My Best Butterfly Plants for Summer

Everybody has been anxiously awaiting the summer influx of butterflies. They are a little late because, I guess, of the rains. Every day I am seeing a few more numbers and an occasional newcomer not spotted before this season.

At first glance I thought he was just another Tiger. Then I saw the black on his back and the lines of gold that distinguish a Black Swallowtail. The size gives him away, too. Tithonia was his nectar of choice.

Yellow Lantana is late getting started but this Checkerspot found it.

Pipevine Swallowtails are finding Pentas galore. The tall pinks and reds are their favorites but they find white Pentas to be good nectaring, too.

We're seeing Pipevines and Spicebush Swallowtails nectaring on the same plants.

Except for one plant that did not die back in winter,

Duranta is slow to bloom. This Gulf Frit found

the blooming one.

Pride of Barbados is blooming and Esperanza has commenced again.

I see Swallowtails visiting the Petunia patch but not in great numbers.

The best Butterfly attractions here at this time are

1. Tithonia
2. Pentas
3. Lantana
4. Pride of Barbados

Approaching fall, Pineapple Sage, Salvia leucantha and Duranta attract butterflies as well. Plantings for butterflies also provide nectar for hummingbirds. This morning I saw one on Tithonia and later on Pentas, happily sipping alongside butterflies.

Pentas and Pineapple Sage need carrying over winter as cuttings. I rooted more white Lantana for the bed on the south side of the greenhouse. Tithonia reseeds if you pull up the frost-killed plants and lay them with the seed heads where you want next year's plants to grow.

What are your best butterfly plants? 

Bloom Day Butterflies' Favorite Flowers

When I went out this morning it was starting to rain and my hoped-for Butterfly post was not to be on Seedscatterer. I showed Okra blossoms instead.

This afternoon when the rain stopped, butterflies came back out with the sun.

Swallowtail and Bee on Pride of Barbados, Tecoma stans behind.

Swallowtail on Caesalpinia pulcherrima

Sulphur on Lantana

Dusky Wing on Lantana

Gulf Frit on Tithonia

A Skipper on a Zinnia

The very favorite nectar plant right now is Tithonia.

I made two short butterfly videos so you can see.

Bloom Day is hosted by Carol of May Dreams Gardens. Visit Carol to show your Bloom Day blossoms and find many other Bloom Day posts.

Flowers and text are from the garden of Nell Jean blogged on Dotty Plants Journal in hot, humid Southwest Georgia.

What Do Butterflies Want? A Big Orange?

A new flock of butterflies are showing up. As the seasons change and new  broods hatch -- I saw a Spicebush Swallowtail drying his wings this afternoon -- tastes change. Pentas are blooming well now but have few visitors. Tecoma stans and Pride of Barbados have fewer visitors than usual. I don't have Porterweed this year, so cannot compare there.

Crocosmia is not as popular as it sometimes is.

Swallowtails are voting for orange Tithonia.

Once in a while, petunias get a visit.

Melampodium, never.

Lantana, usually.

Coneflower popularity has waned.

Tithonia, yes.

Notice the Muhly Grass is getting ready to bloom!

Gulf Frits and Bees agree. Tithonia.

Flowers and text are from the garden of Nell Jean blogged on Dotty Plants Journal in hot, humid Southwest Georgia.

Immortal Tithonia

One of my favorite reseeding annuals is Tithonia. The velvety stems and bright orange blooms make it a favorite and butterflies love it.

Tithonia is named for Tithonus, a legendary Trojan loved by Aurora, goddess of the Dawn, who turned him into a cicada when he continued to age after she asked  that he be made immortal but forgot to ask for eternal youth.

Tithonia rotundifolia with Mexican Hats Ratibida columnifera

and foliage of Duranta repens not yet in bloom.

On the other side of the bed is Lantana montevidensis.

Tithonia plants were left on this side of the bed last winter to compost in place.

The woods decay, the woods decay and fall,
The vapours weep their burthen to the ground,
Man comes and tills the field and lies beneath...

Tithonus by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Flowers and text are from the garden of Nell Jean blogged on Dotty Plants Journal in hot, humid Southwest Georgia.