There are over a 100 species of butterfly in Northern Virginia. Many of them can be encouraged to call your yard home with a little planning ahead of time. There are just a few basic principles to keep in mind if you want to attract the maximum number of butterflies.

Avoid using pesticides and herbicides. Butterflies are insects and so are obviously very susceptible to them.

Shelter. Provide some protection from the wind. Gardens planted without something acting as a windbreak will not get as many butterflies.

Plant for continuous blooms. Butterflies need to feed from spring through fall. A burst of flowers will only keep them around for that short period of time. A succession of blooms will keep different species around the whole growing season. Deadheading (cutting off of spent blooms) will keep many plants re-blooming.

Mass plantings. You want to attract their attention from afar. It's much easier to see a bunch of the same flowers blooming together than a few plants mixed in here and there.

Host plants. A true butterfly garden provides food for the caterpillars. If there are no young, there'll be no adults. Since many butterflies are very picky as to what their caterpillars feed on (called host plants), you must include these specific plants in your plans. A list of host plants suitable for our area follows.

Provide basking sites. All insects are cold blooded so must warm up before being able to fly or do anything else for that matter. A flat rock or bare spot in full sun will allow them to bask and reach the right body temperature.

Puddling areas. Provide damp spots or depressions for the butterflies (particularly the males) to drink from and extract salts and minerals from the soil.

Locate your garden in sunny spot. A sunny location allows the butterflies to warm up and allows for a better diversity of blooming plants. Many plants bloom better with more sunlight so an area receiving at least 5-6 hours of sun is preferable.

Avoid double flowers. Double flowers and many cultivars sacrifice nectar for the extra color. They are poor choices to attract butterflies. Choose single flowered varieties and natives when possible, they not only provide more nectar but the butterflies have evolved with them and usually prefer them to all others. Planting natives also helps protect habitat. Butterflies and other pollinators are capable of learning; they will learn to regularly visit gardens that reward them with nectar.

Flower color and shape. Butterflies definitely have favorites. That often has to do with certain colors and flower shape. Butterfly plants often provide a landing platform for comfortable perching and many are composites so the feeding butterfly can get plenty of nectar at a sitting. This makes it more likely the butterfly will learn to choose similar blooms from then on to feed on. This ensures better pollination as the butterfly looks for the same plant to feed on again. Favorite colors include purple, yellow, white and blue. Red is not usually visible to many species of butterflies and bees. Butterflies can also see many shades of colors that we cannot so what may appear as a simple white flower to us may appear as having many nectar guides to the butterfly. Fragrant flowers are also usually preferred.

Following are favorite butterfly nectar sources for growing in Northern Virginia:

Asters: Many Aster species are native and wonderful for attracting butterflies. Care must be taken with some of the newer varieties. Both New England (A. novae-angliae) and New York (A. novi-belgii) are superior species. Most types can also serve as host plants for Pearl Crescent Butterflies. White Wood Aster (A. divaricatus) is very shade hardy but does not attract as many butterfly species. Most of the Heath Asters are also good. Most are fall bloomers and can be cut back around July 4th to encourage bushier growth.

Blazing Star: Gayfeathers (Liatris spp.) are native perennial plants usually growing 2-3ft tall and appreciating full sun. They are very drought tolerant once established and don't take up much space with their vertical growth habit. Most species are great butterfly plants for the front of the garden.

Butterfly Bush: Buddleia davidii is a non-native shrub that is a butterfly magnet. It should be cutback aggressively in early spring to about a foot high since it only blooms on new wood. Deadhead it vigorously and it will bloom right up to frost (this will also keep it from spreading since there is some concern in some parts of the country that it can become invasive). Beware that some species of butterfly bush should not be cut back. Butterflies seem to prefer purple to most other colors but will use almost any of the varieties.

Butterfly Weed: Asclepias tuberosa is a native orange milkweed that can also sometimes serve as a host plant for Monarch butterflies. It likes full sun and is drought tolerant once established.

Button Bush: Cephalanthus occidentalis or Honeyballs is a native shrub with globular white flowers. It is very tolerant of wet conditions but can also easily grow in regular garden soil. It attracts numerous nighttime insects including moths.

Coreopsis: Coreopsis species or Tickseeds are perennials that like sun and can be drought tolerant. There are several native species.

Cupplant: Silphium perfoliatum is tall native perennial that should be cut back around July 4th to keep it bushier. It can be used as a background plant and its unusual square stem and cupping leaves add interest. The yellow flowers are easy for butterflies to see and it is somewhat tolerant of shade and wet conditions. Many birds (including hummingbirds) visit the leaves to drink and bathe. Finches love to feed on the seed heads.

Dogbane: The various Indian Hemp or Apocynum species are one of the top native butterfly plants there are. Approximately 40 butterfly species have been found to utilize dogbane in Virginia. They can spread very vigorously however in favorable, full sun sites so care should be taken where they are planted. Deadheading spent flowers sometimes helps in getting re-blooms. Also note that like the similar milkweeds, they are toxic if eaten and were once used extensively for cordage by native peoples.

Fleabane: (Erigeron spp). These native perennials bloom early when few other nectar sources are available and can take some shade. They can be cut back after flowering to make way for other blooms.

Goldenrods: Most of the Solidago species are attractive to butterflies, especially Monarchs. There are many native species and almost all bloom in the fall so they can be cut back around July 4th to keep them bushier. Most prefer full sun but Blue-stemmed Goldenrod (S. caesia) is very shade tolerant. Golden Fleece Goldenrod (S. phacelata) is semi-evergreen.

Joe Pye Weed: (Eupatorium maculatum, E. purpureum, E. fistulosum) These native perennials can grow quite big (6-8ft) and can tolerate wet conditions. They are best used as a background plant and cut back sharply around July 4th to keep them bushier and increase blooms. 'Gateway' is a shorter cultivar. They are somewhat shade tolerant.

Lantana: A non-native grown as an annual. L. montividensis seems to be preferred over the more common L. camara.

Mistflower: Eupatotrium coelestinum or Wild Ageratum is a native perennial that usually grows less than 3ft high and tolerates shade and wet conditions. It can spread quickly in sunnier conditions.

Monarda: (Monarda spp.) These native perennials (including Bee Balm and Wild Bergamot) are also great for attracting hummingbirds and bees. They bloom better in full sun. Like many mints, they can spread aggressively by underground rhizomes.

Mountain Mint: (Pycnanthemeum spp.) There are many native species of this perennial. They don't generally grow as tall as Monardas but can also spread vigorously. Some people plant them near walkways to keep them from spreading but also so people can bump into them, releasing their minty scent.

New Jersey Tea: (Ceanothus americanus) Sometimes called Wild Snowball, Mountain Snowball, or Mountain Sweet, this 3ft native shrub often blooms in late spring/early summer when there might not be much else blooming to provide nectar. It can tolerate some shade and dry conditions also. It sometimes is also visited by hummingbirds and is sometimes used as a host plant by certain Spring Azures and the rare Mottled Duskywing Skipper.

New York Ironweed: Vernonia noveboracensi is a tall (4-8ft) native perennial with purple flower heads that can tolerate some shade and wet conditions. It can be cutback around Jul 4th to keep it shorter and be used as a background plant. Several other Ironweeds (Vernonia spp.) are also quite good nectar sources with Upland Ironweed (V. glauca) preferring somewhat drier conditions.

Oxeye Sunflower: (Heliopsis heliathoides) Sometimes called Smooth (or Sweet) Oxeye or Orange (or False) Sunflower, this native perennial usually grows 3-4ft high and prefers full sun. It tends to come out late in the spring (so mark its location well), birds eat its seeds, and it makes a good cut flower.

Purple Coneflower: (Echinacea purpurea) A native 2-3ft perennial that can be grown in partial shade. Seed heads are favorites of finches. Many of the coneflower species are good nectar sources.

Rudbeckias: Rudbeckias include many native perennials that are attractive to butterflies and can provide seed for birds. Black-eyed Susans (R. hirta) are the best known but most types are good. Brown-eyed Susans (R. triloba) are smaller flowered and shorter lived but freely re-seed themselves and are more shade tolerant. Rudbeckias are also sometimes called Coneflowers. Showy Coneflower (R. speciosa) also works quite well.

Stoke's Aster: Stokesia laevis is not a true aster. This perennial, native south of here, can grow to 4ft but can be cut back around July 4th to encourage shorter, bushier growth. This also helps since it often has weak stems that can bend easily when it gets too tall or after a storm. Its beautiful flowers (which are good for cutting due to the long stems), semi-evergreen rosette, and interesting leaf-growth habit also help make it attractive in the landscape.

Stonecrop: Sedum spectabile is a non-native perennial stonecrop that can tolerate drought and heat. Some cultivars do not seem to attract butterflies as well. Better stick to varieties such as "Autumn Joy", "Matrona", "Meteor", or "Herbstfreude".

Swamp Milkweed: (Asclepias incarnata) This native milkweed is not only a host plant to Monarchs but attracts numerous other kinds of butterflies. It does not have to be in wet conditions but does prefer sun. Please not that all of the milkweed species are great for butterflies. Common Milkweed (A. syriaca) is also loved by moths but can spread underground to unwanted locations. Green Milkweed (A. viridiflora) is not showy but is shade tolerant. Bloodflower (A. curassavica), a non-native, can only be grown as an annual.

Thistle: (Cirsium spp.) Although great for butterflies, many species like Canada and Bull Thistle are extremely invasive. Better to go with the non-native, perennial Globe Thistle (Echinops ritro) which is drought tolerant and needs full sun.

Wild Blue Phlox: (Phlox divaricata) A short native perennial that blooms in April when there are very few other nectar sources out there and is a favorite of swallowtail butterflies. Many of the garden phloxes were derived from this and other native phloxes and can be good nectar sources for butterflies (they sometimes respond well to deadheading). Creeping phloxes on the other hand tend to be quite poor at attracting most butterfly species.

Many other plants can also be good at attracting butterflies (natives are marked with an asterisk): abelia, *blackberry, blanket flower (Gaillardia spp.), blue mist shrub (Caryopteris), red and white clovers, cosmos, French marigolds, globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa), heliotrope, lavender, Mexican sunflower (Tithonia spp.), ox-eye daisy, *pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata), pincushion flower (Scabiosa), *sneezeweed (Helenium autmnale), sweet alyssum, *sweet spire (Itea virginica), *sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifilia), *tickseed sunflower (Bidens coronata), verbena, and zinnia.

There are other things that also attract butterflies that you may or may not want to include. Some folks for instance leave pieces of smashed fruit or even beer/wine out to attract those butterfly species that prefer to feed on sap and rotting fruits. That can also attract things like yellow-jackets, rats, and raccoons however. The commercially available butterfly feeders do not always work as well as advertised either, but you can try 1 part sugar to 18 parts water or Gatorade. Butterfly boxes sold for butterflies to hibernate in almost never work, better to spend the money on plants.

Most butterflies are very particular as to what plants they will lay their eggs on. Most butterflies must have specific host plants to reproduce. Following are a list of larval food sources for some common butterflies in Northern Virginia.

American Lady	Pussytoes, Everlastings, Cudweeds
Azures (many species)	Flowers of Dogwoods, Cherry, Holly, New Jersey Tea, Viburnams, Meadowsweet, Black Cohosh, Wingstem
Black Swallowtail	Dill, Parsley, Carrot, Fennel, Rue, Golden Alexanders, Queen Anne's Lace
Buckeye	Gerardia, Plantain, Snapdragons, Toadflax, Foxglove, Ruelia, Monkey Flower, Verbena
Cabbage White	Crucifers, Mustards, Nasturtiums (please note this is a non-native and you may not want to attract it if you grow certain leafy vegetables.)
Clouded Sulfur	Clovers
Cloudless & Little Sulfurs	Cassias including Sennas, Partridge Pea, Wild Sensitive Plant
Comma	Nettle, False Nettle, Elm, Hops, Hackberry
Eastern Tailed Blue	Clovers, Vetch, Trefoils, Peas, Legumes
Snout & Emperors (including Tawny & Hackberry)	Hackberry (Celtis spp.)
Fritillaries	Violets, Pansies
Monarch	Milkweed species
Mourning Cloak	Willows, American Elm, Aspens, Hackberry
Orange (Alfalfa) Sulfur	Alfalfa, Clovers, Wild Indigos, Vetches
Painted Lady	Thistles, Mallows, Hollyhock, Borages, Artemisias
Pearl Crescent	Asters
Pipevine Swallowtail	Dutchman's Pipe, Pipevines, Virginia Snakeroot
Question Mark	Basswood, Elm, False Nettle, Hackberry, Hops, Nettle
Red Admiral	Nettles, False Nettle, Pennsylvania Pellitory
Red Spotted Purple	Cherries, Serviceberries, Aspens, Cottonwood, Willows, Scrub and Black Oak
Silver-Spotted Skipper	Black Locust, Honeylocust, Wisteria, Kudzu, Sticktights, Groundnut, Lespedeza, Legumes
Skippers (many types) Also Satyrs, Wood Nymphs, Pearly Eyes, and Browns	Native Grasses and Sedges, especially Purpletop, Bluestems, Rice Cutgrass, Panic Grasses, Lovegrass, Bottle Brush, Plume Grasses, Wild Oats, most Carex species
Sootywings (Common and Hayhurst's)	Lamb's Quarters, occasionally Amaranths and Celosia
Spicebush Swallowtail	Sassafras, Spicebush
Tiger Swallowtail, Eastern	Tulip Tree, Wild Black Cherry, Ash, Spicebush, Basswood, Wafer Ash, Sweetbay, Lilac, Shadbush
Viceroy	Willows, Aspens, occasionally Cottonwood
Zebra Swallowtail	Pawpaw