Butterflies

Butterfly gardening in central Florida




Gardening to attract Butterflies 


Butterflies are beautiful! There are also some very beautiful Moths in Florida, just think of the gorgeous Luna Moth.

Butterflies don't need much, nectar, water, and feeder plants for their caterpillars.

I mostly see Gulf Fritillaries, Giant Swallowtails and Black Swallowtails. Every once in a while others come by for a visit (See pictures above).



Certain plants in Myrtle Glen are planted just for the caterpillars, for example:















  • Passiflora
  • Snow on the Mountain bush
  • Aristolochia vine
  • Milkweed
  • Oleander ( for the polka dot moth)
  • Iochroma cyaneum - blue sky flower bush (for the hornworm cats)
  • Dill. I just scatter dill weed seeds into the flower beds. Dill seems to grow much better if it can decide where to sprout by itself. Since it can be pulled up without effort, I thin it out where needed.
  • Bronze fennel looks handsome with its feathery leaves and swallowtail caterpillars love it.



    • Water is offered by the short waterways between the pond basins with wet rocks, same with the store bought 'spring'. The ground in certain areas of the Garden stays wet, where cannas and gingers are planted.




    Our Garden is also registered as a Butterfly Garden and Habitat with the North American Butterfly Association
    Myrtle Glen is a certified Monarch Waystation Habitat (ID 5208)

    Help by reporting the Monarchs you see at JourneyNorth.org
    "As the Gods had finished creating the earth, something was missing so they 
    chose pieces from all the flowers, threw them into the sky and blew life 
    into them and the butterflies were born."