If you’d like a butterfly plant to enjoy in your garden year round, read on! There are plenty of butterflies to feed that are NOT monarchs, but monarchs will enjoy the nectar provided by these as well.
Sages are very good for attracting adult butterflies to your garden. White Sage (Salvia apiana) and Hummingbird Sage (Salvia spathacea) will be available this Sunday.
Epilobium canum, California Fuchsia, is used as a nectar source for butterflies, a larval source for White-lined Sphinx Moth.
False Indigo (Amorpha fruticosa) is the host plant for the Southern Dog Face butterfly. It’s larvae use the leaves of this plant for food. Plant in a part shaded spot that is cool. They like soil that doesn’t dry out, but is not wet.
California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum). This is my all time favorite shrub. The buckwheats are very important butterfly plants and one of the pillars of their communities. California Buckwheat has a whole community of insects living with the flowers. This variety of California Buckwheat is very drought tolerant. It is an extraordinary habitat plant: it has flowers, leaves and seeds that are all used by butterflies and small birds. White flowers come on in late spring, gradually turn pink in summer, then rust colored in fall. The rusty flowers commonly stay on until the next spring. Grows best in full sun but tolerates part-day sun, then is just a bit more elongated here. If you would try only one native plant, this would be the one!
Come to our Native Plant sale this Sunday, 11-12-17 from 9AM to 3PM to pick out some natives for YOUR garden!