You can attract butterflies and keep them around by using nectar-producing flowers, and offering over-ripe fruit.  These make perfect butterfly feeders during mid to late summer, when butterflies are most active. Having plants blooming in succession will attract new visitors too.  The Butterfly Bush and Butterfly Weed are the most popular flowers used to attract butterflies, some other nectar-producing flowers include:

• Asters
• Black-Eyed Susan
• Blue Cardinal Flower
• Common Milkweed
• Delphinium
• Heliotrope
• Joe-Pye Weed
• Lantana
• Liatris
• Marigolds
• Oriental Lilies
• Petunias
• Phlox
• Privet
• Purple Coneflower
• Sedum (Autumn Joy)
• Verbena
• Zinnia

Over-ripened fruit also provides a tasty treat and should be placed in the sun on a raised plate, hung from a shepherd’s hook on a tray feeder, or even a shallow birdbath.  Make sure it is in close proximity to your blooming flowers.  Some favorite fruits include; peaches, bananas, oranges, cantaloupe, strawberries, and other melons.

Leaf Misters will also attract butterflies, as they love to flit back and forth through the gentle spray.  We have one in a bed of Lantana that butterflies visit daily during hot summer days.  Bring your garden to life with the magic of butterflies!