A good butterfly garden has a selection of nectar plants that bloom at different times. Mid to late summer seems to be the most active time for butterflies. Watch butterflies in nearby areas to see which flowers they prefer and make notes each year in your own garden. The following are a few tips to help you select the annuals to feed your butterfly visitors. Planting flowers in groups of 12 or more increases the number of open blooms during the day.
Colors preferred by most butterflies are pinks, reds, purples, and whites.
Supplementary nectar can be provided with small pieces of fruit, such as apples, bananas, or citrus. Butterflies prefer blooms that are single petal flowers, double bloomed types are not appealing to butterflies. Try to maintain diversity in height, color, and blooming periods. It is better to plant more than one type of flower. Butterflies also have other needs that you need to provide in your garden.