With spring in full bloom, butterflies will soon be popping up everywhere, and while choosing the right plants is a good start, there are other ways to attract these fluttering pollinators to your garden.
• Keep your plants free of pesticides: Pesticides pose a threat to butterflies at all stages of their life, so it's important to first make sure your plants are free of pesticides that could harm the butterflies that visit your garden.
• Provide a water source: Butterflies need to drink water from time to time. A water source is very important to attract butterflies. A shallow dish filled with water and topped with flat stones is ideal. You can also create a muddy puddle to provide minerals and salt.
• Butterfly Food: The Pikes Peak region is home to a variety of butterfly-friendly plants. You don't need to create the perfect flower bed to attract butterflies; just provide a few of their favorite foods.
The ornamental plants below provide excellent nectar sources for butterflies and will add to the enjoyment of your garden.
1. Rudbeckia hirta (Black-eyed Susan) — This plant has a short life span but reseeds easily. It tolerates cold and wind fairly well and is a great edible plant for mid-season blooms.
2. Penstemon (Beard Tongue) — There are many varieties of penstemon that grow in this area. They produce beautiful flowers even though there is very little water in this area.
3. Monarda (Bee Balm) — M. fistulosa can be a little trickier to manage, but it does best in moist, nutrient-rich soil.
4. Lupinus argenteus (Silver Lupine) — This native plant thrives in poor soil and doesn’t have any problems with Colorado’s extreme weather.
5. Gaillardia (Blanket Flower) — G. aristata is a heirloom. Sow seeds indoors for blooms the first year or buy seedlings. It's easy to flower and blooms for a long time.
6. Erysimum capitatum (Wallflower) — Wallflowers are very fragrant and usually grow on their own, so there's no need to sow seeds.
7. Achillea lanulosa (Yarrow) — If you're looking to attract butterflies without wasting water, Achillea lanulosa is a great choice. It's easy to grow and loves full sun.
Here is a list of butterfly host plants in El Paso County
• Food for caterpillars: Planting plants in your garden on which butterflies will lay their eggs will encourage them to stay in your garden and ensure future generations. Attracting caterpillars to your garden may seem like a bad idea, but they rarely do much damage to existing plants.
Host plants for caterpillars include:
• Asceplia sp. — Two species native to Colorado, Showy's Milkweed (A. speciosa) and Butterfly Weed (A. tuberosa), are hosts for the monarch butterfly.
• Willows and cottonwoods are home to many caterpillars, including swallowtail butterflies.
• Gambel oak, also known as scrub oak, is a host plant for the Colorado hairstreak and other caterpillars.
It's not too late to make your dream of watching butterflies from your porch come true.
Send your gardening questions to csumg2@elpasoco.com or call 719-520-7684. Our in-person help desk is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 9am to noon and 1pm to 4pm at 17 N. Spruce St. Find us on Facebook at Colorado Master Gardeners – El Paso County.
Send your gardening questions to csumg2@elpasoco.com or call 719-520-7684. Our in-person help desk is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 9am to noon and 1pm to 4pm at 17 N. Spruce St. Find us on Facebook at Colorado Master Gardeners – El Paso County.
