Plants for Butterflies

Butterfy Plants for Southern Climates

Use this button to download a more detailed list of butterfly plants for Brevard County. List is in PDF Format

Select scientific name for more information.
(Plant links from Floridata.com and enature.com, when available)

LARVAL PLANTS for BREVARD BUTTERFLIES - FOR THE EGGS AND CATERPILLARS - Native plants in italics
To Attract	Larval Food	Scientific Name
Swallowtails
Pipevine Swallowtail Polydamus Swallowtail	Dutchman's Pipe	Aristolochia spp.
Zebra Swallowtail	Paw Paw	Asimina spp.
Black Swallowtail	Dill Fennel Parsley Rue Snakeroot	Anethum graveolens Feoniculum vulgare Petroselinium crispum Ruta graveolens Eryngium yuccifolium
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail	Black Cherry Green Ash Sweet Bay White Ash	Prunus serotina Fraxinus pennsylvanica Magnolia virginiana Fraxinus americana
Spicebush Swallowtail	Camphor Tree Sassafras Spicebush Swamp Bay	Cinnamonum camphora Sassafras albidum Lindera benzoin Persea palustris
Giant Swallowtail	Hercules' Club Hop Tree Rue Wild Lime	Zanthoxylum clava-hercules Ptelea trifoliata Ruta graveolens Zanthoxylum fagara
Whites	Virginia Peppergrass	Lepidium virginicum
Sulphurs	Cassia Necklace Pod	Cassia sp. Sophora tomentosa
Hairstreaks	Live oak Wax Myrtle Winged Sumac	Quercus virginiana Myrica cerifera Rhus copallina
Heliconians and Fritallaries	Blue passionvine Corky-stemmed passion vine Maypop	Passiflora caerulea Passiflora suberosa Passiflora incarnata
Monarchs and Queens	Mexican Milkweed Swamp Milkweed White Milkweed	Asclepias curassavica Asclepias incarnata Asclepias perennis
Skippers	Beggar's Tick	Bidens sp.

FLOWERS - FOR THEIR NECTAR
SHRUBS
Common name	Scientific name	Color	Season	Sun
Butterfly bush	Buddleia spp	varied	Sp-F	FS/PS
Firebush	Hamelia patens	red	Sp-W	FS/PS
Lantana	Lantana camara	varied	Sp-W	FS
Rosemary	Rosmarinus officinalis	blue	W-Sp	FS
Glossy abelia	Abelia X grandiflora	pink	Sp-F	FS/PS
Tarflower	Befaria racemosa	white/pink	S	FS
False Heather	Cuphea hyssopifolia	lavendar	Sp-W	FS/PS
Hibiscus	Hibiscus spp.	varied	Sp-W	FS/PS
Plumbago	Plumbago auriculata	lavender	Sp-F	FS/PS
Viburnum	Viburnum spp.	white	Sp	PS
PERENNIALS
Scarlet milkweed	Asclepias tuberosa	orange	S-F	FS
Stokes' Aster	Stokesia laevis	white/blue	S-F	PS
Purple coneflower	Echinacea purpurea	purple	S	FS
Sunflower	Helianthus spp.	yellow	S-F	FS
Blazing-star	Liatris spp.	purple	S-F	FS
Mint	Mentha, Nepeta,etc.	lavender	Sp-F	FS
Pentas	Pentas lanceolata	varied	Sp-F	FS
Blue phlox	Phlox divaricata	blue	Sp	PS
Phlox	Phlox floridana	lavender	Sp-S	FS
Salvia	Salvia spp.	varied	S-F	FS
Sedum	Sedum spectabile	red	F-W	FS/PS
Blue porterweed	Stachytarpheta jamaicensis	blue	Sp-F	FS
Thyme	Thymus spp.	purple	Sp-F	FS
Coastal verbena Tampa vervain	Verbena maritima verbena tampensis	varied	Sp-F	FS
Yarrow	Achillea millefolium	varied	S	FS
Dotted Horsemint	Monarda punctata	purple	S	FS/PS
ANNUALS
Ageratum	Ageratum spp.	blue	Sp-S	FS
Borage	Borago officinalis	blue	S-F	FS
Cosmos	Cosmos bipinnatus	varied	S	FS
Flowering tobacco	Nicotiana alata	varied	S	FS/PS
Small scabious	Scabiosa columbaria	varied	S-F	FS
Shasta daisy	Chrysanthemum spp.	white	Sp-S	FS/PS
Sweet william	Dianthus spp.	varied	Sp-W	FS/PS
Gaillardia	Gaillardia pulchella	yellow/red	Sp-S	FS
Strawflower	Helichrysum spp.	varied	Sp-S	FS
Phlox	Phlox drummondii	varied	Sp-S	FS
Black-eyed susan	Rudbeckia hirta	yellow	S	FS
Marigold	Tagetes spp.	yellow	Sp-F	FS
Zinnia	Zinnia spp.	varied	Sp-F	FS
VINES
Mexican flame vine	Senecio confusus	orange	S	FS/PS

Sp=Spring S=Summer F=Fall W=Winter FS=Full Sun PS=Partial Sun

Sources of Information:

Butterfly Gardening in Brevard County
by Sally Scalera, Extension Agent-Horticulture

Your Florida Guide to Butterfly Gardening: A Guide for the Deep South
by Jaret C. Daniels

Butterflies of North America Butterflies of Brevard County, Florida ***Excellent Website
By Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center

Maple Street Natives Website