13 Annual Flowers Butterflies Love

I love butterflies. They are one of my very favorite things about gardening. Seeing them in my yard absolutely delights me, and I do whatever I can to make it happen as often as possible. If I happen upon a new host plant, I don’t even hesitate, I just put it in the cart. In fact, I often select my plants at the nursery by watching to see where the butterflies are hanging out. If you’ve never done this, it’s a very effective trick. 

I will admit that my obsession with butterflies is, in part, the product of being a teenager in the 90s. It was difficult to come out of that decade without an affinity for these sparkling little creatures. We had them emblazoned on bucket hats, mini backpacks, and baby tees. You name it. All the Gen-X cusp/elder Millennials know what I mean, and Gen Z is making butterfly mania happen all over again! But I digress.

If you also are mad for mariposas and passionate about papillons, there are simple things you can do to entice them into the garden. These incomparable insects will flock to the garden filled with nectar-rich flowers. 

It’s true that planting their perennial host plants is the true way to their fluttery hearts. But, once you’ve got that part in order, you can simply go all in on the most floriferous plants you can find. Here are some favorite flowering annuals that I notice our prettiest pollinators frequenting in my garden. 

Diablo Cosmos

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Evening Sun Sunflower

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Peppermint Stick Zinnia

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Cosmos ‘Diablo’

	botanical name Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Diablo’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3’-5’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Cosmos are an all-around pollinator magnet. The annual flowers have small blossoms that are vibrant and nectar-filled treats for a host of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. They are also a beautiful plant all around. Tall, slender stems bounce and bob in the breeze, waving their lovely blooms as if to beckon pollinators to visit. 

Butterflies like bright colors. They tend to favor shades of pink, red, orange, purple, and white. They like flowers that they can land on and those with open centers, multiple florets, and ample nectar. ‘Diablo’ cosmos check every box. Their vivid yellow, orange, and red blooms light up the garden!

The parent species of this plant is listed as an invasive species in Tennessee. It also escapes cultivation easily in areas nearby. Opt for another plant on this list if you live in an area where this cosmos may crowd out native plants.

Sunflower ‘Evening Sun’

	botanical name Helianthus annuus ‘Evening Sun’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 6’-8’
	hardiness zones 2-11

It should come as no surprise that butterflies love sunflowers. Their baby tees were on adjacent pages in the Delia’s catalog, weren’t they? In all seriousness, their large, flat faces make the perfect landing pad, and they are a great nectar source. 

Monarchs, in particular, are drawn to sunflowers. They are also a host for Painted Ladies, Silvery Checkerspots, and Gorgone Checkerspots. ‘Evening Sun’ is not your average variety. I’m excited for these to bloom this year. They are tall and large, with all the colors of the sunset in their petals. 

Zinnia ‘Peppermint Stick’

	botanical name Zinnia elegans ‘Peppermint Stick’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2’-3’
	hardiness zones 2-11

If I could only plant one annual for the butterflies, zinnias would win the title. These are undoubtedly a favorite, and they are incredibly easy to grow. They bloom for an extra long time. If you deadhead them, they will keep going until your first frost. They also re-seed nicely. A bit here and there, but never aggressive. 

Varieties with open centers are going to be the most popular and the most accessible. While I adore the ‘Queeny Lime’ series for cutting, ‘Peppermint Stick’ is perfect for pollinators. They open fully, with a nice landing pad and ample space for collecting nectar. Their splashy colors stand out nicely, as well.

Pentas ‘Butterfly Red’

	botanical name Pentas lanceolata ‘Butterfly Red’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 11

Perennial only in zone 11, you can grow pentas elsewhere as an annual flower, and butterflies love them. Pretty star-shaped flowers bloom in abundant clusters, so they don’t have to go far to fill up. Flying takes a lot of energy, so any time they can rest awhile and also eat, they take the opportunity. 

‘Butterfly Red’ says it all in the name. This adorable cultivar has tiny red blossoms with just a touch of white in the center. Deadhead them regularly to keep them coming back. They will bloom from early summer until the first frost. 

Alyssum ‘Tiny Tim’

	botanical name Lobularia maritima ‘Tiny Tim’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2”-4”
	hardiness zones 5-10

Alyssum is another annual plant that produces such a profusion of flowers that butterflies can’t resist. They are sweetly fragrant and provide plenty of nectar to their visitors. It’s a low-growing plant that makes an excellent groundcover, and it looks gorgeous as a spiller in container arrangements. 

‘Tiny Tim’ is small but mighty. It blooms for a long period, and profusely, nearly obscuring the foliage. It’s heat and drought-tolerant, and works great in a rock garden. It’s also edible!

Petunia ‘Supertunia® Lavender Skies’

	botanical name Petunia ‘Supertunia® Lavender Skies’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 2-11

I plant petunias for butterflies, but also because they attract hummingbirds. And who doesn’t love hummingbirds? The tubular flowers smell lovely, and they’re self-cleaning, so there is little work involved. Just make sure to keep the soil moist. Petunias will fade fast if they dry out. 

‘Supertunia® Lavender Skies’ is a trailing variety and looks gorgeous in a hanging basket. The blooms are large and lavender, with a pop of yellow in the heart. In warm climates, give your petunias a bit of shade in the afternoon to keep them looking perky. 

Rudbeckia ‘Indian Summer’

	botanical name Rudbeckia hirta ‘Indian Summer’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 36”-42”
	hardiness zones 4-9

You might know this plant as black-eyed Susan. That’s the common name, and it’s a great butterfly and all-around pollinator attractor. Make sure to get the species R. hirta, as this is the one they prefer. It’s also a host for the Silvery Checkerspot. 

‘Indian Summer’ is a traditional yellow flower with a chocolate-brown center. It has a slight color variation on the petals that sets it apart, and this characteristic adds to its appeal. It’s an All-America Selections winner and recipient of the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. 

Salvia ‘Blue Victory’

	botanical name Salvia farinacea ‘Blue Victory’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 20”
	hardiness zones 8-10

Salvias are perennial in warm climates, but they also grow quickly and perform well as annuals in cooler climates. Their abundance of brightly colored, tubular florets grow on slender spikes and contain a bounty of sweet nectar. They tend to be heat and drought-tolerant, and will survive winters as far north as zone 8.

‘Blue Victory’ salvia has stunning, blue-violet blossoms and aromatic foliage. Butterflies will love that they can collect a lot of food on this single plant. Salvias are ideal for the wildlife-loving gardener. Bees and hummingbirds also love this one.

Butter Daisy

	botanical name Melampodium divaricatum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1′-2′
	hardiness zones 2-11

Butter daisies are not as well-known as some of the others on this list, but they are charming and attractive to butterflies. They’re small plants that produce an abundant number of bright yellow flowers from late spring until the first frost. 

The small, flat flowers contain a great deal of nectar and make a good landing spot for fluttering friends. They are easy to grow from seeds, easy to care for, and don’t mind heat or humidity. They’re native to Brazil and Mexico and have similar needs to zinnias.

Globe Amaranth ‘Fiery Sunrise Blend’

	botanical name Gomphrena haageana ‘QIS fiery Sunrise Blend’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 24”-26”
	hardiness zones 9-11

Globe amaranth is a cheery little annual that adds texture and whimsy wherever you put it. The papery flowers are nice for drying as they retain most of their color. They also have a long vase life, so they’re great for the cutting bed. 

The more you cut, the more they flower, and the butterflies will flock to their bright little blooms. ‘Fiery Sunrise Blend’ is a combination of all your favorite warm colors. Pink, orange, and red make these annual flowers a favorite for butterflies.

Bidens

	botanical name Bidens alba
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1′-3′
	hardiness zones 8-11

Bidens is a genus of small flowering plants that are mostly native to the Eastern United States. These annual flowers are highly attractive to butterflies, and bumblebees also go crazy for them. The species that is native to my area—B. alba—has tiny white flowers on tall stems. You can typically find more colorful varieties at local nurseries. They also come in pink and yellow.

Phlox ‘Cherry Caramel’

	botanical name Phlox drummondii ‘Cherry Caramel’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 15”-25”
	hardiness zones 2-11

Phlox is a favorite for the cutting garden and even better for the butterfly garden. There are several types, from low creepers to tall and slender varieties. These are fast bloomers that are great in cool climates, but may take a pause during hot summers. 

‘Cherry Caramel’ is a beautiful and unique variety with creamy beige blooms that have a blush of pink at the center. They smell lovely and are certain to get attention from people and pollinators. 

Marigold ‘Kilimanjaro White’

	botanical name Tagetes erecta ‘Kilimanjaro White’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 18”
	hardiness zones 2-11

Finally, marigolds are some of the easiest annual flowers to grow and care for in a butterfly garden. These sturdy plants are good at repelling nuisance nematodes and are attractive to many types of pollinators. Butterflies love their bright blooms that have plenty of nectar.