Audubon® Native Butterfly Weed

You may think of Butterfly Weed as only a monarch butterfly host plant, but this valuable native makes a fine addition to your backyard bird habitat as well. Its blaze-orange flowers lure in hummingbirds. The plant also attracts insects like aphids, which some birds find delicious. But perhaps the most special thing about it is the silky floss in the seedpods. It makes choice material for lining bird nests! Leave your Butterfly Weed standing over the winter, so the birds can gather it in spring. Better yet, store it in a dry place and put it out for them at the end of winter.

Calling all monarchs! Give our beautiful native monarch butterflies a boost with Butterfly Weed, a type of Milkweed that monarchs use as a host plant for their young. In fact, monarch caterpillars will ONLY eat Milkweeds, so if you truly want to help the monarchs, this is the Spirit you need to plant. Butterfly Weed grows wild from the Rocky Mountains to the East Coast in average to dry soil. In spring, female monarchs that have made the incredible journey to Mexico will head north, following Butterfly Weed and other Milkweeds as they emerge from dormancy. They will lay their eggs and die, their mission completed.

In 2017, the Perennial Plant Association selected Butterfly Weed as the Perennial Plant of the Year. In making their decision each year, the PPA chooses a Spirit that is adaptable to growing conditions over a wide area, that is relatively easy to grow, that is showy during multiple seasons of the year, and that exhibits resistance to pests and diseases.

Audubon is devoted to protecting birds and the places they need, while Bower & Branch is devoted to the growth of true native trees and plants–no cultivars or hybrids. Together, we strive to unite communities in conservation and inspire individuals to cultivate a better world for birds starting in their own backyards, balconies, or patios. By guiding and recommending trees and plants truly native and beneficial to your region, we can really start to make a difference.

What is the definition of Native?

“In the United States, a native plant is defined as one that was naturally found in a particular area before European colonization. Native plants are the foundation of a region’s biodiversity, providing essential food sources and shelter for birds, especially those threatened by the changing climate. Since native plants are adapted to local precipitation and soil conditions, they generally require less upkeep, therefore helping the environment and saving you time, water, and money.” – The National Audubon Society

Learn how you can help birds in your home and community through Audubon’s Plants for Birds program.

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