Blanketflower
Gaillardia aristata
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Idaho · Zones 4–6
Native Butterfly Plants in Idaho
Nectar and host plants that bring butterflies to your garden — and give their caterpillars something to eat once they arrive. For Idaho, the right natives are shaped by Columbia Plateau & Northern Rockies and a semi-arid to montane climate. Every species below, from Blanketflower and Common Yarrow to the rest of the list, is genuinely native to Idaho and the wider flora of the Mountain West and hardy through zones 4–6. A real butterfly garden does two jobs: nectar for the adults and host leaves for the caterpillars. Flat-topped flowers make the best landing pads, and warm, sheltered, sunny spots out of the wind get the most visits. Tolerate a little leaf damage — those chewed leaves are the whole point, and a caterpillar today is a butterfly next month.
The plants
11 native species for Idaho
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 4–6 · see this collection in other states.
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
A butterfly nectar plant that blooms May through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Douglas Aster
Symphyotrichum subspicatum
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that blooms Aug through Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Aug–Oct
Anise Hyssop
Agastache foeniculum
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Purple Prairie Clover
Dalea purpurea
A caterpillar host — its leaves feed the next generation — it flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Sideoats Grama
Bouteloua curtipendula
A host plant whose foliage raises the caterpillars; it flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Showy Milkweed
Asclepias speciosa
Does both jobs of a butterfly garden — nectar and host leaves, and it flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
A caterpillar host — its leaves feed the next generation; it flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Blue Grama
Bouteloua gracilis
A host plant whose foliage raises the caterpillars, and it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 8–20 in
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
A host plant whose foliage raises the caterpillars.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Fall color
Sourcing
Where to find these in Idaho
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.