Butterfly Garden Plants
Botanical Name Common Name A W Blooms Comments Caterpillars Hosted
Caterpillar Food Plants
Acacia angustissima Fern Acacia p L May-September wild native Acacia Skipper
Anethum Dill a H April-October Also carrot, celery, parsley Black Swallowtail**
Aristolochia Dutchman's Pipe d LH April-June Grow from seed Pipevine Swallowtail**
Asclepias * Milkweed p L August-September Aphid trap Queen**
Calliandra californica * Baja Fairy Duster p LM April-October Blooms with rain, water Ceraunus Blue
Cirsium Thistle a L March-October Wild native Painted Lady
Helianthus Sunflower a M April-October Varieties 2-15 feet tall Painted Lady, many others
Malvaceae Mallow p L March-October   Checkered Skipper, Streaky Skipper
Lupinus Lupine a L April-June   Painted Lady
Passiflora * Passionflower Vine se M May-October   Gulf Fritillary**
Senna leptocarpa* § Longpod Senna p L April-October   Cloudless Sulphur, Sleepy Orange
Senna wislizenii* § Shrubby Senna p L April-October   Cloudless Sulphur, Sleepy Orange

Butterfly Nectar Plants
Agapanthus orientalis Lily-of-the-Nile e p LM May-June Divide every 3-5 years  
Buddleja davidii Butterfly Bush se M Spring-Summer    
Buddleja marrubiifolia Wooly Butterfly Bush se L Spring-Summer    
Centranthus ruber Red Valarian p L May-September    
Coreopsis Coreopsis a p L June-September Deadhead blooms  
Cosmos bipinnatus Cosmos a LM June-October Grow from seed  
Cosmos sulphureus Yellow Cosmos a M June-October Grow from seed  
Eupatorium greggii * Blue Mist p L Summer to frost Queen butterfly magnet  
Gaillardia aristata Firewheel p L June-September    
Ipomoea coccinea Scarlet Creeper a L August-October Grow from seed; wild Oracle native  
Lantana species * Lantana p M April-October Frost tender  
Salvia Sage p M August-September    
Scabiosa Pincushion Flower a p M April-August    
Tagetes lemmonii Marigold p L August-October    
Vitex agnus-castus Monk's Pepper Tree d LM Spring Frost tender  
Zinnia grandiflora Prairie Zinnia a LM May-October    

Column A:
 a = annual
p = perennial 		e = evergreen
se = semi-evergreen 		d = deciduous
Column W:
 L = low water M = moderate water H = high water

* = Most recommended butterfly plants
** = Butterfly has 3"+ wingspan
§ = Does not produce nectar		  

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