers.

This is what distinguishes butterfly-friendly plants

When creating a butterfly-friendly garden, special attention should be paid to adult moths and don't have the delicate caterpillars in mind, because there is a lack of nectar plants for the adult animals. Caterpillars, on the other hand, usually find enough food sources thanks to stinging nettles and wild herbs, so that they do not have to rely on specially laid out beds. However, both butterflies and caterpillars are happy about an overgrown corner in the garden where wild plants can also grow. If you prefer pretty flowers, here are the ten best butterfly-friendly plants that will lure colorful butterflies into the garden.

tip: Do you want a whole mix of butterfly-friendly plants? Then you are at ours Plantura butterfly meeting precisely. The seed mix contains over 30 annuals and perennials that are butterfly-friendly and provide the butterflies and their caterpillars with a rich source of food. You can also simply sow the mixture in pots or balcony boxes.

1. globe thistle

the globe thistle (Echinops ritro) really has a modern, almost bizarre look, with its spectacular spherical flowers that seem to float high above the ground on slender stems. If a butterfly lands on the extravagant ball of flowers, this sight can hardly be surpassed. In fact, like almost all species of thistle, the striking spherical thistle is one of the most important sources of nectar for butterflies, especially for the Painted Lady genus.

2. liguster

the liguster (Ligustrum vulgare) can be found in many gardens - no wonder, after all the plant is ideal for hedges and can also be cut nicely into shape. In addition, privet is considered to be extremely uncomplicated and robust. But the plant can do even more: For many German butterfly species, like the big ox-eye or the small tortoiseshell, the plant is an ideal source of food, because its delicate white flower spikes provide valuable nectar. This interplay of appearance, robustness and butterfly-friendliness makes the privet a must for every garden.

3. phlox

The ensures a real sea of ​​flowers phlox (phlox) and is therefore a real magnet for beneficials how bees and butterflies. The plant, also known as phlox, provides a firework of colors in the garden from June to September and is therefore one of the important food sources for butterflies. But its easy-care nature also supports the popularity of the beautiful flower.

4. loosestrife

Don't worry - even if the name of the loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) sounds a bit creepy at first glance, but it is an extremely attractive plant that impresses with large, dark pink flower spikes. At best, thirsty butterflies could explain the eerie name of the plant: they actually attack the plant like vampires. C moths and the small tortoiseshell in particular like to use the plentiful supply of nectar from the beautiful flower. But moths are also dependent on the plant: it plays an important role as a forage plant for their caterpillars.

5. evening primrose

Even if we usually think of the colorful butterflies when we think of butterflies, about 80% of all butterflies actually belong to the moths, so they only become active in the late evening hours. For this reason, the moths are particularly attracted to plants that only develop their full aroma at dusk. the evening primrose (Oenothera) is one of these butterfly-friendly plants: With its radiantly beautiful flowers, which bloom from June to Flowering in September, the plant is an ornament for every garden and proves to be a reliable magnet for butterflies.

6. Medicinal Valerian

Medicinal Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is most probably considered calming medicinal plant Known for anxiety disorders and insomnia. But the plant can do much more: valerian impresses in June and July with its large white or pink flower umbels, which also give off a wonderful smell. But not only people appreciate the perennial shrub: butterflies like the skipper butterfly look for it Plant for its nectar and the caterpillars of the valerian fritillary also use the plant as a food source. The plant is also very popular with cats - they react to it in a similarly intoxicated manner as to catnip (Nepeta).

7. lavender

With its unique appearance and irresistible smell, the lavender (Lavandula) every garden into a Mediterranean oasis. The plant is a real jack of all trades: not only does it apply Care of the lavender Being extremely light, she also shines with her healing powers and edible flowers. Even Violet lavender keeps mosquitoes away – Beneficial creatures such as butterflies, on the other hand, are almost magically attracted to it. From the white butterfly to the small tortoiseshell, almost all butterfly species will sooner or later look for the plant as a source of food. Only as caterpillar food, the plant is not very popular.

8. Purple Stonecrop

A big problem for butterflies that are still flying in late summer is that many summer flowers have already faded. Fortunately, the purple sedum (Hylotelephium telephium): From July, the plant shows its large, almost umbrella-like inflorescences, which often last into winter. The plant ensures that peacock butterflies and C butterflies still find plenty of food in autumn. The plant is particularly interesting for gardeners because it is not only particularly beautiful as a succulent, but also is very robust - drought, heat and temperatures down to -20 °C do not harm the butterfly-friendly plant the end.

9. Sal willow

The Sal Willow (Salix caprea) is an important source of nectar for butterflies and bees. It is the only native willow species that also grows outside of swamps and meadows. It blooms as early as late winter in March and April, thus securing the food base for insects in spring. Among other things, the peacock butterfly and the small tortoiseshell fly to the Sal pasture. The caterpillars of many nocturnal moths, but also a few diurnal butterfly caterpillars, also feed on their leaves.

10. sage

as medicinal plant and spice is sage (Salvia) probably known to most people and can already be found in many gardens. But not only its spicy aroma and its undemanding nature make the plant so popular with gardeners - also its violet flowers, which appear from June to August, make the plant a real one eye-catcher. Butterflies in particular are attracted to the small flowers - because the nectar is hidden deep inside the flower, the long-nosed insects have a huge advantage over other pollinators and secure a lucrative one for themselves nectar source. Especially the meadow sage (Salvia pratensis) is a popular food source for butterflies such as the blue and the famous swallowtail.

If you also want to attract bumblebees to your garden, you will find it here 10 bumblebee-friendly plants. how to get one Beneficial house for butterflies builds, we show here.