Plants For Our Region 
Butterfly Plants
Butterfly Plants
- Butterfly Weed
- Cassia
- Cuphea
- Dutchmans Pipe Vine
- Fennel
- Gomphrena
- Henry Duelberg Salvia
- Mexican Mint Marigold
- Passion Flower Vine
- Texas Flowery Senna
- Tithonia
- Zinnia
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
| Family | Apocynaceae |
| Description | Long-lived perennial; extremely hardy once established; 1 to 3 feet tall; grow in full sun in well drained soil |
| Plant Habit | Orange or yellow clustered flowers at the top of branched hairy stems; blooms from early Summer to early Fall; member of the milkweed family but does not produce milky sap when broken |
| Nectar for Butterfly or Host Plant for Caterpillar |
Nectar source for many butterfly species and hummingbirds Host for Monarch, Queen and Grey Hairstreak |
| Species of Butterfly | Many species |
Cassia
Cassia fistula
| Family | Fabaceae |
| Description | Deciduous tree |
| Plant Habit | Fast growing medium sized tree |
| Nectar for Butterfly or Host Plant for Caterpillar | Host |
| Species of Butterfly | Cloudless Sulphur |
Cuphea
Cuphea ignea
| Family | Lythraceae |
| Description | Low growing bushy to mounding |
| Plant Habit | Flowering perennial |
| Nectar for Butterfly or Host Plant for Caterpillar | Nectar |
| Species of Butterfly | Many species |
Dutchmans Pipe Vine
Aristolochia
| Family | Aristolochiaceae |
| Description | Evergreen vine with twining stem |
| Plant Habit | Full sun; vines 8-10 ft |
| Nectar for Butterfly or Host Plant for Caterpillar | Host |
| Species of Butterfly | Swallowtails |
Fennel
Foeniculum vulgare
| Family |
Apiaceae |
| Description | Highly aromatic herb; feathery leaves |
| Plant Habit | Hardy; perennial |
| Nectar for Butterfly or Host Plant for Caterpillar | Host |
| Species of Butterfly | Black Swallowtail |
Gomphrena
Strawberry Fields
Gomphrena haageana - pink to red
Gomphrena globosa - purple
| Family | Amaranthaceae |
| Common Names |
Gomphrena, Globe Amaranth, Batchelor's Buttons 'Strawberry Fields' - pink to red 'Buddy' - purple |
| Description | Annual; up to 24 inches; full sun; drought tolerant but performs better in summer heat with regular watering |
| Plant Habit | Clover-like flowerheads on upright stems from Summer until frost. Cut flowers dry well and retain color. |
| Nectar for Butterfly or Host Plant for Caterpillar |
Nectar |
| Species of Butterfly | Many species |
Henry Duelberg Salvia
Salvia farinacea
| Family |
Laminaceae |
| Description | Bushy |
| Plant Habit | Heat tolerant perennial |
| Nectar for Butterfly or Host Plant for Caterpillar | Nectar |
| Species of Butterfly | Many species |
Mexican Mint Marigold
Tagetes lucida
| Family |
Asteraceae |
| Description | Tidy upright bush |
| Plant Habit | Fall blooming perennial |
| Nectar for Butterfly or Host Plant for Caterpillar | Nectar |
| Species of Butterfly | Many species |
Passion Flower Vine
Passiflora incarnata
| Family |
Passifloraceae |
| Description | Flowering vine with 5-lobed leaves |
| Plant Habit | Soft stemmed vine, some are evergreen |
| Nectar for Butterfly or Host Plant for Caterpillar | Host |
| Species of Butterfly | Gulf Fritillary |
Texas Flowery Senna
Cassia corymbosa
| Family | Fabaceae |
| Description | Perennial; grows up to 10 feet; full sun; branched evergreen shrub |
| Plant Habit | Columnar, irregular growth habit; long lasting, showy and unusual yellow flowers that bloom from Summer to Winter |
| Nectar for Butterfly or Host Plant for Caterpillar |
Host for Cloudless Sulphur Nectar for many species |
| Species of Butterfly | Many species |
Tithonia
Tithonia rotundiflora
| Family |
Asteraceae |
| Description | Stiff hairy stems; stout gangly habit |
| Plant Habit | Drought/heat tolerant annual |
| Nectar for Butterfly or Host Plant for Caterpillar | Nectar |
| Species of Butterfly | Many species |
Zinnia
Zinnia elegans
| Family |
Asteraceae |
| Description | Solitary flowers on stiff hairy stems |
| Plant Habit | annual; full to part sun |
| Nectar for Butterfly or Host Plant for Caterpillar | Nectar |
| Species of Butterfly | Many species |