It's useful to note that there are two types of plants needed to support the butterfly lifecycle: host plants and nectar plants.
Host plants are where the caterpillars feed and therefore where the adults lay their eggs. Often a given species of butterfly only uses a certain type of host plant, for example, monarchs and milkweed. Nectar plants provide food for the adults so it is useful to have both types of plants available. Regarding milkweed, I've had a lot of aphid issues with common milkweed and less with butterfly weed( Asclepias tuberosa) although I've read that butterfly weed is not their first choice. Rich On Sat, Aug 9, 2025 at 3:01 PM Judith Wong <[email protected]> wrote: > Milkweed for monarch butterflies. There are a few native species. > > Judy Wong > Sent from my iPad > > On Aug 9, 2025, at 2:56 PM, Rich Rosenbaum <[email protected]> wrote: > > > If you want monarch butterflies, plant Blazing Star (Liatris). > Liatris ligulistylis pictured below. > > https://www.prairiemoon.com/liatris-ligulistylis-meadow-blazing-star > > You might also consider planting a few bare root plants although this is > obviously more expensive. > > Rich > > <image.png> > > . > > > > > On Sat, Aug 9, 2025 at 1:40 PM Terry Kay Epperson < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> Dear Lincoln, >> >> Several of you recommended native seeds from Prairie Moon together with >> Native Plant Trust in Framingham. We are finally at the point that we can >> start planning the restructuring of our yard! Electrical project is 99% >> complete; we wait only for Comcast to move their cable so that Eversource >> can take the old pole and service line down. For our neighbors - thank you >> so much for your patience over the last year. My goal is to start seeding >> in the fall - native only - and to try my hand at winter stratification as >> well. The number of native seeds available from Prairie Moon is >> staggering...I almost want to buy everything. For those of you who have >> purchased native seeds from them, I would love your recommendations in >> terms of what you loved and what didn't work out. My native volunteers are >> mostly yellow, purple, and white, so other colors are welcome! I'm looking >> for plants that will attract pollinators. I currently have Rudbeckia hirta >> (black-eyed Susan), almost every goldenrod imaginable, several different >> types of aster, spotted and american wintergreen, clasping venus looking >> glass, Lobelia inflata (Indian tobacco), rabbit tobacco, lanceleaf >> coreopsis, daisy fleabane, several sedges, mosses, cinquefoil, white and >> blue violets (may or may not be native), etc. We also have lady fern and >> sensitive fern. We have shady, part shade, and sunny spots. Thank you in >> advance for your recommendations! >> >> Warmly, >> Terry Kay >> >> >> -- >> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >> Browse the archives at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >> Change your subscription settings at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >> >> -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected]. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > >
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