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....

Cynoglossum amabile

Family: Boraginaceae

Common names: CHINESE FORGET-ME-NOT, HOUNDS TONGUE

Native to: East Asia

Plant

Type: annual

Forms: clumping, erect, rosette

Max height: 2 feet

Max width: 1 foot

Flower

blue/green

Leaf

green

Horticulture

Attracts wildlife: adult butterfly, specific butterfly species

Exposure: part shade, sun

Landscape use: container

Propagates by: seed

flowers in summer

Soil type: well drained

USDA Zones: zone 7 to 0 f, zone 8 to +10 f, zone 9 to +20 f, zone 10 to +30 f

Temp. range: 0 to +40 °F

Water: regular

Butterflies that feed on this plant

Cynoglossum, a genus comprised of 90 species and a member of the Boraginaceae family, attract the MONARCH butterfly.

Cynoglossum amabile, an annual, grows to 2 foot high by a foot wide in sun or part shade. It propagates by seed and flowers in summer, and can be grown in Zones 7-10. It prefers regular watering and can be grown in a container.

Missouri botanical affirms that “this plant will freely self seed in the garden.” Chinese forget-me-not is not to be confused with Myosotis scorpioides (For-get-me-not) which is another plant that can be weedy. The seedheads will attach to your pant leg or bathrobe to find another suitable locale to take up residence in your garden. You might want to be suspicious of a plant with such a nick-name as it has a reputation to uphold.

It will attract the adult Danaus plexippus, MONARCH to feed, but so will many other plants listed in the database. It is one of the few plants that attract Gray Ministreak (Ministrymon azia).

Plants for container - flowering annuals

This annual plant is suitable for container gardening. Container plants generally have a smaller root-ball and most thrive with regular watering. Most will perk up if watered when they have drooped a bit.

There are over 300 plants in this category that can be further sorted for shady spots or as attractive to wildlife. Most of these annuals an be grown from seed and prefer being grown in a sunny locale. Nearly 200 entries in this category are plants that appeal to adult butterflies, 75 plants attract bees, and 47 plants attract hummingbirds.

Annual plants suitable for containers can be found in every color imaginable – yellow flowers and white flowers are the most common, but they can also be found in orange, purple, violet, red, pink, and blue. Several of these plants are grown for their cut flowers, some have fragrant flowers, three produce dried flowers, and a few are useful arbor plants. Most of them flower in summer, but annual plants suitable for growing in containers can be found that flower in every season.

Some of these container plants can be grown as perennials in Zone 8, Zone 9, and Zone 10. A small number can be grown as perennials in colder Zones (Zone 3, Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, and Zone 7).

Some of these can be grown as container vegetable garden plants. Please see the "edible annuals for containers" category to see 177 vegetable plants suitable for growing in containers.