May 30, 2018
Plants for Butterfly Larvae, Butterflies and Hummingbirds
The most beautiful gardens are loaded with insects and adored by birds. Among my favorites are caterpillars, butterflies and hummingbirds. To attract them to your yard, provide plants and trees for their entire life cycle.
There are so many flowers, plants and trees that butterflies and hummingbirds love, that I couldn’t possibly list them all. Below is just a sampling that I have grown in my yard. Birds, butterflies and pollinators love diversity, but they especially appreciate plants and trees that are native to your region. If you’re not sure what is native to your area, do an internet search for the native plant society for your state or region.
| Herbs | Larvae | Butterfly | Hummers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basil |  |
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| Borage | |
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| Chives | |
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| Calendula | |
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| Cilantro |  |
Dill | |
| Echinacea | |
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| Fennel | |
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| Hyssop | |
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| Lavender – Lavendula | |
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| Mint | |
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| Oregano | |
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| Parsley | |
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| Rosemary | |
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| Sage | |
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| Savory | |
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| Thyme | |
| Annuals & Perennials | Larvae | Butterfly | Hummers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agapanthus | |
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| Agastache | |
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| Alstroemeria | |
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| Alyssum – Lobularia marítima | |
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| Aster | |
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| Bee Balm – Monarda | |
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| Borage | |
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| Buckwheat – Erigonum | |
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| Candytuft – Iberis | |
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| Clarkia | |
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| Cleome | |
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| Columbine – Aquilegia | |
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| Coneflower – Echinacea | |
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| Coreopsis | |
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| Cosmos | |
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| Delphinium | |
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| Dianthus | |
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| Foxglove – Digitalis purpurea | |
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| Fuschia | |
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| Gaillardia | |
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| Geranium – Pelargonium | |
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| Gladiolus | |
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| Heliotrope | |
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| Heuchera | |
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| Hollyhock – Alcea rosea | |
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| Impatiens | |
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| Jupiter’s Beard – Centranthus ruber | |
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| Larkspur | |
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| Liatris | |
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| Linaria – Linaria purpurea | |
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| Lobelia | |
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| Lupine – Lupinus | |
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| Mallow – Malva | |
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| Marigold – Tagetes | |
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| Milkweed – Asclepias | |
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| Monkey Flower – Mimulus | |
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| Penstemon | |
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| Pincushion – Scabiosa | |
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| Ranunculus | |
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| Rudbeckia | |
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| Salvia | |
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| Santa Barbara Daisy – Erigeron karvinskianus | |
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| Sedum | |
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| Shasta Daisy – Chrysanthemum maximum | |
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| Snapdragon – Antirrhinum majus | |
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| Speedwell – Veronica | |
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| Strawberry | |
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| Sunflower – Helianthus annuus | |
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| Thrift – Armeria | |
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| Verbena | |
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| Wallflower – Erysimum cheiri | |
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| Wisteria | |
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| Yarrow – Achillea millefolium | |
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| Zinnia | |
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| Ground Covers, Vines, Shrubs, Trees | Larvae | Butterfly | Hummers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abutilon | |
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| Apple | |
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| Bluebeard – Caryopteria | |
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| Butterfly Bush – Buddleja | |
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| Ceanothus | |
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| Desert Willow – Chilopsis linearis | |
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| Elderberry – Sambucus | |
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| Honeysuckle – Lonicera | |
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| Lantana | |
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| Manzanita – Arctostaphylos | |
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| Oak – Quercus | |
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| Pine – Pinus | |
Pipevine – Aristolochia macrophylla or californica | |
| Redbud – Cercis occidentalis | |
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| Rose – Rosa | |
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| Rosemary – Rosmarinus officinalis | |
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| Spirea | |
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| Sycamore – Platanus | |
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| Texas Ranger – Leucophylum | |
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| Toyon – Heteromeles arbutifolia | |
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| Willow – Salix | |
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| Woolly Blue Curls – Trichostema lanatum | |
4 Thoughts
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Do we want larvae. I know the milk weed is yummy for those that turn into beautiful monarchs. But some larvae eat my patunias and tomato plants. Baah!
It’s definitely a trade-off. If larvae are eating your petunias and tomato plants, you might want to put in some other plants that they like and you would be willing to sacrifice.
Red Salvia and Red Zinnias are a hug attraction for Hummingbirds!
Yes, and they are so beautiful! Love salvia and hummingbirds. 🙂