By Jennifer E. Beaver
Like most of us, butterflies are attracted to our balmy year-round climate. And since this is, after all, Los Angeles, we get the quirkily named Sleepy Orange, Gray Hairstreak and Funeral Duskywing in addition to well-known favorites like Monarchs and Swallowtails,
Why do we like them? These delicate beauties work as pollinators while putting on a great show. Though picky eating habits and limited plant availability have reduced their numbers, there is good news. Gardeners across the country are creating butterfly habitats using plants that “progress” nearly eliminated. Visit the North American Butterfly Association (naba.org) and thebutterflysite.com for detailed information about butterfly gardens and much more.
To create a casual eatery for butterfly diners, just wing it. Place lantana or lavender in your existing bed, or plant a large container of zinnia and cosmos on a sunny balcony. Invest seven dollars in Seeds for a Butterfly Garden from Renee’s Garden (reneesgarden.com and OSH) and get “Persian Carpet” Zinnia, “Purity” white Cosmos, “Red Sun” sunflower, plus planting and garden design information.
With a little more work, you can create a habitat that nurtures a butterfly for its entire life cycle from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to adult. Start with a sunny area sheltered from winds. Tall plants like sunflowers will do the trick.
Attract and feed adults with full-of-nectar favorites like blanketflower, coneflower, verbena, salvia, yarrow, Russian sage, oregano, marigold, black-eyed Susans and asters. And don’t forget a butterfly bush— new smaller varieties are easy to place in the garden.
Next, choose host plants. Host plants do triple duty as a place to lay eggs plus caterpillar food and lodging, and each butterfly variety is extremely selective. Plant milkweed for Monarchs, dill and carrot for Black Swallowtail, fennel for Swallowtail, sunflowers for Painted Ladies, citrus for Giant Swallowtail and tree mallow and hollyhock for Painted Lady and West Coast Lady. Versatile milkweed and fennel double as food source and host plant.
These tenants eat their lodging, so remember that these plants will eventually look ragged and situate them accordingly. Gardeners who traditionally dislike caterpillars for their destructive munching habits will be relieved to know that butterflies trash only their selected host plant.
Put a few flat rocks in a sunny area so butterflies can warm up a bit before flying. A shallow pool of water is always welcome, especially for Monarch males who visit for salt and amino acids before mating. No word on how Monarch females prepare for the big event.
Jennifer E. Beaver, a Wrigley resident, is a master gardener and author of Container Gardening for California.
