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.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
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Friday - February 05, 2016
From: Round Rock, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Butterfly Gardens
Title: Making a perennial cutting garden friendly to butterflies.
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I would like to start a perennial cutting garden friendly to butterflies Where can I get a list of plants .ANSWER:
Please visit our Special Collections page where you will find two links to lists of plants that are especially attractive to butterflies:
- Butterflies and Moths of North America is a list of larval and nectar plants for butterflies and moths in North America
- Ann and O. J. Weber Butterfly Garden is a list of butterfly plants that have been part of the Wildflower Center's butterfly garden.
- National Butterfly Center has a list of butterfly plants for South Texas.
On both lists you can use the NARROW YOUR SEARCH option in the sidebar to pick plants with your criteria. Pick "Texas" from the SELECT STATE OR PROVINCE slot and "Perennial" from the LIFESPAN slot. You can also narrow the results by using other criteria such as GENERAL APPEARANCE, LIGHT REQUIREMENT, BLOOM TIME, etc.
I chose several perennial shrubs that are native to Texas and will bloom in April:
and several herbaceous perennials native to Texas that bloom in September:
- Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine)
- Asclepias tuberosa (Butterflyweed)
- Ruellia drummondiana (Drummond's ruellia)
There are many more for you to choose from on the three lists.
From the Image Gallery
More Butterfly Gardens Questions
Native plants to replace non-native Pentas plant in butterfly garden
March 25, 2010 - Can you suggest a Native alternative to Pentas? a freeze killed mine and if a native plant can fill that nectar/color void in my garden I'd appreciate it.
thanks for all that y'all do.
view the full question and answer
Plants for a fairy garden
February 16, 2016 - Hi Smarty..
I would like to create a fairy garden for my 3 year old daughter this spring in a 4ft x 2ft space. Do you have any suggestions on what native plants would be great for this?
view the full question and answer
Green blooms on Cedar Sage in Lucas TX
September 22, 2010 - I have two Cedar Sage (Salvia roemeriana) one purchased from your plant sale and one from a local nursery planted in part shade in the Dallas area.
They seem to be quite happy and are blooming but ...
view the full question and answer
Winter care of Asclepias tuberosa from Austin
October 31, 2013 - We have several asclepias tuberosa (Butterflyweed). Monarch caterpillars have found and denuded them. We are excited about all of the Monarch caterpillars, but unsure of what to do next.
What do we...
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Information on Betonyleaf thoroughwort
September 04, 2008 - I purchased Conoclinium betonicifolium (Betonyleaf thoroughwort) at the spring 2008 LBJ WC plant sale. I've not been able to find much information on the plant in the typical places, including the...
view the full question and answer
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