Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
Nectar for the adults and a caterpillar host for their young, in one plant — it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
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- Butterflies
New Hampshire · Zones 3–6
Native Butterfly Plants in New Hampshire
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 Hampshire and the wider flora of the Northeast and hardy through zones 3–6 — proven performers for New Hampshire's cool, humid continental climate across White Mountains & northern hardwoods, not a generic list. Local standouts include Golden Alexanders and Great Blue Lobelia. 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
43 native species for New Hampshire
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 3–6 · see this collection in other states.
Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that flowers in Aug and Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–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
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
Scarlet Beebalm
Monarda didyma
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2.5–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
A butterfly nectar plant that blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 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
Trumpet Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
Nectar for the adults and a caterpillar host for their young, in one plant, and it blooms Apr through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 8–15 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
Does both jobs of a butterfly garden — nectar and host leaves, and it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
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
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
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
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
Feeds butterflies and the caterpillars they hatch from, flowering as it flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
A landing pad and nectar stop for 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
Culver's Root
Veronicastrum virginicum
A butterfly nectar plant that blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
Feeds butterflies and the caterpillars they hatch from, and it flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 20–30 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
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
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
Showy Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that flowers in Sep and Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
Nectar for the adults and a caterpillar host for their young, in one plant; it flowers in May and Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
A landing pad and nectar stop for butterflies that blooms May through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–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
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed
Eutrochium maculatum
Easy nectar for visiting butterflies that blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
19 more also qualify: Flowering Dogwood, Lanceleaf Coreopsis, Spicebush, Common Boneset, Virginia Creeper, American Elderberry, Wild Lupine, Fragrant Sumac, New Jersey Tea, Ninebark, Common Milkweed, Blue Vervain, Creeping Phlox, Prairie Dropseed, Switchgrass, Little Bluestem, Indian Grass, Pennsylvania Sedge, Big Bluestem.
Sourcing
Where to find these in New Hampshire
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.