Recommended plants include birch, cherry, Eastern redbud, oak, hackberry, plum, sweet mockorange, viburnum, and willow. For adult butterflies, plant several different flowers to make nectar available throughout spring, summer and fall. Butterflies are generally attracted to purple, orange, yellow or red flowers. Recommended annual flowers include alyssum, cleome, cosmos, dianthus, nasturtium, petunia, verbena, and zinnias. Recommended perennial flowers include blazing star, butterfly bush, candytuft, columbine, gladiolus, peony, phlox, purple coneflower, sedum, stiff goldenrod, violets and yarrow.
Some herbs are attractive to butterflies.
Dill, lavender, lemon balm, marjoram, parsley, peppermint, rosemary, sage and thyme are good selections. Even some weeds, such as dandelions, milkweed and Queen Anne's lace will attract butterflies.