Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
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Pennsylvania · Zones 5–7
Native Butterfly Plants in Pennsylvania
Nectar and host plants that bring butterflies to your garden — and give their caterpillars something to eat once they arrive. Every species here is genuinely native to Pennsylvania and the wider flora of the Mid-Atlantic and hardy through zones 5–7 — proven performers for Pennsylvania's humid continental climate across Appalachian ridge-and-valley & Piedmont, not a generic list. Local standouts include Wild Bergamot and Serviceberry. 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 Pennsylvania
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 5–7 · see this collection in other states.
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
Feeds butterflies and the caterpillars they hatch from, and it flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Short-Toothed Mountain Mint
Pycnanthemum muticum
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Prairie Blazing Star
Liatris pycnostachya
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 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
Scarlet Beebalm
Monarda didyma
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2.5–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Anise Hyssop
Agastache foeniculum
A butterfly nectar plant that blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Swamp Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata
Feeds butterflies and the caterpillars they hatch from, and it flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Maximilian Sunflower
Helianthus maximiliani
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that blooms Aug through Oct.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Aug–Oct
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that blooms May through Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that blooms Sep through Nov.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Nov
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
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Showy Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that flowers in Sep and Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
Does both jobs of a butterfly garden — nectar and host leaves; it flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 20–30 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Woodland Phlox
Phlox divaricata
A butterfly nectar plant that flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 10–15 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
Feeds butterflies and the caterpillars they hatch from; it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Culver's Root
Veronicastrum virginicum
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
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
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
Cup Plant
Silphium perfoliatum
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
27 more also qualify: Golden Alexanders, Cardinal Flower, Black-Eyed Susan, Great Blue Lobelia, Common Yarrow, Spotted Joe-Pye Weed, Ninebark, Stiff Goldenrod, Creeping Phlox, New Jersey Tea, American Elderberry, Blue Vervain, Sideoats Grama, Virginia Creeper, Purple Prairie Clover, Wild Lupine, Spicebush, Common Boneset, Fragrant Sumac, Rattlesnake Master, Common Milkweed, Indian Grass, Big Bluestem, Prairie Dropseed, Switchgrass, Little Bluestem, Pennsylvania Sedge.
Sourcing
Where to find these in Pennsylvania
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.