Butterfly Garden Plant Lists from NWF

[Sage]

You guys really make me wish I had my own woodsy property, instead of seeing this pristine condo landscaping every day.

[Sage]

American Beauties Plant Shopping List

This trumpet vine sounds great! But I think for my 2nd-floor balcony garden, annuals are needed. Any ideas? I'd love to attract hummers and butterflies.

Also, apparently no native nurseries within 50 miles; most listed many states away!

[NEWisc]

These are not annuals, but they are great plants for butterflies and hummingbirds. The Liatris ligulistylis is the best flower that I know of for monarch butterflies.

Liatris ligulistylis - Meadow Blazing Star
Most of the other U.S. native Liatris are also very good nectar plants, except for the Liartis spicata (this is the one that you will usually find in the big box stores, and perhaps they have messed with the genetics because it doesn't seem to interest butterflies).

Echinacea purpurea - Purple Coneflower, and Monarda fistulosa - Wild Bergamot are also excellent at attracting butterflies.

Lobelia cardinalis - Cardinal Flower is a terrific hummingbird plant. In my yard they guard these plants even more than the hummingbird feeders.

I haven't raised these in containers, but I don't see any reason why they wouldn't work. These plants are usually available from most native plant mail order nurseries if you don't have one in your area that you can drive to.