Here are the flowers that you should grow to swallowtails to your garden.
Monarda didyma, zones 4 to 9
Often grown for the minty citrus scent of the leaves, bee balm has striking tubular flowers that swallowtails can?t resist. Native to the eastern?U.S.?and Canada, it doesn?t often tolerate the extreme humidity of southern summers, but it thrives everywhere else.
Why we love it: Swallowtails love it, but deer typically stay away, which is always a bonus!
Vernonia sp., zones 5 to 9
Many native wildflowers are attractive to butterflies, and ironweed is no exception. A late summer bloomer, ironweed sends flower stalks up to 7 feet with fuzzy purple flower clusters at the branched ends. For best flowering, be sure to provide moist soil.
Why we love it: Ironweed is a long bloomer. It lasts well into fall, providing
nectar for the last butterflies of the season.
