How to Create a Tropical Butterfly Garden

Butterfly gardens are becoming more popular as a source of beauty and environmental conservation. Purple passion vine, pentas, firebush and blue plumbago grow well in a tropical butterfly garden. Tropical climate temperatures rarely rise above 93 degrees F and have humidity in the 77 to 88 percent range. Monarch, swallowtail, cloudless sulphur and zebra longwing butterflies thrive in the moist humidity of tropical gardens. Butterflies have a wide range of flight and are important in the pollination process of many endangered plant species. There are several steps to creating a tropical butterfly garden.

Paper and pencil
Plants
Rocks
Bucket
Logs

Instructions

- 1
  Map your garden to determine soil types, sun and shade areas. Choose a garden area sheltered from wind that receives at least six hours of direct sun per day.
- 2
  Choose plant varieties that vary in color, season of bloom and height to provide foraging opportunities and habitats year-round.
- 3
  Provide cover and shelter for the butterflies with logs, broad-leafed plants and shrubs. Plan garden areas with large, diverse groups of plants. Please see Resources for a complete list of plants that attract butterflies.
- 4
  Plant caterpillar food plants such as parsley, spicebush, hackberry and clover to provide food for the insects before they mature.
- 5
  Create a water source for butterflies by burying a bucket in the ground with equal portions of sand and water. Periodically replenish the water. Place several rocks nearby to provide a resting place.

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