A Wildlife Article used with permission from All-Creatures.org


Staci-lee Sherwood discusses four beautiful flowering plants that can help make your garden a haven for butterflies and other local insects. She also shares her own stunning photographs of butterflies enjoying these plants and provides resources for further reading so you can do your part to help these creatures thrive.


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Fill your garden with gorgeous plants that feed the butterflies
From Staci-lee Sherwood, RealityChecksWithStacilee.com
June 2026

clouded sulphur butterfly and railroad vine flower
Photo Credit: Staci-lee Sherwood


Butterflies depend on nectar to survive. In the northern states they only have spring and summer to fill up on food before either migrating south or going into dispause (where they remain in their chrysalis motionless until warmer weather). For southern states feasting and breeding is a year round lifestyle. Some species of butterflies have specific nectar plants while others have a larger more diverse group. I’ve listed some of the best nectar plants for most species of butterflies and bonus they also attract moths, hummingbirds and other insects. Butterfly populations have drastically declined over the years due to habitat loss and degradation, lack of nectar and host plants, spraying of pesticides that kill the plants which are their food source.

Native wildflower populations are being mowed down, poisoned by pesticides and removed for non-native flowers sold in nurseries. Butterflies aren't the only ones that need wildflowers, the entire ecosystem does too. Here are some great ideas for plants to add to any garden, big or small, to help attract and feed butterflies. Some of these plants prefer moist areas while others like full sun and dry land. Included are their scientific names in bold to insure you get the correct native plant.

Firebush

This plant is an all time favorite for butterflies and hummingbirds. Firebush (Hamelia patens var. patens) is part of the Rubiaceae family, is a hardy heat loving southern plant found from Texas to Florida. It can grow up to 10’ and get very dense providing lots of flowering nectar. Easy to spot with their bright orange and red tubular flowers it’s also known as "Guardian of the Forest" in Belize. The non-native version (Hamelia patens var. glabra) is widely sold in local nurseries and used in landscaping and while butterflies will use it as food it’s best to buy the native species. The native firebush has bright red/orange flowers while the non-native has yellow flowers.


firebush flowers
The native variety has bright red tubular flowers. Photo Credit: Staci-lee Sherwood


orange-barred sulphur butterfly on firebush flowers
A male Orange-barred Sulphur. Photo Credit: Staci-lee Sherwood


orange sulphur butterfly on firebush flower
A female Large Orange Sulphur enjoys breakfast. Photo Credit: Staci-lee Sherwood


pink-spot sulphur butterfly on firebush flower
A rare sighting of a Pink-spot Sulphur. Photo Credit: Staci-lee Sherwood


Ironweed

This stunning purple plant (Vernonia Fasciculata) loves the wetlands and moist prairie. It’s hardy and can be grown in nearly half the U.S. states. This plant has a broad range from Massachusetts to Florida on the east, to Ohio and Missouri in the Midwest and down to Louisiana and Texas. There are 500 species of ironweed globally with approximately 20 of those species native to North America. It attracts a variety of butterflies and other insects and makes a colorful addition to any garden.


ironweed flowers
Ironweed growing in the wilds of Florida. Photo Credit: Staci-lee Sherwood


monarch butterfly and ironweed flowers
A Monarch butterfly sipping Ironweed nectar. Photo Credit: Staci-lee Sherwood


southern broken dash skipper butterfly and ironweed flowers
A Southern Broken Dash Skipper. Photo Credit: Staci-lee Sherwood


Railroad Vine

This coastal vine is part of the Convolvulaceae family (like the morning-glory) and loves salty sandy environments and is found along the coast from Georgia to Florida and west Texas. Railroad vine (Ipomoea pes-caprae) has stunning large purple flowers that attract many species of butterflies, moths and bees. If you live in a coastal environment this makes a great addition to your garden adding both color and food for wildlife. This vine grows on the ground and makes for great ground cover.


clouded sulphur butterfly in railroad vine flower
A male Clouded Sulphur digs in a Railroad vine. Photo Credit: Staci-lee Sherwood


Brazilian skipper butterfly in railroad vine flower
A Brazilian Skipper looks tiny inside the large Railroad vine. Photo Credit: Staci-lee Sherwood


Spanish Needle

This plant feeds a long list of insects from butterflies to bees and beetles. It’s part of the Bidens family (Bidens alba) and found primarily in Florida and in bordering gulf states. Spanish Needle is very hardy and loves full sun. This plant makes a great addition to any garden with their white and yellow flowers that resemble daisies. Despite recent controversy as to whether it’s truly native it’s widespread and feed many species at a time when wildflowers are vanishing and food for butterflies is becoming scarce.


orange spotted flower moth and Spanish needle flower
Spanish Needle (also called Beggarticks) with an Orange Spotted Flower Moth. Photo Credit: Staci-lee Sherwood


fiery skipper butterfly and Spanish needle flower
A male Fiery Skipper. Photo Credit: Staci-lee Sherwood


dainty sulphur butterfly and Spanish needle flower
A Dainty Sulphur isn’t much bigger than the flower she sits on. Photo Credit: Staci-lee Sherwood


tropical checkered skipper butterfly and Spanish needle flower
A Tropical Checkered Skipper having lunch. Photo Credit: Staci-lee Sherwood


How to help butterflies

Here are some things to do and look for when buying plants designed to feed butterflies.

Posted on All-Creatures.org: June 22, 2026
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