best butterfly shrub for michigan - Wildlife Gardeners

turttle · 08-08-2010, 05:32 PM

Hi, y'all,

As a transplanted southerner, I'm getting pretty familiar with all the plants for North Carolina/zone 7b. My brother-in-law is visiting from Michigan, and loves all the butterflies I have, and asked what he should plant. He lives in zone 5b, Southern Michigan right by the lake. He isn't much of a gardener, so it needs to be something easy.

Any suggestions? I guess I'm getting a little lazy - I'm sure I could spend a few hours researching it, but I expect I'll here from the folks here amazingly fast with first hand experience on what really grows there. I really appreciate having friendly experts at my fingertips. Thank you!!

amelanchier · 08-08-2010, 06:21 PM

Has to be a shrub? According to the Lepidopteran Ornamental Guide (Welcome to the Lepidopteran Ornamental Guide!), the top woody genuses that include shrubs for Lepidopteran host plants are Prunus (chokecherry, wild plum), Salix (willow), Malus (crabapple), and Vaccinium (blueberry, cranberry).

turttle · 08-09-2010, 11:26 AM

Thanks for the link. It is a great site.

He was amazed at all the butterflies on my lantana, admittedly a non-native but far and away the favorite plant in my yard for nectaring. It almost always has 4-12 butterflies on it at any given time. If I can get him interested by planting a couple of good nectaring sources, then I can ease him into the concept of larval plants. He was very interested in all of the caterpillars I showed him off my my various plants, but really wants to have butterflies swarming his yard the way they are here this week.

amelanchier · 08-09-2010, 11:34 AM

In my experience the really great nectar plants are usually forbs rather than shrubs, but that may just be a product of my limited experience. Joe-Pye weed, milkweed, mountainmint, goldenrod, & aster are examples of really good butterfly nectar plants that are native. Bees also love penstemon, columbine, obedient plant, turtlehead, coreopsis, yellow pimpernel, and golden alexander. American holly is also great for bees relatively early in the season. Some of these may also feed certain kinds of moths & butterflies, and some of them are also good for hummingbirds.

Oh, summersweet - Clethra alnifolia - is really good for all kinds of pollinators and is a shrub. It's native along the east coast and inland south (not where I am in Buffalo, NY).

MrILoveTheAnts · 08-09-2010, 02:28 PM

If forbs are okay then go for some Meadow Liatris, species name starts with an L. I have Monarchs all over mine now.

Porterbrook · 08-09-2010, 02:34 PM

As your brother-in-law if he is willing to create a butterfly garden and incorporate the species of wildflowers that the others have suggested. He would be creating biodiversity in the garden and attracting many different butterflies and other pollinators.

I think the Liatris species in question is ligustylis.

sprucetree · 08-09-2010, 04:15 PM

Well remember Mi. has lakes on both sides Erie in the east Michigan in the west. More important is the soil sandy or clay. Better to stick with praire forbs as someone else said, It's best to understand the cat. food/nectar stop plants before planting or planning. Purple Coneflower,N.E Aster, and Lupine do well and Joepye Weed and Milkweed will also work. I recommond box elder, birch, and willow along with oaks and hackberry.

turttle · 08-09-2010, 09:19 PM

Thanks for all the ideas. I have most of these on my lists for what I'm putting in my own garden here in NC, but wasn't sure they'd grow in MI. He is not much of a gardener, so it needs to be really simple. I just bought three Clethras today to plant when it cools down here. Will Clethra actually survive a Michigan winter - St Joseph, a mile from Lake Michigan, so much warmer than where Havalotta lives, but way colder than NC where I am. It says zone 5b on my map of the area. Their soil is pretty sandy, nothing like mine.

havalotta · 08-10-2010, 12:05 PM

The asters seem to be the best for attracting the butterflies on my property...More of a late season bloomer.

sprucetree · 08-10-2010, 12:59 PM

The South-West side of the state [St. Joe] also gets alot of lake effect snow. Like Buffalo gets from lake Erie, The snow helps insulate the soil somewhat preventing frost heaving. So most cat/nectar forbs will have to be plants that like dry feet/roots. This leaves you with Oaks, Birch, and Conifers. However if he can plant Jack Pine he can attract the endangered Kirtland Warbler. I've heard Lupine does well in sandy soils and is a host plant for Blue Karners Butterfly,Also Endangered.

08-08-2010, 05:32 PM	#1
turttle Curious George & UAOKA recipient Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Chapel Hill, NC	best butterfly shrub for michigan Hi, y'all, As a transplanted southerner, I'm getting pretty familiar with all the plants for North Carolina/zone 7b. My brother-in-law is visiting from Michigan, and loves all the butterflies I have, and asked what he should plant. He lives in zone 5b, Southern Michigan right by the lake. He isn't much of a gardener, so it needs to be something easy. Any suggestions? I guess I'm getting a little lazy - I'm sure I could spend a few hours researching it, but I expect I'll here from the folks here amazingly fast with first hand experience on what really grows there. I really appreciate having friendly experts at my fingertips. Thank you!! __________________ There is pleasure in the pathless woods, there is rapture in the lonely shore, this is society where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar. - Lord Byron Turttle's pollinator garden

08-08-2010, 06:21 PM	#2
amelanchier WG Facebook Administrator Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Lyme, NH	Has to be a shrub? According to the Lepidopteran Ornamental Guide (Welcome to the Lepidopteran Ornamental Guide!), the top woody genuses that include shrubs for Lepidopteran host plants are Prunus (chokecherry, wild plum), Salix (willow), Malus (crabapple), and Vaccinium (blueberry, cranberry). __________________ "I take the part of the trees as against all their enemies." -J.R.R. Tolkien

08-09-2010, 11:26 AM	#3
turttle Curious George & UAOKA recipient Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Chapel Hill, NC	Thanks for the link. It is a great site. He was amazed at all the butterflies on my lantana, admittedly a non-native but far and away the favorite plant in my yard for nectaring. It almost always has 4-12 butterflies on it at any given time. If I can get him interested by planting a couple of good nectaring sources, then I can ease him into the concept of larval plants. He was very interested in all of the caterpillars I showed him off my my various plants, but really wants to have butterflies swarming his yard the way they are here this week. __________________ There is pleasure in the pathless woods, there is rapture in the lonely shore, this is society where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar. - Lord Byron Turttle's pollinator garden

08-09-2010, 11:34 AM	#4
amelanchier WG Facebook Administrator Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Lyme, NH	In my experience the really great nectar plants are usually forbs rather than shrubs, but that may just be a product of my limited experience. Joe-Pye weed, milkweed, mountainmint, goldenrod, & aster are examples of really good butterfly nectar plants that are native. Bees also love penstemon, columbine, obedient plant, turtlehead, coreopsis, yellow pimpernel, and golden alexander. American holly is also great for bees relatively early in the season. Some of these may also feed certain kinds of moths & butterflies, and some of them are also good for hummingbirds. Oh, summersweet - Clethra alnifolia - is really good for all kinds of pollinators and is a shrub. It's native along the east coast and inland south (not where I am in Buffalo, NY). __________________ "I take the part of the trees as against all their enemies." -J.R.R. Tolkien

08-09-2010, 02:28 PM	#5
MrILoveTheAnts 1st Place Winner Winner Butterfly/Moth Contest & Official Ant Man Join Date: May 2009 Location: New Jersey	If forbs are okay then go for some Meadow Liatris, species name starts with an L. I have Monarchs all over mine now. __________________ MrILoveTheAnt's Blog, Ant Chat, & Native Plants for Honeybees

08-09-2010, 02:34 PM	#6
Porterbrook Salamander Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Racine, Ohio along the Ohio River	As your brother-in-law if he is willing to create a butterfly garden and incorporate the species of wildflowers that the others have suggested. He would be creating biodiversity in the garden and attracting many different butterflies and other pollinators. I think the Liatris species in question is ligustylis. __________________ Porterbrook Native Plants

08-09-2010, 04:15 PM	#7
sprucetree Heron Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Michigan/detroit	Well remember Mi. has lakes on both sides Erie in the east Michigan in the west. More important is the soil sandy or clay. Better to stick with praire forbs as someone else said, It's best to understand the cat. food/nectar stop plants before planting or planning. Purple Coneflower,N.E Aster, and Lupine do well and Joepye Weed and Milkweed will also work. I recommond box elder, birch, and willow along with oaks and hackberry.

08-09-2010, 09:19 PM	#8
turttle Curious George & UAOKA recipient Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Chapel Hill, NC	Thanks for all the ideas. I have most of these on my lists for what I'm putting in my own garden here in NC, but wasn't sure they'd grow in MI. He is not much of a gardener, so it needs to be really simple. I just bought three Clethras today to plant when it cools down here. Will Clethra actually survive a Michigan winter - St Joseph, a mile from Lake Michigan, so much warmer than where Havalotta lives, but way colder than NC where I am. It says zone 5b on my map of the area. Their soil is pretty sandy, nothing like mine. __________________ There is pleasure in the pathless woods, there is rapture in the lonely shore, this is society where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar. - Lord Byron Turttle's pollinator garden

08-10-2010, 12:05 PM	#9
havalotta WG Prize & Gift Coordinator Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Michigan	The asters seem to be the best for attracting the butterflies on my property...More of a late season bloomer. __________________ The successful woman is the woman that had the chance and took it! A walk among the elusive Whitetail Deer

08-10-2010, 12:59 PM	#10
sprucetree Heron Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Michigan/detroit	The South-West side of the state [St. Joe] also gets alot of lake effect snow. Like Buffalo gets from lake Erie, The snow helps insulate the soil somewhat preventing frost heaving. So most cat/nectar forbs will have to be plants that like dry feet/roots. This leaves you with Oaks, Birch, and Conifers. However if he can plant Jack Pine he can attract the endangered Kirtland Warbler. I've heard Lupine does well in sandy soils and is a host plant for Blue Karners Butterfly,Also Endangered. Last edited by sprucetree; 08-10-2010 at 01:00 PM. Reason: spelling

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