In this Southern Living article, Adam Baker, technical advisor with the Davey Institute shares how a butterfly bush is doing more harm than good to your landscape and to butterflies.
You want to attract butterflies to your garden. They're pretty, they're pollinators, and they're important to the ecosystem. Butterfly bush may seem like an ideal plant to grow to support butterfly populations. Butterflies will flutter to this plant when it's in full bloom to drink the nectar, but these important insects need plants that provide habitat, too. "Butterflies need nectar as adults and host plants as caterpillars," explains Mary Phillips, Head of Native Plant Habitat Strategy/Certifications at the National Wildlife Federation. Butterfly bush isn't a larval host plant and doesn't provide the habitat butterflies need for the next cycle of butterflies.
Here's why butterfly bush isn't the best plant for butterflies and pollinators, how it's invasive in many regions, why natives are a preferred choice, and alternative plants to grow.
To read Adam's information, click here.
The Davey Tree Expert Company provides research-driven tree services, grounds maintenance and environmental and utility infrastructure consulting for residential, utility, commercial and environmental partners in the U.S. and Canada. Established in 1880 and headquartered in Kent, Ohio, Davey has over 12,000 employees and is the ninth largest employee-owned company in the U.S. This year, Davey celebrates 45 years of employee ownership – Join us and apply today!
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