Five Sun-loving Flowers for Butterfly Gardens

Sun-loving flowers make an excellent choice for butterfly gardens as butterflies require the heat of the sun to warm their bodies and boost energy. Although there are many bright flowers available that thrive in full sun, some attract more butterflies than others. Try these hardy plants to brighten your yard and provide sweet nectar for hungry butterflies.

Purple Coneflower

Purple coneflower creates a striking display of color in a butterfly garden. This hardy perennial returns every year creating a burst of color from early summer until frost. Dramatic purple blooms atop tall slender stems feature petals that fold backward exposing the dark center. Grown in full sun, these flowers provide nectar for butterflies for months.

Shasta Daisy

Brilliant white Shasta daisies make a striking contrast with other more colorful flowers and are natural attractors for butterflies. They return each year in bigger and hardier clumps and produce large snow-white blooms. Blooming begins in early summer and continues until frost. Add Shasta daisy for contrast in your butterfly garden.

Asters

Asters produce clusters of blooms in late summer and early fall. Wild varieties range from blue to deep purple, but cultivated varieties are available in a wider range of colors. These hardy plants thrive in full sun making them ideal for butterfly gardens.

Zinnias

Fiery zinnias create a dazzling blaze of color throughout the summer. Available in dwarf 8 inch varieties to towering giants of 4 feet or more, these delightful flowers are easy to care for and thrive in full sun. Plant varieties in yellow, yellow-orange and fiery reds to attract butterflies to your garden.

Gloriosa Daisy

Add Gloriosa daisy near purple coneflower and Shasta daisies for contrast to brighten the garden and create depth. Grown as annuals in northern climates these delightful flowers often self seed and return with vigor the following year adding a splash of color that is sure to attract butterflies to you garden. Flowers bloom atop slender stalks and feature petals in shades of yellow, gold and mahogany surrounding a dark center.