Marianne's Response

Non-invasive butterfly plants

I wish to use my 1/3 acre to feed butterflies but do not want invasive plants and understand there is a non-invasive milkweed plant. Can you point me in the right direction for that and other plants for the butterflies? Thank you, Jackie

Posted by Jacqueline Bartley on June 29, 2023

Marianne's Response

The best way to insure you are using non invasive plants is to use the plants at a dependable local nursery. Some plants are invasive in some areas but not in others. I do recommend the "Pugster" dwarf butterfly bush as it is bred to be sterile so will not reseed and sedum 'Autumn Joy' and Helianthus for late summer as well as Lungwarts or Pulmonara for early blooms and any of the meadow plants and trees and shrubs native to your area that bloom.  You may want to join the non profit Xerces Society to learn more and read the book "Attracting Native Pollinators" by Dr. Marla Spivak as this book is a Xerces Society guide. Thanks for helping to save our pollinators and Keep Growing, Marianne Binetti