First of all, I must say, you are lucky that you are growing plants in South Florida. South Florida's climate is subtropical and tropical which is perfect for a lot of butterfly species. I love gardening and I grow veggies, flowers, and herbs in my garden. And my wife loves flowers and butterflies a lot. In this article, I will share a handpicked list of plants that can attract butterflies effectively to your garden in South Florida.
I have to give credit to my wife for growing most of these plants, which has brought more butterflies into our garden.
This is a picture of a butterfly in a butterfly park:
Factors to consider while choosing plants that will attract butterfly
I have considered several factors before selecting these plants such as:
- Native species: If you choose native plants then the plants can do well without maintenance. It will attract native butterflies too.
- Flowering season: Choose plants that bloom at different times of the year so that your garden will bring nectars throughout the year.
- Host Plants for Caterpillars: If you ever visited any eco-park, you can see a butterfly section. There you will find a lot of plants that only feed the caterpillars. Yes, it is important to keep a few host plants in your garden. (Most of us ignore this point)
- Fragrance: If you grow plants that produce flowers with strong fragrances then you can see a lot of butterflies coming from a distance too.
- Sunlight: Butterflies love sunlight. So try to plant your plants in full sunlight area.
- Shelter and Water: Provide nearby shrubs or trees for shelter and a shallow water source, such as a birdbath or damp ground, to support butterfly activity.
You can plant a magnolia tree and under that tree, you can grow shrubs.
Check my article: 15 Flowering Shrubs to Grow Under Magnolia
List of plants to attract butterflies in South Florida
There are almost more than 50 plants to attract butterflies. But we can not plant that many plants due to maintenance issues. So I have carefully handpicked 16 plants.
| Plant Name | Butterfly Species | Flowering Season |
|---|---|---|
| Milkweed | Monarch, Queen | Spring to Fall |
| Firebush | Gulf Fritillary, Zebra Longwing | Year-round |
| Passionflower | Gulf Fritillary, Zebra Longwing | Spring to Summer |
| Butterfly Bush | Swallowtails, Monarch | Spring to Fall |
| Black-Eyed Susan | Painted Lady, American Lady | Summer to Fall |
| Lantana | Swallowtails, Monarch | Year-round |
| Blanket Flower | Gulf Fritillary, Painted Lady | Spring to Fall |
| Coreopsis | Zebra Longwing, Sulphur | Spring to Summer |
| Penthas | Swallowtails, Skippers | Year-round |
| Cassia | Cloudless Sulphur, Sleepy Orange | Fall to Winter |
| Spanish Needles | Zebra Longwing, Sulphur | Year-round |
| Golden Dewdrop | Swallowtails, Skippers | Year-round |
| Blue Porterweed | Zebra Longwing, Gulf Fritillary | Year-round |
| Scarlet Sage | Swallowtails, Sulphur | Spring to Fall |
| Tickseed | Zebra Longwing, Painted Lady | Spring to Summer |
| Partridge Peas | Cloudless Sulphur, Little Yellow | Summer to Fall |
I can't share the caring guide for each plant here, but still, I have created this table so that you can grab a basic idea of sunlight and watering guide.
| Plant Name | Sunlight | Watering (Times per week) |
|---|---|---|
| Milkweed | Full sun | 2-3 times per week |
| Firebush | Full sun to partial shade | 1-2 times per week |
| Passionflower | Full sun to partial shade | 2-3 times per week |
| Butterfly Bush | Full sun | 2-3 times per week |
| Black-Eyed Susan | Full sun to partial shade | 2-3 times per week |
| Lantana | Full sun | 1 time per week |
| Blanket Flower | Full sun | 1-2 times per week |
| Coreopsis | Full sun | 1-2 times per week |
| Penthas | Full sun to partial shade | 2-3 times per week |
| Cassia | Full sun | 1-2 times per week |
| Spanish Needles | Full sun | 1 time per week |
| Golden Dewdrop | Full sun to partial shade | 2-3 times per week |
| Blue Porterweed | Full sun to partial shade | 2-3 times per week |
| Scarlet Sage | Full sun to partial shade | 2 times per week |
| Tickseed | Full sun | 2 times per week |
| Partridge Peas | Full sun | 1-2 times per week |
In this list, there are a few plants that need more attention and are a little bit hard to maintain.
Passionflower plants are more prone to pests like aphids and whiteflies. It also grows at a faster rate so you need to be active in pruning. Butterfly Bush also needs regular pruning.
Cassia is sensitive to cold so you need to take winter care.
Milkweed attracts aphids too much.
The rest of the plants are easy to maintain.
You can also consider this flowering plant to attract butterflies.
Host plant and the caterpillars
| Host Plant | Butterfly Species |
|---|---|
| Milkweed | Monarch (caterpillars) |
| Corkscrew Vine | Long-tailed Skipper (caterpillars) |
| Cassia | Sulphur butterflies (caterpillars) |
| Coontie | Atala butterfly (caterpillars) |
| Parsley | Black Swallowtail (caterpillars) |
| Dill | Black Swallowtail (caterpillars) |
| Fennel | Black Swallowtail (caterpillars) |
You can plant any 3 of these.
Request from my side: Do not use chemical pesticides as they can kill the caterpillars and butterflies. If you find this article helpful subscribe to this site to get tips on Florida Gardening.
