Most butterflies have specific host plants on which they develop. For example, caterpillars of the Monarch butterfly only develop on milkweed while the black swallowtail feeds only on parsley, dill and closely related plants. When females find the proper host plant, they may lay eggs on it. Most species, however, will fly away as adult butterflies. Food for adult butterflies usually consists of sweet liquids that provide needed energy sources, such as nectar from flowers.
Some flowers contain more nectar thereby increasing their attractiveness to butterflies.
Often, specific types of flowers and flower colors are more attractive to butterflies. When planning a planting it is most effective to create a large patch of a flower species to attract and retain butterflies. Consider flowers that bloom in sequence. This is particularly important during summer when flower visiting by butterflies is most frequent. Flowers and flowering shrubs that might be good choices for an eastern Colorado butterfly garden are included in Table 1.