Monarch Favorite
Showing 1–24 of 39 results
Monarch favorites include host plants as well as various important nectar plants.
Asclepias incarnata
Asclepias incarnata, or Red Milkweed, is a 3-5 foot perennial perfect for full sun and moist to wet soils. Red Milkweed, or Swamp Milkweed, blooms with reddish flowers from June to July. Its leaves are the preferred food of Monarch … Continued
Asclepias syriaca
Asclepias syriaca, or Milkweed, is a herbaceous perennial with pink flowers serving as a great nectar source for butterflies. Its leaves are a food source for Monarch butterfly larvae. Milkweed, or Common Milkweed, is easily grown in average, dry to … Continued
Asclepias tuberosa
Asclepias tuberosa, or Butterfly Milkweed is a 1-2 foot dazzling member of the Milkweed family. Butterfly Milkweed leaves are lance-shaped, and its flowers are a brilliant orange. Preferring dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun, Butterfly Milkweed appears from … Continued
Asclepias verticillata
Asclepias verticillata, or White Milkweed, is a deep-rooted perennial with small greenish-white flowers blooming in small clusters between July to August. The late-blooming milkweed makes it a valuable late-season food source for Monarch butterflies and their caterpillars.
Aster cordifolius
Aster cordifolius, or Blue Wood Aster, is a 2-3 foot perennial for partially shaded sites in dry or moist soil. Blue Wood Aster is often found at the edge of woods with clouds of blue flowers appearing in early fall. … Continued
Aster divaricatus
Aster divaricatus, or White Wood Aster, is a low mounding, rhizomatous perennial that is typically the first aster to bloom in late summer. White Wood Aster produces white ray flowers with light pink centers that are sure to brighten your … Continued
Aster ericoides
Aster ericoides, or Heath (White) Aster, is a 2-3 foot perennial for full sun, well-drained soils. Heath (White) Aster has very prolific tiny white flowers that appear in late summer to early fall. It is also a great butterfly food … Continued
Aster laevis
Aster laevis, or Smooth Blue Aster, is a 2-4 foot hardy perennial for full to part sun and dry to medium moist soils. Smooth Blue Aster has leaves and stems with a pale glaucous bloom and deep blue flowers appearing … Continued
Aster novae-angliae
Aster novae-angliae, or New England Aster, is a 3-5 foot perennial for full to part sun and moist, damp soils. New England Aster’s very showy, deep violet to purple flowers appear in late summer to early fall. It is a … Continued
Aster novi-belgii
Aster novi-belgii, or New York Aster, is a sturdy, clump-forming perennial with lance-shaped leaves and rings of purple or pink flowers surrounding yellow disc centers. It typically produces more blooms than New England Aster. New York Aster thrives in moist, … Continued
Aster oblongifolius
Aster oblongifolius, or Aromatic Aster, is a 1-2 foot perennial for full sun to part shade and medium to dry, well-drained soils. The perennial is very drought tolerant. The branching stems of Aromatic Aster feature violet flowers with yellow centers … Continued
Boltonia asteroides
Boltonia asteroides, or False Aster, is a 2-4 foot perennial for full to part sun and wet to damp and dry soils. False Aster’s showy white to pink flowers appear in late summer to early fall. The flowers provide nectar … Continued
Delphinium exaltatum
Delphinium exaltatum, or Tall Larkspur, is a 3-5 foot long-lived perennial that thrives in shade to part sun and rich, moist well-drained soils. Tall Larkspur has brilliant blue flowers that appear from July to August, much later bloom time than … Continued
Echinacea pallida
Echinacea pallida, or Pale Purple Coneflower, is a 2-4 foot hardy perennial with pale pink to purple drooping flowers appearing in late spring to summer. Pale Purple Coneflower prefers full sun and well-drained medium to dry soils. It is a … Continued
Echinacea paradoxa
Echinacea paradoxa, or Ozark or Bush’s Coneflower, is a 3 foot perennial with yellow flowers that prefer medium to dry soil conditions and grows best in full sun to partial shade. It blooms June-August and attracts butterflies and bees. Best … Continued
Echinacea purpurea
Echinacea purpurea, or Purple Coneflower, is a 3- to 4-foot perennial that attracts butterflies, songbirds and hummingbirds to your garden. Purple Coneflower’s pink flowers bloom profusely from mid to late summer, and it thrives in dry to medium moist soils. … Continued
Echinacea tennesseensis
Echinacea tennesseensis, or Tennessee Coneflower, is a 1-1.5 foot tall perennial that prefers well-drained soils in full sun. Tennessee Coneflower has deep rose-colored flat and broad ray flowers that bloom from July to September, and it is very drought tolerant. … Continued
Eupatorium coelestinum
Eupatorium coelestinum, or Blue Mistflower, is covered with blue-violet flowers in late summer from July to September. Blue Mistflower makes a great ground cover for shade and grows lushly in full sun with adequate moisture. Eupatorium coelestinum is also known … Continued
Eupatorium maculatum
Eupatorium maculatum, or Spotted Joe Pye Weed, is a 4-6 foot tall perennial preferring full sun and moist to wet soils. Joe Pye Weed boasts a large showy flat top cluster of deep rose-colored flowers and stems with purple spots. … Continued
Eupatorium perfoliatum
Eupatorium perfoliatum, or Boneset, is a 2-3 foot tall perennial that makes a dramatic accent to you garden with its small, fluffy, white blooms in late summer. It has interesting foliage, developing pairs of opposite, wrinkly, lance-shaped green leaves along … Continued
Heliopsis helianthoides
Heliopsis helianthoides, or Ox-Eye or False Sunflower, produces bright yellow flowers in early to mid-summer, thriving in moist to heavy soils. The Ox-Eye Sunflower or False Sunflower appears sunflower-like with daisy flowers. The flowers are visited by honey bees, native … Continued
Liatris ligulistylis
Liatris ligulistylis, or Meadow Blazing Star, is a 3-5 foot native perennial that prefers full sun in medium, moist soils. Meadow Blazing Star produces magenta-purple blooms in late summer, and it is the ultimate monarch magnet. The native perennial is … Continued
Liatris scariosa
Eastern Blazing Star, or Liatris scariosa, is a two-foot-tall perennial preferring dry soils and full to part sun. Eastern Blazing Star’s rose-purple flower spikes appear in late summer from August to September. The perennial is tough, making it tolerant of … Continued
Liatris spicata
Liatris spicata, or Marsh Blazing Star, is a 2-4 foot tall long-lived perennial preferring moist to wet average soils in full sun. Marsh Blazing Star’s pink-purple flower spikes appear in summer, attracting butterflies, hummingbirds and birds. The plant is great … Continued