Backyard butterfly gardening is a rewarding endeavor as well a valuable contribution everyone can make to the health of the environment and the native butterfly population.
Attracting butterflies to your yard, or garden, is easier than you may think because the plants that are an integral part of a butterfly's life cycle grow unattended all around us. With minimal effort these natives can be incorporated into our private gardens.
Florida's native butterflies use Florida native plants, it's that simple. There really is no trick to it. The butterflies that pass through your landscape are native to our region of Florida and such have evolved to use our native plants to survive. Your ability to identify these native plants will enhance your butterfly gardening experience ten-fold. By taking advantage of natives, the plants that evolved to thrive in the native habitats, the butterfly gardener save time, money, labor, and give the butterflies what they need.
Take advantage of the wonderful native plants that Florida has to offer and you automatically provide for many of our beautiful native butterflies. Native wildflowers such as Spanish needles and leaf sage are invaluable nectare sources for feeding adult butterflies and can be found growing in lawns, garden beds, parking lots, and roadsides. Florida milk pea and toadflax, two examples of native considered " useless weeds", provide larval food for butterflies without any work on the part of the gardener as they readily volunteer wherever allowed.
Give a little space some time to these natives in your garden and let them flower. Let them reseed. This will be a win for both butterfly and you. My humble garden becomes absolutely crowded at times with these fascinating and beautiful creatures. With minimal planning and care, your efforts will be handsomely rewarded!
by Sharon R. Laplante