Butterfly Gardening In Minnesota

Butterfly Gardening In Minnesota

Butterfly gardening can be easy. It can be as simple as providing the appropriate variety of host plants for larval growth and adult feeding. Plants used in butterfly gardening include native plants as well as  annuals and perennials. Different species of butterflies sip nectar from flowers on specific types of plants. They also search for specific species of plants upon which to lay their eggs. Caterpillars feed on these host plants for their entire life cycle.

By choosing certain plants for adult and larval feeding, we encourage the establishment of butterfly populations which return year after year. As we manage our urban landscapes, our efforts in environmental stewardship assure the presence of butterflies and the sharing of our personal backyard Edens with these beautiful, colorful, soaring insects

You do not have to have a patch of land to have a butterfly garden, using pots can also attract many pollinators as well.

Here are a few plants selections to get you going and are most commonly used.  If you have an area that you would need help with please stop into Minnesota Gardens.  We would be happy to help you plan out your butterfly garden.

Sun

Sun is essential for the butterfly garden. Butterflies are cold-blooded insects that often start their day by warming their bodies in the sun. Be sure to include a spot in the garden where sunlight will reach the ground early in the day. Large rocks, exposed soil, or even pavement are all surfaces that will warm up in morning sunlight. Try to locate your garden where it will receive at least six hours of direct sunlight each day.

Water

Water is needed by butterflies, but not very much. Nectar, dew, and tree sap provide butterflies with moisture but puddles and moist dirt or sand are also popular water sources. Puddling stations can be as simple as a damp area of ground covered with sand. Placed where they are easily viewed and sheltered from the wind

Shelter

While shrubs and trees can create unnecessary shade, they do provide an important feature in the butterfly garden. Properly placed, trees and shrubs will shelter your garden from wind, which makes it easier for butterflies to explore your location. Additionally, trees and shrubs give valuable shelter where butterflies can roost at night or hide from predators. 

Plants

Here are a few plants selections to get you going and are most commonly used.  If you have an area that you would need help with please stop into Minnesota Gardens.  We would be happy to help you plan out your butterfly garden.

Aster

The flowers range in color from blue, white, red, yellow, or pink on 1'-3' stems. The foliage rises from the base of the plant. Grow asters in full sun with rich, well draining soil. Asters bloom from mid-summer up until the first frost. There are annual and some great perennials that bloom well into the fall.

Milkweed

Milkweed is essential for monarch butterfly,  caterpillars and support a diversity of pollinators with their abundant nectar. By including milkweeds in gardens, landscaping,you can provide breeding habitat for monarchs and a valuable nectar source for butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects.

Phlox

By choosing different phlox species, you can fill your garden with color from spring through late summer.The Phlox plant provides color in your butterfly garden.  Its bright, disc-like flowers look like lily pads in a pond of green leaves, beckoning to  butterflies to come rest and enjoy the nectar.  These flowers scan the rainbow and are available from white to purple with many shades in between.  Phlox have a lot going for them, including looks, fragrance, and attractiveness to butterflies.

Shasta Daisy

Shasta daisies bloom over a long period, from early summer until fall, forming tidy clumps from 2 to 3 feet tall and up to 2 feet across. The bright flowers contrast nicely with the glossy, dark green foliage, livening up any garden bed. Deadhead to encourage new buds, when I deadhead I just take my thumb under the flower and flick it away.

Zinnia

Zinnias are one of the easiest annuals to grow, grow quickly, and bloom heavily. They make a massive burst of color in your garden.  Use in an annual or mixed border. Smaller zinnias are suitable for edging, window boxes or other containers, great for cut flowers.

Sedum

Sedums are nearly the perfect plants. They look good from the moment they emerge from the soil in spring and continue to look fresh and fabulous all growing season long. Many are attractive even in winter when their foliage dies and is left standing. They're also drought-tolerant and need very little if any care. They're favorites of butterflies and useful bees, they are one of the last perennials of the season that bees depend on.  They can also be split just after a few years.

Bee Balm

Add bee balm to flower beds or an herb garden for life and color. Try growing bee balm in view of a window so you won’t miss the acrobatics of hummingbirds and butterflies that visit in summer. Bee balm also attracts butterflies and bees. In a sunny field or meadow, let plants spread and multiply to create a blanket of color.

Cone Flowers

These large attractive pink, yellow, or purple flowers are lovely to have in your garden in midsummer. They are one of the favorites of butterflies,require little attention and are very cold hardy. They also make great cutting flowers.

If you have any garden questions please feel free to email us  info@mngardens.com  or if you have any tips please share them with us, we would love to post them.