Perennials that Support Hummingbird & Butterfly Habitat

A wholesome habitat for wildlife offers more than flowers. When growing a place for hummingbirds and butterflies to find refuge, there are a few aspects to consider that will help meet all their needs.

Meeting Their Needs

Use shrubs, like Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles), Summersweet (Clethra) and Lilac (Syringa), to provide shelter as well as food for hummingbirds. Evergreen shrubs that are also winter nectar sources are important too – Winter Mahonia, and Winter Camellias (Camellia sasanqua and its hybrids).
Providing a shelter for butterflies on windy days is important too. With their delicate wings, consider incorporating grasses, like Feather Reed (Calamagrostis), Tufted Hair Grass (Deschampsia), or Fountain Grass (Pennisetum); or shrubs with soft foliage, like Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) and Spiraea, or Bluebeard (Caryopteris). The grace and texture of ornamental grasses also extends the beauty of the garden.
Dill, Fennel and Parsley promote and encourage successful swallowtail larvae. Milkweed is essential for Monarch reproduction. Violet (Viola) and Checkerbloom (Sidalcea) are specific larval host plants for some very picky feeders too, and a number of trees and shrubs, including Willow (Salix), Oak (Quercus), and Maple (Acer) provide both shelter and larval food sources.
A source of water is important to all wildlife. Butterflies prefer sipping from a shallow container filled with gravel and water; hummingbirds will use a birdbath but prefer moving water.
Hummingbirds feed nonstop, so hanging a hummingbird feeder near your garden will make it even more accommodating. Feeding near your flowers or vegetables has another benefit – in addition to nectar, hummingbirds eat large amounts of aphids!
To encourage adult butterflies to stay and lay eggs, it’s critical to provide plants that caterpillars can feed on. Keep in mind that things will be a bit “holey” as the caterpillars eat. If you love an immaculate garden you might want to focus more on feeding adults than providing fodder for the young.
If you’re trying to encourage the adult butterflies to reproduce it’s important to not spray pesticides. Omit the use of pesticides, even organic ones, on and around host plants.

Check out our blog on Creating a Harmonious Perennial Border for design guidance.

Perennials for Every Season

Below are herbaceous perennials that are known for being good sources of nectar and pollen, and are attractive to our small winged friends. Determine if your garden receives mostly sun or shade, then browse through the appropriate list.

A successful habitat ensures a year round of food supply, so we’ve also listed the approximate bloom times to help with your planning.