List of Plants that Attract Butterflies

IFBE Members Registered in over 90 Nations

IFBE Members Registered in over 90 Nations Throughout history, the butterfly has been considered the sign for freedom and transformation. Butterflies around the world have always astounded those involved in the mythological, religious, or scientific communities. Even today, modern researchers see the butterfly as the ambassador to the insect world. Member's of the federation believe that the butterfly is a visible sign in the natural world to the possibility existing for all of us to attain a higher level of wisdom and understanding!

The International Federation of Butterfly Enthusiasts (IFBE), a Washington State (USA) corporation, is a free membership organization with members throughout the world. The IFBE is the world's first global organization dedicated to increasing butterfly habitat!

We welcome you as an active participator in increasing butterfly habitat in your area by planting indigenous (native) species. Membership in IFBE is open to all who share our purpose, without regard to race, religion, gender, intellect, political views, or economic status.

International Hand Symbol: We offer you the Butterfly Wave. (The Butterfly Wave is the world symbol for peace for the 21st century.) Starting from the left side of your chest, with your thumbs locking, lay your left palm over your right hand. As you move your hands from left to right, move your fingers as a butterfly would do if floating through the air.

The butterfly on the IFBE logo refers to the Fender's Blue (icaricia icarioides fenderi.) This species is a living example of the opportunity we have in unifying people together for the purpose of building long-term friendships between man and nature. For more information on the Fender's Blue click here.

In this age of insecticides, rarely are helpless species ever given a second chance, once they are thought to be extinct. In 1937, it was thought that the beautiful Fender's Blue became extinct due to the destruction of necessary habitat. However, in 1989, Dr. Paul Hammon rediscovered the Fender's Blue in Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA. Even after the desolation of this butterfly's habitat, the Fender's Blue has not only shown itself as a survivor, but a victor as well. The host plant for the Fender's Blue is Kencaid's lupine (Lupinus sulphureus kincaidii).

In our life we are seldom given the opportunity to become a participator in the solution, rather than just a spectator to the problem. By becoming a member of the International Federation of Butterfly Enthusiasts, you agree to become actively involved in educating others on the necessity of increasing butterfly habitat. As The Butterfly Guy says: "If we have no butterflies, we have no bees. If we have no bees, we have no kiwi's..."

If you would like to actively participate in this world-wide endeavor, and become part of butterfly habitat conservation in either your neighborhood, classroom, organization, or corporation, we would like to extend our hand of friendship to you. Basic IFBE membership is FREE to anyone who has an email address. Periodic news letters are also sent FREE to registered email subscribers.

Butterflies visit literally thousands of different plants, both to sip nectar and to lay their eggs. A few plant families are particularly important to them, as either a nectar source or a larvae plant, or both. If you incorporate at least three (3) plants from each of the plant families described here, you will increase your chances of attracting many different butterfly species.

3 x 3 Success Plan (DO NOT INCLUDE TREES IN THIS EQUATION)

Order a minimum of 3 species

Order a minimum of 3 plants per species

You should end up with at least nine (9) plants to start your garden.

To guarantee success, it is recommended to first plant species that have earned the IFBE Gold Star Award. Gold Star Awards are given to plant species that are known to attract both adult butterflies and caterpillar’s.

For additional questions, please consult your local nursery trained in IFBE recommended butterfly plants.

PLANTS THAT HAVE EARNED THE IFBE GOLD STAR AWARD

Annuals and Perennials	Shrubs	Vines	Trees
Asclepias	Buddleia	Passion Vine	Horsechestnut
Aster	Coffeberry	Wisteria	Madrone
Beard Tongue	Elderberry		Willow
Columbine	Gooseberry
Common Foxglove	Honeysuckle
Common Heliotrope	Lantana
Hollyhock	Lavender
Lupine	Lilac
Snapdragon	Manzanita
	Spirae
	Toyon
	Wild Lilac
	Wild Buckwheat

If you find that you would like to add some variety to this list of plant species, the following plants are also favorable.

OTHER PLANTS THAT HELP WITH HABITAT CONSERVATION

FOOD PLANTS FOR BUTTERFLY LARVAE

Annuals and Perennials	Shrubs	Trees
Artichoke	Cape Plumbago	Birch
Bleeding Heart	Hibiscus	Citrus
Broccoli	Mallow	Crabapple
Cabbage	Ocean Spray	Dogwood
Common Fennel	Rose	Douglas Fir
Garden Nasturtium	Senna	Hackberry
Geum	Sticky Monkey Flower	Hawthorn
Mustard	Tree Mallow	Mesquite
Speedwell	Virburnum	Oak
Stawberry		Pine
Sunflower		Poplar
Twinspur		Prunus
Troadflax		Sycamore

NECTAR PLANTS FOR ADULT BUTTERFLIES

Annuals and Perennials	Shrubs	Trees
Bee Balm	Abelia	Apple
Blanket Flower	Bluebeard	Chaste Tree
Borage	California Fushia	Maple
Bouvardia	Cinquefoil	Orange
Candytuft	Escallonia
Coreopsis	Hebe
Cosmos	Lavender Starflower
Cupid’s Dart	Mahonia
Cynoglossum	Mexican Orange
Delphinium	Mock Orange
False Spirea	Rhododendron
Fleabane	Rosemary
Gayfeather	Scotch Heather
Globe Thistle	Squawbush
Gloriosa Daisy	Summersweet
Goldenrod	Vaccinium
Jupiter’s Beard
Lily-of-the-Nile
Lobelia
Marigold
Oregano
Pholx
Pincushion Flower
Pink
Purple Coneflower
Ranunculus
Sage
Sea Holly
Shasta Daisy
Stonecrop
Sweet Alyssum
Sweet Pea
Yarrow
Wallflower