Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
Nectar for the adults and a caterpillar host for their young, in one plant, and it flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Oklahoma · Zones 6–8
Native Butterfly Plants in Oklahoma
Nectar and host plants that bring butterflies to your garden — and give their caterpillars something to eat once they arrive. Oklahoma sits in a landscape of Cross Timbers & mixedgrass prairie, and the natives that thrive here are the ones built for its continental, hot summers character. The list below — led by Serviceberry and Maximilian Sunflower — is filtered to species genuinely native to Oklahoma and the wider flora of the Great Plains and hardy through zones 6–8. 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
56 native species for Oklahoma
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 6–8 · see this collection in other states.
Maximilian Sunflower
Helianthus maximiliani
A butterfly nectar plant that blooms Aug through Oct.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Aug–Oct
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
Nectar for the adults and a caterpillar host for their young, in one plant, flowering as it flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 20–30 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
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
Prairie Blazing Star
Liatris pycnostachya
A butterfly nectar plant that flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
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
Woodland Phlox
Phlox divaricata
A butterfly nectar plant that flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 10–15 in
- Blooms Apr–May
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
Trumpet Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
Does both jobs of a butterfly garden — nectar and host leaves — it blooms Apr through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 8–15 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Chocolate Flower
Berlandiera lyrata
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that blooms May through Sep.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms May–Sep
Short-Toothed Mountain Mint
Pycnanthemum muticum
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
A butterfly nectar plant that blooms May through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that flowers in Aug and Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
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
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
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
Feeds butterflies and the caterpillars they hatch from, flowering as it flowers in May and Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Turk's Cap
Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that blooms May through Oct.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 2–5 ft
- Blooms May–Oct
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
Nectar for the adults and a caterpillar host for their young, in one plant; it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Culver's Root
Veronicastrum virginicum
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Easy nectar for visiting 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
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed
Eutrochium maculatum
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
32 more also qualify: New England Aster, Wild Bergamot, Scarlet Beebalm, Anise Hyssop, Cardinal Flower, Showy Goldenrod, Blanketflower, Lanceleaf Coreopsis, Dense Blazing Star, Fragrant Sumac, Common Milkweed, Virginia Creeper, Rattlesnake Master, New Jersey Tea, Showy Milkweed, Purple Prairie Clover, Creeping Phlox, Ninebark, Stiff Goldenrod, American Elderberry, Sideoats Grama, Common Boneset, Spicebush, Blue Grama, Wild Lupine, Blue Vervain, Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem, Pennsylvania Sedge, Switchgrass, Indian Grass, Prairie Dropseed.
Sourcing
Where to find these in Oklahoma
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.