Native Plants

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

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Wednesday - April 15, 2015

From: Darien, CT
Region: Northeast
Topic: Plant Lists, Butterfly Gardens
Title: Butterfly and Hummingbird Attracting Plants for CT
Answered by: Anne Van Nest

QUESTION:

Could you please give me a list of flowers that would attract butterflies and hummingbirds? I live in Darien, Connecticut and would love to make a butterfly garden.

ANSWER:

To develop a list of plants that are beneficial to butterflies and moths and that grow in Connecticut, start with our special collections list of Plants for Butterflies and Moths of North America. Next, narrow your search to only Connecticut native plants by selecting your state. Then select "herb" general appearance and "perennial" lifespan. This will give you a list of 43 plants for your region.When you look over these plants, check out the "Use Wildlife" under the Benefits section and you will see if the plant is also attracts hummingbirds (many do).

Some of these include:

Actaea racemosa var. racemosa (Black cohosh)

Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine)

Asclepias syriaca (Common milkweed)

Asclepias tuberosa (Butterflyweed)

Desmodium canadense (Showy tick trefoil)

Helianthus decapetalus (Thinleaf sunflower)

Lupinus perennis (Sundial lupine)

Penstemon hirsutus (Hairy penstemon)

Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima (Blackeyed Susan)

Senna hebecarpa (American senna)

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (New England aster)