Creating a Florida Native Butterly Garden

Did you know that Florida is home to over 200 species of butterflies, some of which cannot be found anywhere else on Earth? While many of these species are (or will be) at risk of extinction due to the increase in Florida residents and the clearing of space for new homes, you can contribute to their survival by planting a butterfly garden! 

Butterfly gardens are a win-win: they attract butterflies that are beautiful to the eye and relaxing to watch while supporting the pollination of flowers. Without butterflies (and other pollinators), there are no flowers; without flowers, there are no pollinators! 

Below are some pointers for building a butterfly garden to attract, feed, and protect these majestic creatures. 

Attracting Butterflies

When choosing plants for your butterfly garden, consider color, height, bloom time, and origin. Butterflies prefer flowers that are red, pink, orange, yellow, purple, and white. It’s best to vary plant height throughout the garden since different butterflies prefer plants at different heights. To attract butterflies year-round, choose plants that bloom at different times of the year. Butterflies are most active in mid to late summer, so you may want more plants that bloom during that timeframe. 

Butterflies are known for being picky when choosing where to lay their eggs. With over 170 of the 200 species of butterflies found in Florida being native to the Sunshine State, selecting plants that are native to Florida will exponentially increase the variety of butterflies you attract while benefiting the garden in many other ways (easier on the environment, reduce the need for fertilizer and pesticides, require little to no supplemental water, etc.).

Feeding Butterflies

Just like humans, butterflies need food and water. Provide a puddling station such as a bird bath or plant saucer with water and rocks, gravel, or sand. 

When considering what food is best for butterflies, it’s important to remember that adult and baby butterflies (caterpillars) require different plants. Adult butterflies get their nutrients from flowering nectar plants; however, they prefer to lay eggs on specific plants called “host plants.” For example, the Monarch, Queen, and Soldier butterflies use native milkweeds (Asclepias) as their host plant, whereas the Giant Swallowtail butterfly uses native wild lime (Zanthoxylum fagara) as their host plant. 

Protecting Butterflies 

A thriving butterfly garden includes some strategic considerations regarding the location and other components. Butterflies are cold-blooded and seek warmth in the morning, so place your garden in a spot that receives at least 5-6 hours of sunlight, preferably in the a.m. Other components that aid in providing warmth include flat stones, patches of soil, and even pavement. In addition, consider planting your garden near other trees, shrubs, or a log pile to protect your butterflies from the rain and predators. 

Lastly, keep your garden free of pesticides, which can be harmful and sometimes deadly to butterflies and their larvae. 

Building a butterfly garden is fun and so rewarding. The fruits of your labor will be a wonderful masterpiece full of life beyond beautiful flowers and butterflies. You will attract and support other pollinators like bees, moths, and even hummingbirds!