Community Learning Garden
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| Before | Planting Day | Summer |
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As part of the Beautiful U Day celebration at the University of Minnesota, the Monarch Lab installed a butterfly garden on the south side of Green Hall on the St. Paul Campus. In addition to being aesthetically pleasing and visible to those on campus for years to come, this garden can be used as a teaching tool for university classes, community educators, and Monarchs in the Classroom. It also serves as needed habitat for butterflies (larvae and adults), other invertebrates, and birds. Below is a list of the plants included in our site and their uses in the garden.
Useful Plants for a Butterfly Garden
Plant Species |
Uses |
|---|---|
| Shrubs |
(all used for wind protection) |
| Cornus sericea 'Isanti' Red-osier Dogwood |
Larval food source: Spring azure, Polyphemus moth |
| Salix purpurea 'Nana' Arctic Blue Willow |
Larval food source: Mourning Cloak, viceroy, Red-spotted Purple, Sylvan Hairstreak |
| Vaccinium 'Northblue' Blueberry |
Adult nectar source |
| Buddleia spp. Butterfly bush (zone 5) |
Adult nectar source |
| Perennials | |
| Achillea millefolium Yarrow |
Adult nectar source |
| Asclepias incarnata Swamp Milkweed |
Adult nectar source. Larval food source: Monarchs |
| Asclepias vesticillata Whorled Milkweed |
Adult nectar source, Larval food source: Monarchs |
| Centaurea
montana Bachelor's button |
Adult nectar source |
| Chelone glabra Turtle head |
Adult nectar source, Larval food source: Baltimore Checkerspot |
| Coreopsis verticillata Thread leaf |
Adult nectar source |
| Echinops spp. Globe thistle |
Adult nectar source |
| Echinacea Purple cone flower |
Adult nectar source |
| Eupatorium spp. Joe Pye Weed |
Adult nectar source |
| Gaillardia x grandiflora Blanket flower |
Adult nectar source |
| Calamagrostis x acutiflora Karl Foerster grass |
Larval food source: Blazing Star Skipper |
| Heliopsis False sunflower |
Adult nectar source |
| Liatris ligulistylus Meadow blazing star |
Adult nectar source |
| Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldstrum' Black-eyed Susan |
Adult nectar source |
| Solidago spp. Goldenrod |
Adult nectar source |
| Phlox paniculata Fall phlox |
Adult nectar source |
| Aster spp. Aster |
Adult nectar source |
| Monarda spp. Bee Balm |
Adult nectar source |
| Penstemon digitalis Beardtongue |
Adult nectar source, Larval food source: Baltimore Checkerspot |
| Mallow spp. Hollyhock |
Adult nectar source, Larval food source: Common Hairstreak, Painted Lady, Gray Hairstreak |
| Heliotropum arborescens Heliotrope |
Adult nectar source, Larval food source: Common Buckeye |
| Annuals | |
| Asclepias currasavica Tropical Milkweed |
Adult nectar source, Larval food source: Monarchs |
| Parsley | Larval food source: Black Swallowtail |
| Fennel | Larval food source: Black Swallowtail |
| Violets | Adult nectar source, Larval food source: Great Spangled and Idalia Fritillary |
| Snapdragons | Adult nectar source, Larval food source: Buckeye |