Burris, Judy and Richards, Wayne. The Life Cycles of Butterflies. 2006. Storey Publishing, North Adams, MA.

Dennis, John V., and Tekulsky, Mathew. How to Attract Hummingbirds and Butterflies. 1991. Ortho Books, San Ramon, CA.

Ellis, Barbara. Attracting Birds & Butterflies: How to Plan and Plant a Backyard Habitat. 1997. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA.

Emmel, Thomas C. Butterfly Gardening: Creating a Butterfly Haven in Your Garden. 1997. Friedman Fairfax Publishing, New York, NY.

Lewis, Alcinda, Ed. Butterfly Gardens: Luring Nature’s Loveliest Pollinators to Your Yard. 1995. Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn, NY.

Schneck, Marcus. Butterflies: How to Identify and Attract Them to Your Garden. 1990. Rodale Press, Emmaus, PA.

Sedenko, Jerry. The Butterfly Garden: Creating Beautiful Gardens to Attract Butterflies. 1991. Villard Books, New York.

Stokes, Donald, and Stokes, Lillian. The Butterfly Book: An Easy Guide to Butterfly Gardening, Identification and Behavior. 1991. Little, Brown, Boston, MA.

Xerces Society/Smithsonian Institution. Butterfly Gardening. 1990. Sierra Club Books.

Associations:

Butterfly Society of Virginia, Membership Chairman, 510 McCosh, Chesapeake, VA 23320

Lepidopterists’ Society, 1608 Presidio Way, Roseville, CA 95661

North American Butterfly Association (NABA), 4 Delaware Road, Morristown, NJ 07960.

Washington Area Butterfly Club, c/o Pat Durkin, 23 Logan Circle, NW, Washington, DC 20005.

Xerces Society, 4828 Southeast Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, OR 97215

Where to Buy Butterfly Plants in the DC Metro Area:

Saturdays, April 5 - May 10
Alexandria, VA
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Green Spring Gardens Park holds weekly Garden Markets from April through mid-May. Vendor choice varies weekly but is always good! Green Spring Gardens Park is at 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA. 703-642-5173.

Saturday, April 26
Washington, D.C.
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Thousands of plants, some hard to find anywhere else, are ripe for the picking at the Friends of the National Arboretum Garden Fair and Plant Sale. Proceeds benefit National Arboretum programs. Held in the New York Avenue parking lot of the National Arboretum, 3501 New York Avenue, NE Washington, D.C. 202-245-2726.

Saturday, April 26
Frederick County, MD
9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
The Audubon Society of Central Maryland (ASCM) holds a native plant sale at the Audrey Carroll Audubon Sanctuary in Frederick County, MD. 301-831-5060.

Saturday, April 26
Alexandria, VA
9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
The Parkfairfax Native Plant Sale is held at 3601 Valley Drive, Alexandria, Virginia.

Sunday, April 27
Baltimore, MD
12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
This is our second and final public plant sale for the season! The Herring Run Native Plant Nursery has a tremendous selection of native shrubs and trees, as well as a number of native perennials to choose from. Thanks to a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust and Baltimore County's Growing Home Campaign, we can offer exceptional deals on most of our plants. Come on out and see for yourself! Herring Run Native Plant Nursery, 6131 Hillen Rd., Baltimore, MD 21239. 410-254-1577.

Friday, May 2 and Saturday, May 3
Washington, DC
Friday 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.; Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
The annual Washington National Cathedral Flower Mart is held at the Cathedral in northwest Washington, D.C. and includes plants of all kinds, Olmsted Woods and Garden tours, and horticulture and landscape exhibits and events.

Saturday, May 3
Prince Frederick, MD
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
The Battle Creek Cypress Swamp Herb and Native Plant Sale is held at Battle Creek Cypress Swamp, 2880 Grays Rd., Prince Frederick, MD.

Saturday, May 3
Ocean Pines, MD (Worcester County)
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
The Assateague Coastal Trust holds a native plant sale at the Ocean Pines Library, 11107 Cathell Road, Ocean Pines, MD 21811. Advance orders are encouraged, as popular plants sell out quickly. Call the ACT office at 410-629-1538 or visit their plant sale Web page.

Saturday and Sunday, May 3 - 4
Greenville, DE
Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Sunday Noon - 5:00 p.m.
The Delaware Nature Society's Native Plant Sale features over 275 rare, unusual, and favorite varieties of native wildflowers, trees, shrubs, ferns and aquatic plants for all growing conditions, including drought-tolerant. Some are introductions from the nearby Mt. Cuba Center and many species attract wildlife such as birds and butterflies. Held at the Delaware Nature Society's Coverdale Farm, 543 Way Road, Greenville, DE 19807. 302-239-2334.

Sunday, May 4
Chevy Chase, MD
11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
The Audubon Naturalist Society's Audubon Nature Fair includes native plants for sale. Woodend Sanctuary is located at 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD.

Saturday, May 10
Manassas, VA
9:00 a.m. - noon
The Prince William Wildflower Society's annual native plant sale is held on the grounds of Bethel Lutheran Church, on Plantation Lane just off Sudley Road in Manassas, VA. 703-361-5125.

Saturday, May 10
Baltimore, MD
8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
The Cylburn Arboretum holds a plant sale during its spring Market Day. Cylburn Arboretum is located at 4915 Greenspring Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21209.

Saturday, May 10
Ridgely, MD
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
The Adkins Arboretum's Spring Native Plant Sale features a wide range of trees, shrubs, grasses, and perennial herbaceous plants, most native to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Adkins Arboretum staff and Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer your plant and gardening questions and there will be a sale of used nature-themed books and magazines. The Arboretum’s gift shop will be open, offering the latest new books on gardening and other great gifts for gardeners. Visit their Web site to download the Spring Plant Sale list. Adkins Arboretum is at 12610 Eveland Road, Ridgely, MD. Please contact Sylvan Kaufman with questions at skaufman@adkinsarboretum.org or 410-634-2847, ext. 24.

Saturday, May 10
Wheaton, MD
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
The Silver Spring Garden Club sponsors an annual Silver Spring Garden Mart at Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue Wheaton, MD.

Saturday and Sunday, May 10 - May 11
Boyce, VA
9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. both days
Garden Fair is a huge plant and garden supply sale held every Mother's Day weekend. The Virginia State Arboretum Blandy Experimental Farm is located at 400 Blandy Farm Lane in Boyce, VA.

Friday and Saturday, May 16 and 17
Boyds, MD
Friday 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Join the Friends of Black Hill Nature Programs for an Open House of the new greenhouse! Enjoy free light refreshments as you shop for native wildflowers for your yard and garden. Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. 301-972-3476.

Saturday, May 17
Alexandria, VA
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Green Spring Gardens Park's most popular sale is their Spring Garden Day, with over 40 vendors offering a wide variety of plants. Green Spring is located at 4603 Green Spring Road in Alexandria, VA. 703-642-5173.

The Tawes Garden holds a May spring plant sale. The Tawes State Office Building is located at 580 Taylor Avenue in Annapolis, MD.

Adkins Arboretum holds a fall native plant sale in early September. Adkins Arboretum is located at 12610 Eveland Road in Ridgely, MD.

Brookside Gardens holds a September plant sale with a large selection of quality perennials, shrubs, and trees plus interesting and unusual plants. Brookside Gardens is located at 1800 Glenallan Avenue in Wheaton, MD.

Long Branch Nature Center holds a fall plant sale in September featuring plants propagated in their own gardens. Held at Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington, VA.

The large Winterthur GardenFair is held on a September weekend and features plant sales and vendors, lectures, and how-to demos. Visit www.gardenfair.org for complete details. Winterthur is on Rt. 52, Kennett Pike, Winterthur, DE 19735.

VNPS and the Garden Gate Plant Shop usually hold a fall plan sale in conjunction with a related gardening event. Green Spring Gardens Park is located at 4603 Green Spring Road in Alexandria, VA.

Parkfairfax holds a fall native plant sale in late September. The sale is at 3601 Valley Drive in Alexandria, Virginia.

ArborFest, the Virginia State Arboretum's annual fall festival and plant sale, is held in October of each year. Blandy Experimental Farm is at 400 Blandy Farm Lane in Boyce, VA.

The Delaware Native Plant Society sale is held in November at the St. Jones National Estuarine Research Reserve, located at 818 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover, Delaware.

The earliest native plant sale is in March, held at the National Arboretum in conjunction with the annual Lahr Symposium. The National Arboretum is at 3501 New York Avenue, NE, Washington, D.C.

The Long Branch Wildflower Sale offers a selection of native plants in April. Long Branch Nature Center is at 625 S. Carlin Springs Rd. in Arlington, VA.

The American Horticultural Society plant sale offers a variety of new and uncommon trees, shrubs, herbs, perennials, annuals, and other plants in mid-April. River Farm is at 7931 East Boulevard Drive in Alexandria, VA.

The annual Leesburg Flower & Garden Festival is located throughout historic downtown Leesburg, VA in mid-April.

Local Nurseries:

Chesapeake Natives Inc., 326 Boyd Avenue #2, Takoma Park, MD 20912. Please see Web site for information on obtaining plants. Nonprofit organization supports use of local ecotype wildflowers and grasses; all genetic material is indigenous to the Chesapeake Watershed. Can contract grow most species native to the Chesapeake Watershed.

The Garden Gate Plant Shop, Green Spring Gardens Park, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA. Monday–Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and Sunday noon - 4:00 p.m. Features plants grown at Green Spring that are especially well-suited to Fairfax County climate and growing conditions. Located behind the Horticulture Center. 703-642-5173.

Hyla Brook Farm, 270 Valentine Mill Road, Louisa, VA 23093. This nursery provides only native plants that benefit wildlife. They are a mail order retail nursery offering a full range of container grown native perennials, shrubs, and vines. They will also contract grow plants at your request. 540-967-6160.

Native Seeds Inc., 14590 Triadelphia Mill Road, Dayton, MD 21036. Seeds only. Free catalog. 301-596-9818.

Nature by Design, 300 Calvert Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22301. Offers an outstanding range of native trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals, including many unavailable elsewhere in the Washington area. They also offer a carefully chosen selection of well-behaved non-natives, including tropicals hardy enough for Washington winters. 703-683-GROW (4769).

Wings and Wildflowers Nursery, Denise Gibbs, Damascus, MD.  Specializing in nectar and host plants for local butterflies, with emphasis on milkweeds for monarchs.  Also, plugs of native meadow plants available.  By appointment only from April 15 to Sept 15.  301-253-6903; monarch301@verizon.net

Also see native plant sources at:

The Maryland Native Plant Society

The Virginia Native Plant Society

© Washington Area Butterfly Club
Barbara Farron
February 2000
Updated periodically