B u t t e r f ly G a r d e n i n G
tips & tricks
Fred Funk wants everyone to
experience the satisfaction of creating
a thriving garden where butterflies
can roam. Many of the winged
creatures migrate back to Florida
during fall, which makes it the ideal
time to grow your plants. Use Funk's
key tricks of the trade to jump-start
your garden.
* You should have at least one plant
blooming at all times to keep
butterflies coming to your garden.
* Steer clear of plants treated with
systemic insecticide. This chemical
will kill caterpillars for the first eight
weeks. Many store-bought plants
contain it, so ask before you make a
purchase.
* Decide what butterflies you
Nectar plants initially attract butter flies because that's where they get their
nourishment. Host plants are what keep butter flies in your garden because it's
where they lay their eggs. To cultivate a beautiful butter fly garden,
you need the right nectar plants and host plants.
Nectar Plants
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SEPTEMBER 2016
1
AmbientIdeas/iStock/Thinkstock
fireBush
(Hamelia patens)
This semi-woody shrub
particularly is good if you
want to attract (1) zebra
longwing and (2) gulf
fritillary butterflies. It
blooms from late spring
into early winter and
is heat- and droughttolerant. It should be
planted in full sunlight
or partial shade and
regularly watered.
2
Hulinska_Yevheniia/iStock/Thinkstock
Mexican sunflower
(Tithonia diversifolia)
This annual flower blooms from
summer into early winter. It
should be planted in full sunlight
or partial shade. Its dark-green
leaves and bright flowers
attract many butterflies,
including swarms of migrating
monarchs. This flower will last
for only six to eight weeks, so you
should plant another one toward
the end of that time for constant
blooming.
Michael Fitzsimmons/iStock/Thinkstock
p l a n t s f o r Y o u r b u t t e r f lY G a r d e n
CarolinaBirdman/iStock/Thinkstock
want to attract. Then, grow the
appropriate host and nectar plants.
Use the following list for help.
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Villages - September 2016