Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that blooms May through Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
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- Butterflies
New Mexico · Zones 4–8
Native Butterfly Plants in New Mexico
Nectar and host plants that bring butterflies to your garden — and give their caterpillars something to eat once they arrive. Every species here is genuinely native to New Mexico and the wider flora of the desert Southwest and hardy through zones 4–8 — proven performers for New Mexico's arid, high-elevation sun climate across Chihuahuan desert & Southern Rockies, not a generic list. Local standouts include Lanceleaf Coreopsis and Golden Alexanders. 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
49 native species for New Mexico
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 4–8 · see this collection in other states.
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
Feeds butterflies and the caterpillars they hatch from; it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
New England Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
A butterfly nectar plant that flowers in Sep and Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Blanketflower
Gaillardia aristata
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2.5 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
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed
Eutrochium maculatum
A butterfly nectar plant that blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Gregg's Mistflower
Conoclinium greggii
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that blooms May through Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms May–Oct
Flame Acanthus
Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii
Feeds butterflies and the caterpillars they hatch from — it blooms Jun through Oct.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Oct
Showy Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that flowers in Sep and Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Desert Marigold
Baileya multiradiata
A butterfly nectar plant that blooms Mar through Oct.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 12–18 in
- Blooms Mar–Oct
Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
A butterfly nectar plant that flowers in Aug and Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
Does both jobs of a butterfly garden — nectar and host leaves; it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that blooms May through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Autumn Sage
Salvia greggii
A butterfly nectar plant that blooms Apr through Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Apr–Oct
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
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
Cup Plant
Silphium perfoliatum
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Swamp Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata
Does both jobs of a butterfly garden — nectar and host leaves — it flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Maximilian Sunflower
Helianthus maximiliani
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that blooms Aug through Oct.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Aug–Oct
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that blooms Sep through Nov.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Nov
25 more also qualify: Prairie Blazing Star, Chocolate Flower, Culver's Root, Eastern Redbud, Obedient Plant, Serviceberry, Ninebark, Virginia Creeper, Common Milkweed, American Elderberry, Blue Grama, New Jersey Tea, Rattlesnake Master, Sideoats Grama, Blue Vervain, Common Boneset, Stiff Goldenrod, Fragrant Sumac, Purple Prairie Clover, Showy Milkweed, Switchgrass, Little Bluestem, Indian Grass, Big Bluestem, Prairie Dropseed.
Sourcing
Where to find these in New Mexico
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.