Here’s a very interesting take on alternatives to the very popular “Butterfly Bush” that is/has become a go-to plant for many gardener’s.
I am a big fan of finding a “native solution” to design whenever possible and the list provided by the author is a good one.
Solutions for a continuous bloom time from May through October are offered.
The Problems With Butterfly Bush
No one believes me, not even when I post videos online. The butterfly bush sees one-tenth, even one-twentieth of the action of almost any other native plant. Sure, an occasional butterfly or bumblebee, a sphinx moth, may fly by, but it’s hardly anything to write home about. Even just as a nectar source, other nonnatives, like lavender and caryopteris, get far more insects — and as you know, insects are the base of the food chain for birds and us.
Please take a look at the article on Houzz.com
via 6 Plants That Beat Butterfly Bush for the Wildlife Draw.
The Whispering Crane Institute 