Mostly Natives Nursery
Anise Swallowtail on Mint
Butterflies in the Garden
One of the nicest parts of working in the garden is watching the other creatures that are sharing the plants with you. And at the top of this list for many people is the butterfly. Animated flowers, caterpillars in disguise, wind sprites. To attract these creatures you want to plant shrubs and perennials that the adults can feed on as well as plants that they will lay their eggs on and ultimately provide food for the newly hatched larvae.
Many butterflies are plant specific and you may be helping to save an endangered species with the habitat that you're providing. Remember, butterflies start as larvae and these larvae need to feed before they can pupate and turn into new butterflies. So if you find holes in some of the leaves this is a GOOD THING. DON'T SPRAY, even with organic pesticides. You'll have more butterflies soon to enjoy.
Following is a list of plants that provide nectar (N) for the butterfly and/or food (F) for the caterpillar. We've included the type of butterfly that is attracted to each plant when we know it. We're concentrating on more coastal natives as they are often neglected on more general butterfly lists. We follow up with some of the best non native varieties that we carry in the nursery.
Natives
Rhamnus (Coffeeberry) Lorquin's Admiral,
Mourning Cloak,
Pale Swallowtail, Grey Hairstreak,
Echo Blue,
N&F
Ribes (Currant) Zephyr Angelwing, Coppers,
N&F
Rosa (Rose) N&F
Salix (Willow) Mourning Cloak, Lorquin's Admiral, Western
Tiger Swallowtail, Hairstreaks, N&F
Salvia (Sage) N
Sambucus (Elderberry) Anise Swallowtail, N
Sedum spathulifolium (Stonecrop) San br /uno Elfin,
Hairstreak, N&F
Sidalcea (Checkerbloom) West Coast Lady, Painted Lady,
Skippers, N&F
Symphoricarpos (Snowberry) Checkerspot,
N&F
Non-Natives
Achillea (Yarrow) N
Agastache foeniculum (Anise Hyssop) N
Arbutus (Strawberry Tree) N
Aster West Coast Lady, Buckeye, Checkerspots, Painted
Lady, etc, N&F
Buddleia (Butterfly Bush) N&F
Ceratostigma (Dwarf Plumbago) N
Coreopsis N
Echinacea (Coneflower) N
Erysimum (Wallflower)
Helianthus (Sunflower) N
Lavandula (Lavender) N
Lavatera (Mallow) Painted lady, West Coast Lady, Common
Skipper, N&F
Lithodora diffusa N
Lonicera (Honeysuckle) Chalcedon Checkerspot, F
Mentha (Mint) N
Monarda N
Origanum (Ornamental Oregano) N
Penstemon Chalcedon Checkerspot, Buckeye, N&F
Rosa (Rose) N&F
Rosmarinus (Rosemary) N
Salvia (Sage) N
Verbena bonariensis N
Veronica N
Natives
Achillea borealis (Yarrow) Painted Lady, N
Aesculus (Buckeye Tree) Echo Blue, Western Tiger
Swallowtail, N&F
Angelica,Anise swallowtail, N&F
Aquiligia formosa (Columbine) N
Arabis (Rock Cress) San br /uno Elfin, Sara orange Tip,
Creamy Marblewing, N&F
Arctostaphylos (Manzanita) N
Artemesia californica (California Sagebr /ush) N
Baccharis pilularis (Coyote br /ush) San br /uno Elfin,
N&F
Ceanothus (Wild Lilac) Pale Swallowtail, Spring
Azure, California Tortoiseshell, Hairstreak, N&F
Collingsia (annual Chinese Houses) Edith's Checkerspot,
N&F Cornus sericea (Creek Dogwood) F
Dicentra formosa (Western Bleeding Heart) F
Erigeron glaucus (Seaside Daisy) Blues, N
Eriogonum (Buckwheat) Mormon Mtealmark, Blues ,
N&F
Eriophyllum (Lizardtail) San br /uno Blue, N
Fremontodendron (Fremontia) N
Gaultheria (Salal) Western br /own Elfin, F
Grasses (Bunchgrass and Carex) Golden Grass Skipper,
N&F Heteromeles (Toyon) F
Heracleum (Cow Parsnip) N&F
Holodiscus (Oceanspray) Lorquin's Admiral,Pale
Swallowtail, N&F
Lonicera (Honeysuckle) Chalcedon Checkerspot,
N&F
Lupinus (Lupine) Painted Lady, West Coast Lady, Gold
Sulfur, Mission Blue, N&F
Mimulus aurantiacus (Sticky Monkeyflower) Buckeye,
Chalcedon Checkerspot, Common Checkerspot, N&F
Mimulus guttatus (Golden Monkeyflower) Common Buckeye,
Chalcedon Checkerspot, N&F
Monardella villosa (Coyote Mint) Monarch, Painted Lady,
F
Penstemon heterophyllus (Foothills Penstemon) Chalcedon
Checkerspot, Buckeye, N&F
Phacelia (annual Bluebells) N&F
Potentilla (Cinquefoil) N&F
Prunus illicifolia (Hollyleaf Cherry) Pale Tiger
Swallowtail, N&F
Quercus (Oak) California Sister, Echo Blue, Hairstreak,
Mournful Duskywing, etc, N&F