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Container Plants to Attract Butterflies and Hummingbirds

Kelly Schroeder | Image: Stuart McCall | 01 May 2007

1. Eupatorium purpureum subsp. maculatum 'Gateway' (common name: boneset; 4.5 x 1 m/5' x 3'; dusky purple flowers and red stems; blooms late summer; zone 3)
2. Scabiosa caucasica var. alba (pincushion flower; 75 x 60 cm/30 in. x 24 in.; white; June to October; zone 2)
3. Solidago 'Golden Baby' (goldenrod); 60 x 60 cm/24 in. x 24 in.; golden-yellow; August to October; zone 2
4. & 5. Echinacea purpurea 'Fatal Attraction' (purple coneflower; 60 x 60 cm/24 in. x 24 in.; deep-magenta with black stems; July to October; zone 3)
6. Coreopsis verticillata 'Zagreb' (tickseed; 30 x 30 cm/12 in. x 12 in.; golden-yellow; June to September; zone 4)
7. Sedum spurium 'Summer Glory' (stonecrop; 13 x 25 cm/5 in. x 10 in.; rosy-red; July to August; zone 2)
8. Eryngium planum (sea holly; 75 x 60 cm/30 in. x 24 in.; steel-blue; June to August; zone 2)
9. Physostegia virginiana 'Bouquet Rose' (syn. 'Pink Bouquet') (obedient plant; 90 x 60 cm/36 in. x 24 in.; rose; July to October; zone 2)

For Butterflies & Hummingbirds

This container provides a riot of colour throughout summer and has the bonus of attracting butterflies and hummingbirds.

Place it in a sunny location that is protected from wind (butterflies prefer to feed in calm situations).

Care: The container should be in nice condition for at least two years. Cut back faded foliage in fall and tuck the container in a protected area, watering only when dry throughout the winter. Place it in a bright location in April and top-dress with a controlled-release fertilizer; water regularly as needed.

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