|
How to Create a Butterfly Garden above 7,500'
Leslee T. Alexander, Mountain Master Gardener, Gilpin County,
October 2006
Alpine environments above 7,500' provide a great opportunity to
attract butterflies to the garden. A backyard filled with native
plants reflects the natural beauty found in most mountain communities.
Sites designed for wildlife are attractive and easy to maintain,
freeing time to enjoy the blooms and the butterflies.
The design of a butterfly garden is quite simple. A garden with
windbreaks, nectar laden flowers, leafy plants and puddles of water
draws butterflies in and then continues to satisfy their needs throughout
the entire life cycle. Butterflies depend on plants for shelter
and food their entire lives, from their nascent stage as an egg
to the crawling caterpillar larvae, and then onto the chrysalis
or pupa, which in turn metamorphoses into the final stage as the
adult butterfly.
The chosen site may have some facets of a wildlife garden already,
or it may be an empty space, barren backfill from recent construction
(although the soil will probably have to be amended). Look around:
take note of the sunny areas. Sun encourages flowers to bloom, and
sun-warmed rocks are havens for butterflies, which warm their wings
before flying. Determine where water naturally pools. Butterflies
like to gather in salty pools. Offer shelter from the sun, wind
and rain with decaying logs or even better yet, erect a butterfly
house.
Grow organically. Do not use pesticides. The idea is attract the
butterflies and encourage them to lay eggs. Caterpillars eat the
plants and will die if they eat pesticides. Most caterpillars are
specific about the plants they feed on, and female butterflies will
only lay their eggs on the caterpillar food plant.
Before planting, amend the soil with two inches of compost, till
it in six inches. The plants should be mulched, and it is good to
fertilize in the fall and the spring.
There are plants that work great at elevation, and plants that
attract butterflies. The goal is to find which combination of these
plants works best. Use plants and shrubs that bloom at different
times of the season. Arrange the plants in groups; large clusters
of flowers are easier for the butterflies to locate. Arrange the
plants by color and height. Allow space for annuals, biennials and
perennials. Keep track of the garden to determine which plants draw
butterflies.
Table 1 is a List of Suggested Butterfly Garden Plants for the
Mountains above 7,500'. It is a list of annuals, shrubs and perennials
that not only attract butterflies but are also recommended by Mountain
Master Gardeners (MMG) as plants that do well in gardens 7,500'
and above. If the table suggests to site a plant in a hot location,
your best bet is to place it near a south facing wall of your house.
The reflected heat and protection from north winds will help the
plant to thrive.
For tips on gardening at elevation, check out some of the other
Mountain Master Gardener articles: Making the
Most out of Mountain Soils, Mountain
Microclimates and Why Go Native.
Mountain living demands a new approach to gardening. Our landscapes
are rocky. Water is scarce. The season is short. Nonetheless, the
beauty of aspen leaves fluttering above boldly-colored wildflowers
entices and encourages gardeners and butterflies back each year.
We have all had our days trying to keep the critters out, so consider
nurturing a space to draw them in.
Sources:
1.
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05504.html CSU Cooperative
Extension Fact Sheet no. 5.504, "Attracting Butterflies to the Garden"
by P.A. Opler and W.S. Cranshaw
2. http://www.butterflies.org/hortcltr.cfm?section=bgarden,
August 15, 2006
3. http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/gilpin/flower%20favorites.shtml,
CSU Mountain Gardening fact sheet "Mountain Master Gardener Favorites"
Table 1. List of Suggested Butterfly Garden
Plants for the Mountains Sources: The Butterfly Pavilion and Colorado
Master Gardeners
TYPE KEY: N - Nectar H - Host (caterpillar friendly) B - Both
Annuals
*start indoors or buy flats.
**these herbs may not winter-over and would need to be re-planted
each year.
| Botanical Name |
Common Name |
Type |
Color |
Comments |
| Lobularia maritima |
Alyssum |
B |
White |
Fragrant |
| Cosmos bipinnatus |
Cosmos |
N |
Various pink |
Put in hot location |
| Gomphrena globosa |
Globe Amaranth* |
N |
Varies |
Put in hot location |
| Heliotropium arborescens |
Heliotrope* |
N |
Purple or white |
Grow in a pot and bring indoors for winter |
| Lantana spp. |
Lantana |
N |
Multi |
Put in hot location |
| Tagetes spp |
Marigold* |
N |
Usually yellow |
Flowers edible |
| Nasturtium spp |
Nasturtium |
N |
Varies |
Put in hot, well drained area with relatively
poor soil |
| Borago officinalis |
Starflower, Borage* |
N |
Blue/pink |
Flowers edible |
| Salvia spp. |
Salvia* |
N |
Blue, pink, red |
Also good to attract hummingbirds |
| Helianthus annuus |
Sunflower |
N |
Yellow |
Seeds feed songbirds |
| Verbena spp. |
Verbena* |
N |
Varies |
Put in hot location |
| Viola spp |
Violet,pansy |
N |
Varies |
Blooms all summer |
| Zinnia spp |
Zinnia |
N |
Varies |
Buy as a plant |
Perennials
| Botanical Name |
Common Name |
Type |
Color |
Comments |
| Achillea lanulosa |
Yarrow |
N |
Various |
Native. Dry locations. Fern-like foliage.
Easy to grow. Full sun. Long blooming. A. millefolium also can
work well, but can be aggressive.- various colors. |
| Allium spp |
Chive, Wild onion |
N |
Pink |
A. cernuum and A. geyeri are native. Good
in rock gardens. |
| Anaphalis margaritacea |
Pearly everlasting |
N |
White |
Native. Good dried flower. |
| Aster spp. |
Asters |
N |
Various |
Many natives |
| Cirsium spp. |
Native thistles |
N |
White to pink |
Native thistles such as C. centaurae and C.
undulatum provide nectar for butterflies and seeds for birds. |
| Coreopsis spp. |
Tickseed |
N |
Yellow, pink |
Long blooming, xeric, tolerant of poor soils.
Needs heat to bloom. |
| Dianthus barbatus* |
Sweet William |
N |
Pink, red, white |
Forms low, colorful mats at higher elevations.
Biennial. |
| Dianthus plumarius |
Cottage Pink |
N |
Pink, red, white |
Blue-green foliage forms dense grass-like
mats. Lovely, long blooming and fragrant. |
| Echinacea purpurea |
Purple Coneflower |
N |
Purple |
In areas with early fall frost, these might
not bloom. Plant in a warm microclimate. |
| Eriogonum umbellatum |
Sulphur flower |
B |
Yellow |
Good ground cover |
| Erigeron spp. |
Fleabane or daisy |
N |
Usually blues |
Native |
| Erysimum capitatum |
Wallflower |
N |
Orange-yellow |
Native. Biennial. Fragrant. Reseeds readily. |
| Gaillardia spp |
Blanket Flower |
N |
Yellow-red |
G. aristata is a native. Start seed indoors
for flowers first year or buy plant. Easy. Long blooming. |
| Lavandula** |
Lavender |
N |
Purple |
Non-native. Lavender needs heat – plant against
south wall. ‘Munstead’ seems to be the most hardy. |
| Linum lewisii |
Blue Flax |
H |
Blue |
Native. Erect, branchy plant, some bush-like.
Avoid European L. perenne, - too much potential to escape into
natural areas. |
| Lupinus argenteus |
Silver Lupine |
B |
Blue |
Native. Very hardy. Grows on poor soils. |
| Lychnis chalcedonia |
Maltese Cross |
N |
Scarlet, pink, white |
Striking when in bloom. Blooms mid-August
above 9,000 feet. Also attracts hummingbirds. |
| Mentha spp. |
Mint |
N |
Green |
M. arvensis is native, others work well. Can
be aggressive – contain with a buried pot. |
| Mertensia lanceolata |
Bluebells |
N |
Blue |
Early blooming, is smaller and requires less
water than its cousin, M. ciliata. Hard to find. |
| Monarda spp. |
Bee Balm |
N |
Red, pink, purplish |
M. fistulosa is native. Others also do well.
Loved by hummingbirds. Prefers full sun to part shade, enriched
soil and moisture. |
| Nepeta spp. |
Catmint |
N |
Blue-purple |
Long blooming, xeric, tolerates poor soils. |
| Penstemon spp. |
Beardtongue |
N |
Red and blue |
Natives: P. linaroides, P. pinifolius, P.
procumbens, P. strictus, P. virens, P virgatus, loved by hummingbirds
as well. |
| Phlox paniculata |
Perennial Phlox |
N |
Pink, white, purple |
Flowers mid- to late summer above 9,000 feet.
Needs enriched soil. |
| Phlox subulata |
Creeping Phlox |
N |
Pink, white, purple |
Great rock garden plant. Likes full sun. Protect
from winter winds. |
| Rudbeckia hirta |
Black-Eyed Susan |
N |
Yellow with black center |
The native plant is very hardy. Late blooming.
Can be short lived, even act as a biennial but reseeds readily.
Some cultivars are hardy as well. |
| Salvia |
Sage |
N |
Various |
Salvia nemorosa is one of hardiest. |
| Scabiosa |
Pincushion Flower |
N |
Blue or white |
Long blooming flowers, very tough and xeric. |
| Sedum acre |
Goldmoss Stonecrop |
N |
Yellow |
Forms bright green, low mat of fleshy foliage.
Use in rocky areas |
| Sedum spurium |
Two-row Stonecrop |
N |
Pink |
Variety “Dragon's Blood.” Has rose-pink flowers.
A good rock-Garden plant. Can overgrow bounds. |
| Solidago spp. |
Goldenrod |
N |
Yellow |
Doesn’t cause allergies, as many people think |
| Thymus** |
Thyme |
N |
Pink, white |
Mat forming plants. |
| Veronica |
Speedwell |
N |
Blue, white, pink |
Often a creeping groundcover. Most species
do very well, but check for hardiness zones. |
| Viguiera multiflora |
Showy goldeneye, sunspots |
N |
Yellow |
Many small flowers – grows in poor soil, full
sun |
Shrubs
| Botanical Name |
Common Name |
Type |
Color |
Comments |
| Ceanothus spp. |
Mountain lilac |
N |
White |
Small bush |
| Chrysothamnus nauseousus |
Rabbitbrush |
N |
Yellow |
Flowers late in fall |
| Mahonia repens |
Oregon grape |
N |
Yellow |
Great groundcover – blue berries attract birds |
| Sorbus scopulina |
Ash |
N, H |
White |
Orange berries provide food for songbirds |
| Prunus virginiana |
Chokecherry |
N, H |
White |
Black berries provide food for songbirds |
| Rosa woodsii |
Mountain Rose |
N |
Pink |
Red rose hips provide late-winter food for
birds |
| Rubus ideaus |
Raspberry |
N |
White |
Needs regular moisture to produce raspberries |
| Salix spp. |
Willow |
H |
|
Needs moisture |
|
