Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
A butterfly nectar plant that blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Michigan · Zones 4–6
Native Butterfly Plants in Michigan
Nectar and host plants that bring butterflies to your garden — and give their caterpillars something to eat once they arrive. Michigan sits in a landscape of Great Lakes forest & dune, and the natives that thrive here are the ones built for its humid continental, lake-moderated character. The list below — led by Wild Bergamot and Butterfly Weed — is filtered to species genuinely native to Michigan and the wider flora of the Midwest and hardy through zones 4–6. A real butterfly garden does two jobs: nectar for the adults and host leaves for the caterpillars. Flat-topped flowers make the best landing pads, and warm, sheltered, sunny spots out of the wind get the most visits. Tolerate a little leaf damage — those chewed leaves are the whole point, and a caterpillar today is a butterfly next month.
The plants
51 native species for Michigan
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 4–6 · see this collection in other states.
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
Feeds butterflies and the caterpillars they hatch from, and it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Swamp Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata
Does both jobs of a butterfly garden — nectar and host leaves; it flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
Does both jobs of a butterfly garden — nectar and host leaves, flowering as it flowers in May and Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
A butterfly nectar plant that blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Showy Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa
A butterfly nectar plant that flowers in Sep and Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
A butterfly nectar plant that flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
Does both jobs of a butterfly garden — nectar and host leaves, and it flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
A butterfly nectar plant that blooms May through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Woodland Phlox
Phlox divaricata
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 10–15 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Short-Toothed Mountain Mint
Pycnanthemum muticum
A butterfly nectar plant that blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that blooms Sep through Nov.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Nov
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
A butterfly nectar plant that blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Trumpet Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
Does both jobs of a butterfly garden — nectar and host leaves — it blooms Apr through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 8–15 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Cup Plant
Silphium perfoliatum
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that flowers in Aug and Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Prairie Blazing Star
Liatris pycnostachya
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Anise Hyssop
Agastache foeniculum
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Culver's Root
Veronicastrum virginicum
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed
Eutrochium maculatum
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that flowers in Aug and Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
New England Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that flowers in Sep and Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
27 more also qualify: Maximilian Sunflower, Black-Eyed Susan, Golden Alexanders, Scarlet Beebalm, Eastern Redbud, Lanceleaf Coreopsis, Common Boneset, Wild Lupine, New Jersey Tea, Spicebush, Ninebark, Creeping Phlox, Sideoats Grama, Purple Prairie Clover, Stiff Goldenrod, Rattlesnake Master, Fragrant Sumac, Common Milkweed, American Elderberry, Blue Vervain, Virginia Creeper, Pennsylvania Sedge, Prairie Dropseed, Indian Grass, Switchgrass, Little Bluestem, Big Bluestem.
Sourcing
Where to find these in Michigan
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.