Ban butterfly bushes from butterfly gardens (seriously)

Updated Aug 17, 2023
Butterflies prefer brightly colored plants that are flat topped or have short tubes.Butterflies prefer brightly colored plants that are flat topped or have short tubes.

Butterfly gardens possess a wide variety of benefits. People have been planting them for years, either with the desire to help out the poor pollinators or to experience the simple joy of watching the backyard become flooded with fluttering wings.

Unfortunately, one of the things that has become associated with the idea of butterfly gardens is that the butterfly bush, Buddleja davidii, is the ideal plant to add. Obviously, the name butterfly bush seems to imply that this is the quintessential choice for a butterfly garden, but it is in fact an invasive species that is native to Asia.

While it does provide nectar for butterflies, caterpillars will not feed on the leaves, leaving butterflies without a good host plant on which to lay their eggs.

“People rationalize their perceived need for butterfly bush because they think it helps butterflies,”Doug Tallamy, professor and chair of entomology and wildlife ecology, told Rodale’s Organic Life. “What they really want is a pretty plant in their yard.”

With those beautiful blooms comes a prolific amount of seeds that can be spread in a number of ways, which is why the butterfly bush has already been classified as a noxious weed in both Washington and Oregon. The only way to prevent the spread of the seeds is by deadheading.

If your client is looking for plants to grow in their butterfly garden, suggest these perennials and shrubs that are far better for butterflies than the butterfly bush:

Perennials

Photo: MonroviaPhoto: Monrovia

Red Butterflies Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica ‘Red Butterflies’)

A mixture of bright red and yellow, two of the colors that attract butterflies, this cultivar of milkweed needs only occasional watering once established. It is fast growing and can survive in even poor soil. Grows 3 feet tall.

  • USDA Hardiness Zone: 8-11
  • Full sun

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Photo: MonroviaPhoto: Monrovia

Triumph Aster (Aster x alpellus ‘Triumph’) 

Periwinkle petals with bright yellow centers stand out against its dark green foliage. These asters can be used as a perennial border or in a wild, short-grass meadow. Fast growing yet compact. Grows 8 to 12 inches tall.

  • USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-9
  • Full sun

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Photo: PixabayPhoto: Pixabay

Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

A nice partner with asters in the wildflower look, these flowers have a long bloom season. Golden yellow petals testify to its belonging to the sunflower family. Capable of reseeding itself after the first season. Grows 1 to 3 feet tall.

  • USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-8
  • Full sun

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Photo: Jill Odom/Total Landscape CarePhoto: Jill Odom/Total Landscape Care

Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) 

This attractive perennial bears lovely daisy-like flowers that are rosy-purple with cone-like centers that are orange-brown. The North American native is heat and drought-tolerant. Grows 1.5 to 5 feet tall.

  • USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-9
  • Full sun

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Photo: MonroviaPhoto: Monrovia

Landmark Lantana (Lantana camara Landmark Series Patented) 

An explosion of brilliant color like a setting sun shades the tiny little flowers that bunch together. This cultivar of lantana thrives in heat and humidity. It grows quickly and can fill a bed or container with ease. Grows 10 to 15 inches tall.

  • USDA Hardiness Zone: 10-11
  • Full sun

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Shrubs

Photo: MonroviaPhoto: Monrovia

Glossy Abelia (Abelia x grandiflora) 

This arching evergreen shrub can serve as a hedge while providing color and fragrance to the landscape. Covered in delicate bell-shaped white flowers that bloom from June until October. Deer-resistant. Grows 4 to 6 feet tall and 5 feet wide.

  • USDA Hardiness Zone: 6-9
  • Partial to full sun

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Photo: WikipediaPhoto: Wikipedia

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)

Cream-colored flowers bunch together to form a ball shape. A member of the coffee family, it’s found in many wetland habitats. Attracts hummingbirds and bees as well as butterflies. Grows 6 to 12 feet tall.

  • USDA Hardiness Zone: 5-11
  • Full sun

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Photo: WikipediaPhoto: Wikipedia

Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia)

A member of the heather family, this evergreen shrub has round, cupped flowers that vary from light pink to white. All parts of the plant are poisonous. Can serve as an informal hedge or a landscape accent. Best suited for natural landscapes. Grows 12 to 20 feet tall.

  • USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-9
  • Full sun to full shade

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Photo: WikipediaPhoto: Wikipedia

Sweet Pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia)

Also known as summersweet, this deciduous shrub gives off a sweet scent that attracts pollinators. Its fruit, despite the name, is not spicy and only vaguely resembles peppercorns. It has spike-like clusters of flowers and its leaves turn orange in the fall. Grows 6 to 12 feet tall.

  • USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-9
  • Full sun to partial shade

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Sargent’s Cranberry Bush (Viburnum sargentii)

Similar to the American Cranberry bush, this shrub will not grow as large. It boasts of white blooms in the spring, vivid red berries in the winter and rich foliage color in the fall. It will form an upright, rounded shape. Grows 8 to 10 feet tall.

  • USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-7
  • Full sun to partial shade
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