Butterflies in Mind -- Zinnia
Susan C. Dunlap
A collection of 50 images as if seen from a butterfly’s point of view. Includes the names of native Zinnia species and the most complete list of US butterflies that will feed on Zinnia blossoms.
Butterflies in Mind -- Asclepias
Susan C. Dunlap
“Milkweed is the single most important plant for Monarch butterflies. This lavishly illustrated book contains details about the structure and cultivation of native Milkweeds, information about the 139 nectar-feeding butterflies they...
Butterflies in Mind -- Monarch
Susan C. Dunlap
This abundantly illustrated volume enables you to select from a complete list of well described perennial nectar plants that are known to attract & feed Monarch butterflies. Over 40 genera are described that are suitable to be grown...
Butterflies in Mind -- Perennials
Susan C. Dunlap
Butterflies in Mind - Perennials. This book is a definitive guide to perennial nectar plants preferred by US butterflies. It empowers you to feed, attract, support (and help identify) nectar-feeding butterflies that reside in the US....
🦋 US Butterflies! Click here for data and ℹ️

Danaus plexippus

Common name: Monarch

Feeds on these plants:

Abelia x grandiflora

Abelia x grandiflora ‘Confetti’

Abelia x grandiflora ‘Edward Goucher’

Abelia x grandiflora ‘Kaleidoscope’

Abelia x grandiflora ‘Sherwoodii’

Abelia x grandiflora ‘Sunrise’

Aesculus californica

Agastache foeniculum

Ageratina jucunda

Ageratum conyzoides

Ageratum houstonianum
(sold as Hawaii Blue)

Anisacanthus quadrifidus

Apocynum cannabinum

Asclepias asperula

Asclepias curassavica
(sold as Silky Deep Red)

Asclepias curassavica
(sold as Silky Gold)

Asclepias fascicularis

Asclepias hallii

Asclepias incarnata

Asclepias perennis

Asclepias purpurascens

Asclepias quadrifolia

Asclepias speciosa

Asclepias subulata

Asclepias syriaca

Asclepias tuberosa

Asclepias viridiflora

Aster alpinus

Aster amellus

Aster divaricatus

Aster foliaceus

Aster novi-belgii ‘Winston S. Churchill’

Aster novi-belgii
(sold as Tiny Tot)

Aster pilosus

Aster praealtus

Aster subspicatus

Aster x frikartii

Aster x frikartii ‘Moench’

Aster
(sold as Pot 'n Patio Mix)

Baccharis hamilifolia

Bebbia juncea

Begonia grandis

Begonia tuberhybrida

Begonia

Begonia ‘Beatrice Haddrell’

Begonia ‘Doublet White’

Begonia ‘Irene Nuss’

Begonia ‘Richmondensis’

Begonia
(sold as Ambassador pink)

Begonia
(sold as Ambassador scarlet)

Begonia
(sold as Ambassador white)

Begonia
(sold as Bada Boom Rose)

Begonia
(sold as George Morneau)

Begonia
(sold as Lady Francis)

Begonia
(sold as Senator White)

Begonia
(sold as sempervirens white)

Bidens alba

Bidens artistosa

Bidens ferulifolia

Bidens ferulifolia
(sold as Yellow Empire)

Bidens pilosa

Bidens polylepis

Bougainvilla species

Buddleja alternifolia

Buddleja colvilei

Buddleja crispa

Buddleja davidii

Buddleja davidii ‘Harlequin’

Buddleja davidii ‘Pink Delight’

Buddleja davidii
(sold as dwarf)

Buddleja lindleyana

Buddleja marrubifolia

Buddleja saligna

Buddleja salviifolia

Buddleja weyeriana 'honeycomb'

Buddleja x pikei

Buddleja x weyeriana

Caesalpinia pulcherrima

Callistemon citrinus

Callistemon citrinus
(sold as Little John)

Callistemon viminalis

Callistemon
(sold as Cane's Hybrid)

Calotropis procera

Camellia sasanqua ‘Shishi Gashira’

Camellia sasanqua
(sold as Susan)

Camellia sasanqua
(sold as Yuletide)

Carduus acanthoides

Carphephorus bellidifolius

Ceanothus americanus

Ceanothus arboreus

Ceanothus cuneatus ssp. rigidus

Ceanothus cuneatus

Ceanothus dentatus

Ceanothus gloriosus

Ceanothus griseus

Ceanothus griseus ‘Yankee Point’

Ceanothus hearstiorum

Ceanothus impressus

Ceanothus impressus
(sold as Vandenberg)

Ceanothus integerrimus

Ceanothus oliganthus

Ceanothus papillosus

Ceanothus prostratus

Ceanothus purpureus

Ceanothus thyrsiflorus

Ceanothus x pallidus ‘Marie Simon’

Ceanothus ‘Dark Star’

Ceanothus ‘Diamond Heights’

Ceanothus ‘Julia Phelps’

Ceanothus
(sold as papillosus)

Centranthus ruber

Cephalanthus occidentalis

Cirsium altissimum

Cirsium arvense

Cirsium hilli

Cirsium muticum

Cirsium nuttalii

Cirsium occidentale

Cirsium species

Cirsium vulgare

Conoclinium coelestinum

Conoclinium greggii

Coreopsis auriculata

Coreopsis gigantea

Coreopsis grandiflora hogg ex sweet

Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Sunray’

Coreopsis lanceolata
(sold as Tequila Sunrise)

Coreopsis maritima

Coreopsis palmata

Coreopsis rosea

Coreopsis tinctoria

Coreopsis verticillata ‘Moonbeam’

Coreopsis
(sold as Limerock Passion)

Daucus carota

Dichelostemma congestum

Duranta erecta ‘Sapphire’

Duranta erecta
(sold as Variegata)

Duranta stenostachya

Echinacea angustifolia

Echinacea paradoxa

Echinacea purpurea

Echinacea sanguinea

Echinacea tennesseensis

Echinacea
(sold as Big Sky Harvest Moon)

Echinacea
(sold as Big Sky Yellow)

Echium candicans

Echium hybrid
(sold as Mr Happy)

Echium maculatum

Echium pininana

Echium plantagineum

Echium vulgare

Echium wildpretii

Erigeron glaucus

Erigeron glaucus
(sold as Bountiful)

Erigeron glaucus
(sold as Cape Sebastian)

Erigeron glaucus
(sold as WR)

Eriogonum abertianum

Eriogonum arborescens

Eriogonum compositum

Eriogonum crocatum

Eriogonum elatum

Eriogonum fasciculatum

Eriogonum giganteum

Eriogonum grande

Eriogonum jamesi

Eriogonum latifolium

Eriogonum nudum

Eriogonum ovalifolium

Eriogonum parishii

Eriogonum parvifolium

Eriogonum umbellatum

Eriogonum wrightii

Eupatorium cannabinum

Eupatorium capillifolium

Eupatorium fistulosum

Eupatorium maculatum

Eupatorium perfoliatum

Eupatorium serotinum

Eupatorium wrightii

Euphorbia pulcherrima

Fallopia japonica

Fallopia japonica ‘Variegata’

Gaillardia pinnatifida

Gaillardia pulchella
(sold as Plume Series)

Gaillardia x grandiflora
(sold as Fanfare)

Gaillardia ‘Oranges And Lemons’

Gerbera hybrid
(sold as Germini Torpedo)

Gerbera hybrid
(sold as Orange Springs)

Gerbera jamesonii
(sold as Mini)

Gerbera jamesonii
(sold as hybrid Maxi Mix)

Gerbera species
(sold as pink)

Gerbera
(sold as Dakota)

Gerbera
(sold as Garden Hardy Carmine)

Gerbera
(sold as Garden Hardy Orange)

Gerbera
(sold as Garden Hardy Pink)

Gomphrena globosa

Hamelia patens

Helianthus angustifolius

Helianthus annuus
(sold as Junior Yellow)

Helianthus annuus
(sold as Paquito Mix)

Helianthus laevigatus

Helianthus maximiliani

Helianthus mollis

Helianthus occidentalis

Helianthus petiolaris

Helianthus salicifolius

Iris afghanica

Iris bracteata

Iris chrysographes

Iris confusa

Iris domestica

Iris douglasiana

Iris douglasiana ‘Californian Hybrids’

Iris ensata ‘Variegata’

Iris foetidissima

Iris graminea

Iris innominata

Iris japonica ‘Variegata’

Iris laevigata

Iris longipetala

Iris pallida

Iris pallida ‘Aureo Variegata’

Iris pumila

Iris purdyi

Iris sibirica

Iris tenax

Iris versicolor

Iris x germanica

Justicia californica

Kniphofia caulescens

Kniphofia galpinii
(sold as Orange Flame)

Kniphofia northiae

Kniphofia rooperi

Kniphofia thomsonii

Kniphofia triangularis

Kniphofia uvaria

Kniphofia ‘Minister Verschuur’

Lantana camara
(sold as Carlos)

Lantana camara
(sold as Landmark Peach Sunrise)

Lantana camara
(sold as Landmark Pink Dawn)

Lantana hirta

Lantana hybrid
(sold as New Gold)

Lantana involucrata

Lantana montevidensis

Lantana montevidensis
(sold as Confetti)

Lantana montevidensis
(sold as Lavender Trailing)

Lantana montevidensis
(sold as New Gold)

Lantana montevidensis
(sold as orange)

Lantana montevidensis
(sold as white)

Lantana montevidensis
(sold as yellow)

Lantana ‘Silver Mound’

Leucanthemum vulgare

Liatris ligulistylis

Lilium formosanum

Lonicera confusa

Lonicera etrusca

Lonicera hildebrandiana

Lonicera japonica ‘Purpurea’

Lonicera japonica ‘Variegata’

Lonicera maackii

Lonicera periclymenum

Lonicera pileata

Lonicera sempervirens

Lonicera tatarica

Lonicera tatarica ‘Arnold Red’

Lonicera tragophylla

Lonicera x americana

Lonicera x brownii ‘Dropmore Scarlet’

Lonicera x heckrottii

Lonicera xylosteum

Lythrum salicaria

Malvaviscus arboreus

Malvaviscus drummondi

Malvaviscus drummondii

Monarda didyma

Monarda fistulosa

Monarda punctata

Origanum vulgare

Osteopermum species

Pentas species

Pontederia cordata

Prunus virginiana melampcarpa

Pseudogynoxys chenopodioides

Raphanus raphanistrum

Raphanus sativus
(sold as April Cross)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as Cabernet)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as Cherry Belle)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as China Rose)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as Chinese White)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as Comet)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as Crunchy Royale)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as Early Scarlet Globe)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as French Breakfast)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as Icicle)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as Long White Icicle)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as Masato Green)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as Masato Red)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as Minowase Early daikon)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as Ping Pong)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as Pink Beauty)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as Red Boy)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as Red Meat)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as Round Black Spanish)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as Sakurajima Mammoth)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as Scarlet Globe)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as Snow Belle)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as Sparkler)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as Szechuan Red)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as Tama)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as burpee white)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as champion)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as cherriette)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as lady slipper)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as plum purple)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as scarlet knight)

Raphanus sativus
(sold as summer cross)

Ratibida columnifera

Ratibida pinnata

Roldana petasitis

Rudbeckia hirta

Rudbeckia hirta ‘Autumn Colors’

Rudbeckia hirta ‘Indian Summer’

Rudbeckia hirta
(sold as Becky Series)

Rudbeckia hirta
(sold as Cordoba)

Salvia africana-lutea

Salvia apiana

Salvia ballotiflora

Salvia blepharophylla

Salvia brandegei

Salvia buchananii

Salvia cacaliifolia

Salvia canariensis

Salvia chamaedryoides

Salvia chiapensis

Salvia cleveladii, or clevelandii

Salvia clevelandii

Salvia coahuilensis

Salvia coccinea ‘Brenthurst’

Salvia coccinea ‘Lady In Red’

Salvia coccinea
(sold as May Night)

Salvia coccinea
(sold as Rose Queen)

Salvia coccinea
(sold as Select Rose)

Salvia coerulea

Salvia confertiflora

Salvia discolor

Salvia dolomitica

Salvia elegans

Salvia elegans
(sold as Golden Delicious)

Salvia farinacea

Salvia fruticosa

Salvia fulgens

Salvia gesneriiflora

Salvia glechomifolia

Salvia greggii

Salvia greggii ‘Navajo Bright Red’

Salvia greggii ‘Navajo White’

Salvia greggii ‘Sierra San Antonio’

Salvia greggii
(sold as watermelon Autumn Sage pink)

Salvia hians

Salvia hybrid

Salvia indica

Salvia involucrata
(sold as El Cielo)

Salvia leucantha

Salvia leucantha ‘Santa Barbara’

Salvia leucophylla

Salvia longispicata

Salvia mellifera

Salvia mexicana

Salvia microphylla

Salvia microphylla ‘Hot Lips’

Salvia microphylla
(sold as Bezerkeley)

Salvia microphylla
(sold as Rosita)

Salvia microphylla
(sold as ucb pink)

Salvia munzii

Salvia nemorosa

Salvia nemorosa ‘Sensation Rose’

Salvia nemorosa
(sold as Viola Klose)

Salvia officinalis ssp. lavandulifolia

Salvia officinalis

Salvia officinalis ‘Icterina’

Salvia officinalis ‘Purpurascens’

Salvia officinalis ‘Tricolor’

Salvia pachyphylla

Salvia patens

Salvia pozo blue

Salvia pratensis

Salvia regla

Salvia roemeriana

Salvia sclerea

Salvia sinaloensis

Salvia spathacea

Salvia species

Salvia splendens

Salvia splendens ‘Salsa Purple’

Salvia uliginosa

Salvia urica

Salvia verticillata ‘Purple Rain’

Salvia viridis

Salvia wagneriana

Salvia x jamensis

Salvia x sylvestris

Salvia x sylvestris
(sold as Snowhill)

Salvia ‘Indigo Spires’

Salvia ‘Waverly’

Salvia
(sold as Blue Victory)

Salvia
(sold as Red Hot Sally)

Salvia
(sold as Salsa Purple)

Salvia
(sold as Verona)

Scabiosa caucasica

Scabiosa caucasica ‘Fama’

Scabiosa columbaria

Scabiosa ochroleuca

Scabiosa ‘Pink Mist’

Sedum acre

Sedum aizoon

Sedum album

Sedum anglicum
(sold as gray)

Sedum anglicum
(sold as green)

Sedum caeruleum

Sedum dasphyllum

Sedum dendroideum

Sedum kamtschaticum var. floriferum ‘Weinhenstephaner Gold’

Sedum kamtschaticum

Sedum kamtschaticum
(sold as Akebono)

Sedum lineare ‘Variegatum’

Sedum lucidum

Sedum morganianum

Sedum niveum

Sedum pachyphyllum

Sedum rubrotinctum

Sedum rupestre

Sedum rupestre
(sold as Blue Spruce)

Sedum sieboldii

Sedum species

Sedum spurium

Sedum telephium

Sedum telephium ‘Bon Bon’

Sedum treleasei

Sedum ‘Matrona’

Sedum
(sold as Blue spruce)

Senecio cineraria

Senecio congestus

Senecio douglasii

Senecio elegans

Senecio erucifolius

Senecio flaccidus v douglasii

Senecio flaccidus

Senecio glastifolius

Senecio integerrimus

Senecio jacobaea

Senecio leucanthemifolius

Senecio linearifolius

Senecio mandraliscae

Senecio nemorensis

Senecio rufiglandulosus

Senecio serpens

Senecio talinoides

Silphium laciniatum

Solidago californica

Solidago canadensis

Solidago flexicaulis

Solidago multiradiata

Solidago nultiradiata

Solidago rigida

Solidago rugosa

Solidago spectabilis

Solidago ‘Crown Of Rays’

Stachytarpheta cayennensis

Stachytarpheta jamaicensis

Stachytarpheta mutabilis

Stachytarpheta species

Symphyotrichum chilense

Symphyotrichum dumosum

Symphyotrichum ericoides

Symphyotrichum henersonii

Symphyotrichum lateriflium

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae

Symphyotrichum oblongifolium

Symphyotrichum praealtum

Symphyotrichum puniceum

Symphyotrichum spathulatum

Symphyotrichyum oblongifolium

Taraxacum officinale

Tithonia rotundifolia

Trifolium hybridum

Trifolium incarnatum

Trifolium pratense

Trifolium repens

Trifolium repens
(sold as Atropurpureum)

Trifolium rubens

Verbena bonariensis

Verbena hastata

Verbena hybrid
(sold as Quartz scarlet)

Verbena hybrid
(sold as Sparkler Purple & White)

Verbena hybrid
(sold as Sparkler Red & White)

Verbena hybrid
(sold as Sparkler Sky Blue & White)

Verbena hybrid
(sold as Tapien Pink)

Verbena lilacina

Verbena rigida 'polaris'

Verbena rigida polaris

Verbena rigida

Verbena stricta

Verbena ‘Homestead Purple’

Verbena
(sold as Aztec Cherry Red)

Verbena
(sold as Aztec Light Pink)

Verbena
(sold as Aztec Pearl)

Verbena
(sold as Aztec Raspberry)

Verbena
(sold as Aztec White Magic)

Verbena
(sold as Babylon Deep Pink)

Verbena
(sold as Sparkler Purple & White)

Verbena
(sold as Sparkler Sky Blue & White)

Verbena
(sold as Tukana White)

Verbena
(sold as x hybrida Taylortown Red)

Verbesina virginica

Vernonia noveboracensis

Veronica repens

Veronica ‘Waterperry Blue’

Veronica
(sold as Royal Candles)

Vicia benghalensis

Vicia caroliniana

Vicia villosa

Viola cornuta

Viola hederacea
(sold as Pansy)

Viola jooi

Viola odorata
(sold as Royal Kobe)

Viola pedata

Viola sempervirens

Viola
(sold as Angel Tiger Eye)

Viola
(sold as Coconut Swirl)

Viola
(sold as Crystal Bowl Yellow)

Viola
(sold as Dynamite Orange)

Viola
(sold as Etain)

Viola
(sold as Gem Lavender Antique)

Viola
(sold as Jolly Joker)

Viola
(sold as Majestic Giants Blue & White)

Viola
(sold as Majestic Giants Purple Blotch)

Viola
(sold as Majestic Giants Yellow Blotch)

Viola
(sold as Princess Purple & Gold)

Viola
(sold as Skippy Red & Yellow)

Viola
(sold as Skippy Yellow)

Viola
(sold as Sorbet Coconut Swirl)

Viola
(sold as Sorbet Face Purple)

Viola
(sold as penny violet beason)

Viola
(sold as violet flare)

Zinnia elegans

Zinnia elegans
(sold as Magellan Coral)

Zinnia elegans
(sold as Magellan Yellow)

Zinnia elegans
(sold as Oklahoma Scarlet)

Zinnia elegans
(sold as Sizzle Cherry & Ivory)

Zinnia haageana

Zinnia peruviana

Zinnia species

Zinnia

Zinnia
(sold as Crystal White)

Zinnia
(sold as Dreamland Mix)

Zinnia
(sold as Dreamland scarlet)

Zinnia
(sold as Profusion Apricot)

Zinnia
(sold as Profusion Cherry)

Zinnia
(sold as Profusion Orange)

Zinnia
(sold as Profusion White)

Zinnia
(sold as Short Stuff Mix)

Zinnia
(sold as State Fair Mix)

Danaus plexippus, Monarch
The classic, beloved migrating butterfly.

Listed here is our current, complete list of nectar plants that appeal to the Monarch. It contains 95 entries including 44 species and 51 additional genera. We offer the master list here to help you navigate to specific plants rather than pawing through all our cultivars. Most of these genera contain native plants that can be grown in the Monarch's range.

fyi, it is shown here on the yellow-flowering Roldana petasitis. It nectared on this plant for 34 minutes. Didn't budge its legs – simply moved its proboscis from one nectar pool to another on the plant’s branching inflorescence. The other image is a close-up of a Zinnia blossom, as viewed by a butterfly.

Speaking of weeds, do avoid these invasives: Lantana camara, Echium plantagineum and Echium pininaba, Osteospermum ecklonis, Scabiosa atropurpurea, 3 Senecios (S. inaequidens, linearifolius, and quadridentatus), and Trifolium angustifolium.

Abelia
Aesculus californica
Agastache foeniculum
Ageratina jucunda
Ageratum
Anisacanthus quadrifidus
Apocynum
Asclepias incarnata
Asclepias
Aster
Baccharis hamilifolia
Bebbia juncea
Begonia
Bidens
Bidens polylepis
Bougainvilla
Buddleja davidii
Buddleja
Caesalpinia
Callistemon
Calotropis procera
Camellia sasanqua
Carduus acanthoides
Carphephorus bellidifolius
Ceanothus
Centranthus ruber
Cephalanthus
Cirsium muticum
Cirsium occidentale
Cirsium vulgare
Cirsium
Conoclinium
Coreopsis
Daucus carota
Dichelostemma
Duranta
Echinacea paradoxa
Echinacea purpurea
Echinacea
Echium
Erigeron glaucus
Eriogonum
Eupatorium
Euphorbia pulcherrima
Fallopia japonica 
Gaillardia
Gerbera
Gomphrena globosa
Hamelia patens
Helianthus
Iris
Justicia californica
Kniphofia
Lantana camara
Lantana hirta
Lantana montevidensis
Lantana
Leucanthemum vulgare
Liatris ligulistylis
Lilium
Lonicera
Lythrum salicaria
Malvaviscus
Monarda
Origanum vulgare
Osteopermum
Pentas
Pontederia
Prunus virginiana melampcarpa
Pseudogynoxys chenopodioides
Raphanus
Ratibida
Roldana petasitis
Rudbeckia hirta
Salvia
Scabiosa
Sedum
Senecio
Silphium laciniatum
Solidago
Solidago rigida
Stachytarpheta
Symphyotrichum
Taraxacum officinale
Tithonia rotundifolia
Trifolium incarnatum
Trifolium pratense
Trifolium
Verbena lilacina
Verbena
Verbesina virginica
Vernonia
Veronica
Vicia
Viola
Zinnia

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