When creating a garden that attracts butterflies in Colorado, it's important to choose the right types of flowers that will thrive in the high elevations ranging from 5,000 to 8,000 feet. One option is to incorporate yellow and white flowers into the landscape, as they are known to attract butterflies with their bright and vibrant colors.
Here are seven examples of yellow and white flowers that will help create a heaven for butterflies in Colorado.
1. Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta): With its bold yellow petals and dark center, black-eyed Susans are a favorite among butterflies such as the monarch and the painted lady. Their nectar-rich blooms will provide ample food for butterflies.
2. Goldenrod (Solidago sp.): Goldenrods are known for their bright yellow flowers that bloom in late summer and early fall. These flowers attract a variety of butterfly species, including the clouded sulfur and the orange sulphur.
3. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium): Yarrow is a perennial plant with clusters of tiny flowers that range in color from white to yellow. It is a favorite of butterflies such as the swallowtail and the fritillary.
4. Blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata): Blanketflowers feature yellow and red daisy-like flowers that bloom throughout the summer. They are a popular choice for attracting butterflies, especially the tiger swallowtail.
5. Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa): Butterfly weed is a type of milkweed that produces clusters of bright orange flowers. Despite its name, it also comes in yellow varieties, which are equally appealing to butterflies such as the monarch.
6. Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum x superbum): Shasta daisies are classic white flowers with yellow centers that bloom from late spring to early fall. They are a favorite of butterflies like the American painted lady and the red admiral.
7. Moonshine yarrow (Achillea filipendulina): Moonshine yarrow is a cultivar of the yarrow plant with bright yellow flowers that bloom in summer. Its aromatic foliage and attractive blooms make it a popular choice for butterfly gardens.
In addition to yellow and white flowers, purple and magenta blooms are also great for attracting butterflies to your garden in Colorado. Here are seven examples of purple and magenta flowers that will liven up your landscape and entice butterflies to visit.
1. Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea): Purple coneflowers are a staple in butterfly gardens, as they attract a wide range of butterfly species with their vibrant purple petals and cone-shaped centers.
2. Purple verbena (Verbena bonariensis): Purple verbena is a tall and airy plant that produces clusters of small, purple flowers. Its nectar-rich blooms are irresistible to butterflies like the eastern tiger swallowtail.
3. Bee balm (Monarda didyma): Bee balm, also known as bergamot, is a perennial plant with tubular purple flowers. Its sweet nectar attracts butterflies such as the great spangled fritillary.
4. Liatris (Liatris spicata): Liatris, also known as blazing star, is a tall plant with spikes of purple flowers that bloom in late summer. This would attract Butterflies in Colorado like the sachem skipper and the common wood nymph are drawn to its nectar.
5. Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia): Russian sage is a woody perennial with silvery foliage and spikes of tiny purple flowers. Its aromatic blooms are a favorite of butterflies such as the eastern black swallowtail.
6. Catmint (Nepeta mussinii): Catmint is a compact perennial with gray-green foliage and spikes of lavender-blue flowers. Its fragrant blooms attract butterflies like the common buckeye and the mourning cloak.
7. Blue false indigo (Baptisia australis): Blue false indigo is a tall perennial with spikes of indigo-blue flowers that bloom in late spring to early summer. Its nectar-rich blooms are favored by butterflies such as the pipevine swallowtail.
