This weekend I gave a “Bring Home the Butterflies” talk at the Airline store. Here’s a recap for those who missed it! We are lucky enough to have almost 400 butterfly species who come through Texas, such as the Monarch, Gulf Fritillary, Swallowtail, Sulphur and Red Admiral butterflies. Each has its own host plant, which they use to lay their eggs on and eat as caterpillars. Some favorite host plants are Milkweed (Monarch), Rue (Black and Giant Swallowtail), Mallow (Painted Lady) and Dutchman’s Pipe Vine (Pipevine Swallowtail).

Milkweed

Rue

Mallow

Dutchman’s Pipe Vine

And don’t forget the Passionvine, which is the host plant for our city’s most common butterfly, the Gulf Fritillary. Make sure to plant plenty of nectar plants for adult butterflies like Native Lantana, Gregg’s Mist Flower and Porterweed. And last but not least, keep it all pesticide free. In no time you’ll have plenty of happy, beautiful butterflies fluttering all over the garden! Milkweed and Gregg’s Mist Flower are discounted in our stores right now!

“Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.”  ~Nathaniel Hawthorne

Passionvine

Lantana

Gregg’s Mist Flower

Porterweed

-Marta