Most herbs, when flowering, attract butterflies. Oregano, basil, the tiny flowers of thyme and rosemary all attract butterflies when blooming. Some herbs, dill, fennel and parsley, for example, are host plants for the swallowtail butterfly. The adult butterfly lays its eggs on the plant so the larvae will have food immediately upon hatching. So, when you see those little green, yellow and black striped caterpillars devouring your dill or parsley, and if you want butterflies, don't destroy the caterpillars.
For a comprehensive listing of which plants attract which varieties of butterflies, click here to open information from the Cockerell Butterfly Center in Houston, TX.
| Botanical Name
| Ajania pacifica
|
| Common Name
| Pacific Chrysanthemum 
|
| Attribute
| Perennial
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Sun, Part Shade.
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Ht: to 12", spread to 12"
|
| Other Information
|   Medium green leaves with silver edge. Small yellow flowers held above foliage. Nice in front of border.
|
| Botanical Name
| Anisacanthus wrightii
|
| Common Name
| Hummingbird Bush, Flame Acanthus
|
| Attribute
| Perennial Shrub
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Full sun
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Ht: to 40", spread to 5' around.
|
| Other Information
|  Narrow dark orange tubular blossoms cover this shrub making it very attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds. Narrow medium green leaves. Nice speciman in a large garden or all on its own.
|
| Botanical Name
| Asclepias tuberosa
|
| Common Name
| Butterfly Weed
|
| Attribute
| Perennial.
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Full sun, part shade, average to low water usage.
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Ht: to 4'.
|
| Other Information
| Major butterfly attractor. Monarch butterflies will lay their eggs on this one! Very important.
|
| Botanical Name
| Buddleja lindleyana
|
| Common Name
| Butterfly Bush
|
| Attribute
| Deciduous, perennial shrub. Hardy in Zones 8 &9.
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Full sun to part shade, regular water
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Ht & Width: at least 5'
|
| Other Information
|  Upright, arching slender branches. Dark green, ovate leaves to 4". Distincely curved, dark violet flowers in nodding panicles to 8" in late summer.
|
| Botanical Name
| Clerodundrum bungei
|
| Common Name
| Glory Bower, Cashmere Bouquet
|
| Attribute
| Perennial, deciduous suckering shrub.
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Full sun to part shade, average water.
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Ht: to 4'.
|
| Other Information
| Attracts Swallowtail butterflies. Flowers dark pink, fragrant, in rounded panicles from late summer till frost. Reseeds freely.
|
| Botanical Name
| Clerodundrum ugandense
|
| Common Name
| Blue Glory Bower
|
| Attribute
| Scandent, evergreen climber or tall shrub.
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Full sun to part shade. Average water.
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Ht: to 12'.
|
| Other Information
| Flowers blue and white, resembles airy butterflies. Panicles 3" - 4" long. Blooms summer to autumn.
|
| Botanical Name
| Dicliptera resupinata
|
| Common Name
| Dicliptera
|
| Attribute
| Tough perennial
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Full sun, low water usage, very drought tolerant. Desert species.
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Ht: to 2' X 3'.
|
| Other Information
| Small lavender flowers grow all over this low sub-shrub. Light green, waxy leaves.
|
| Botanical Name
| Dicliptera suberecta
|
| Common Name
| Uruguyan Firecracker Plant, King's Mantle
|
| Attribute
| Hardy perennial, to Zone 7a.
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Full sun to part shade. Low water usage.
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Ht: 18" - 24" tall.
|
| Other Information
| Reddish/orange blooms all summer. Medium green, silvery, velvety leaves. Also known as: Justicia suberecta, Jacobinia suberecta
|
| Botanical Name
| Eupatorium coelestinum
|
| Common Name
| Gregg's Mist Flower
|
| Attribute
| Perennial
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Full Sun
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Ht: to 15", spread to 12" or more.
|
| Other Information
|
Soft blue flowers like little tiny thistles make this irresistable to butterflies. Medium bright green leaves are toothed and soft.
|
| Botanical Name
| Hammelia spp.
|
| Common Name
| Mexican Fire Bush
|
| Attribute
| Perennial Shrub
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Full Sun.
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Ht: to 5'. Spread to 4' or 5'.
|
| Other Information
|
Orange tubular shaped flowers attract butterflies in summer and fall. Medium size, slightly hairy dark green leaves. Good shrub for background planting.
|
| Botanical Name
| Hibiscus acetocella "Coppertone"
|
| Common Name
| Red Hibiscus
|
| Attribute
| Tender Perennial, Annual.
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Full sun, average water.
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Ht: to 4', 2'-3' spread.
|
| Other Information
| 
Beautiful dark reddish, coppery leaves and dark rose flowers. Use flowers for a lovely tea.
|
| Botanical Name
| Hibiscus coccineus
|
| Common Name
| Texas Red Star Hibiscus
|
| Attribute
| Perennial. Red flowers to 4" across with "star" pattern in green on petals. Narrow, deeply lobed leaves.
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Full sun, low water.
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Grows to 6'. Very branching habit.
|
| Other Information
|  Plant responds well to some light pruning to increase branching and flower production. Plant goes dormant in winter and regrows in Spring. Easy from seed. Soak seed overnight prior to planting. Germinates at 70 deg. F.
|
| Botanical Name
| Justicia brandegeana
|
| Common Name
| Shrimp Plant
|
| Attribute
| Perennial
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Full sun to part shade or dappled light.
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Ht: to 30", spread to 30" or 3'.
|
| Other Information
|
Curved bracts in a soft coral or "shrimp pink" color surround small white flowers. Medium green leaves are softly hairy. Old fashioned garden plant invaluable for a Cottage Garden or Perennial Bed.
|
| Botanical Name
| Justicia californica
|
| Common Name
| Chuparosa
|
| Attribute
| Perennial
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Full sun to part shade. Low water usage.
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Ht: to 5', spread to 4'.
|
| Other Information
| Red tubular flowers bloom in spring and throuout the year. Grayish green foliage. Very drought tolerant, desert plant.
|
| Botanical Name
| Justicia spicigera
|
| Common Name
| Mexican Bush Honeysuckle
|
| Attribute
| Perennial shrub, evergreen where hardy. Root hardy to Zone 7, evergreen to Zone 9.
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Full sun, average water.
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Grows to about 4' X 4'.
|
| Other Information
| Tubular orange flowers.
|
| Botanical Name
| Malvaviscus arboreus
|
| Common Name
| Turk's Cap
|
| Attribute
| Perennial shrub. Deciduous. Red, fez-like flowers turn into red berries in fall.
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Full sun to part shade. Plant grows more upright, less sprawling in part shade. Blooms just as well in part shade. Average soil and water.
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Grows from 3'-5'.
|
| Other Information
|
Easy to grow. Not bothered by adverse conditions.
|
| Botanical Name
| Malvaviscus arboreus drummondii
|
| Common Name
| Giant Turk's Cap
|
| Attribute
| Perennial shrub.
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Full sun to part shade. Average soil and water.
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Grows from 5' to 6' , spreads to about 3'.
|
| Other Information
|
Easy to grow. Not bothered by adverse conditions. Deciduous. Red, fez-like flowers bloom all during the warm season.
|
| Botanical Name
| Russelia equisetiformis
|
| Common Name
|  Firecracker Fern, Firecracker Plant
|
| Attribute
| Tender perennial shrub with arching branches with ferny appearance. Where happy and doesn't freeze back, can grow to 8 or 10 feet in height. Narrow, red tubular flowers are hummingbird magnets.
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Sun-part shade, average water.
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Height: in ground to 4' - 8'. In containers branches grow to about 30" or so.
|
| Other Information
| Well suited for container and hanging basket culuture, especially where not winter hardy.
|
| Botanical Name
| Russelia equisetiformis, yellow
|
| Common Name
|  Yellow Firecracker Plant
|
| Attribute
| Like red form, tender perennial shrub with arching branches with ferny appearance. Where happy and doesn't freeze back, can grow to 8 or 10 feet in height. Narrow, yellow tubular flowers are hummingbird magnets.
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Sun-part shade, average water.
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Height: in ground to 4' - 8'. In containers branches grow to about 30" or so.
|
| Other Information
| Well suited for container and hanging basket culuture, especially where not winter hardy. Planted with red form, creates an interesting contrast. Will not cross with red form.
|
| Botanical Name
| Russelia sarmontosa
|
| Common Name
| Russelia
|
| Attribute
| Tender perennial shrub with arching or scrambling branches with broad sticky leaves and whorls of tubular red flowers on long spikes.
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Part shade, average water.
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| To 5' X 5'.
|
| Other Information
| Blooms October-December in mild areas.
|
| Botanical Name
| Salvia coccinea, "Lady in Red"
|
| Common Name
| Texas Sage, red; Hummingbird Sage
|
| Attribute
| Perennial or reseeding annual
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Sun to part shade, average to low water usage.
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Ht: to 36"
|
| Other Information
| Bright red flowers are hummingbird magnet. Nice in large planting or as specimen plant. In mild climate, is almost ever-blooming, especially if deadheaded or cut back occasionally.
|
| Botanical Name
| Stachytarpheta auticifolia
|
| Common Name
| Blue Porterweed
|
| Attribute
| Tender perennial. Reseeds. Tall spikes of small bluish-purple flowers.
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Full sun to part shade. Average water.
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Rather sprawling plant to about 24".
|
| Other Information
|
|
| Botanical Name
| Stachytarpheta auticifolia, var. lavender
|
| Common Name
| Lavender Porterweed
|
| Attribute
| Tender perennial. Reseeds. Tall spikes of small bright lavender flowers.
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Full sun to part shade. Average water.
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Rather sprawling plant to about 24".
|
| Other Information
|
|
| Botanical Name
| Tecoma stans
|
| Common Name
| Esperanza, Yellow Bells
|
| Attribute
| Tender Perennial
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Full sun, part shade, low water.
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Ht. to 10', spread 4' or 5'
|
| Other Information
| Bright yellow bell flowers cover this shrubby specimen all summer into fall. Texas native that does well elsewhere.
|
| Botanical Name
| Tecomaria capensis
|
| Common Name
| Cape Honeysuckle
|
| Attribute
| Evergreen Perennial, where hardy. Brilliant orange/red blossoms in fall and winter. Finely cut, dark green leaflets.
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Full sun to light shade. Good drainage. Can take wind, drought, salt, sandy soil.
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Ht: to 20' or more as a scrambling vine. 6' - 8' as an upright shrub if pruned hard.
|
| Other Information
| Native to South Africa. Good as ground cover on slope or, pruned, as a barrier hedge.
|
| Botanical Name
| Aristolochia elegans
|
| Common Name
| Calico Vine, Dutchman's Pipe Vine
|
| Attribute
| Tender perennial. Very unusual flowers shaped sort of like a pipe in a dark brown/maroon color with white spots. Greyish green leaves can get quite large.
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Part shade, average water.
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Will vine to 12' or so. Needs support.
|
| Other Information
| Mature leaves can get quite large. Evergreen in Zones 8 and up.
|
| Availability
| March-November
|
| Botanical Name
| Tecoma radicans, Campsis radicans
|
| Common Name
| Trumpet Creeper, 'Madame Galen'
|
| Attribute
| Vigorous perennial, evergreen creeper
|
| Cultural Requirements
| Full sun to part shade, average water
|
| Mature size, Spacing
| Can grow quite large and cover walls, trees, etc.
|
| Other Information
| Has suckers for climbing, will crawl on ground, very vigorous. Mature speciman can be pruned into "tree" shape.
|
The Herb Cottage is proud to offer high quality seeds from Botanical Interest, Inc., a family owned seed business located in Broomfield, Colorado. 