Native Plants

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants

See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

rate this answer

Not Yet Rated

Sunday - July 04, 2010

From: San Antonio, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Butterfly Gardens, Shrubs, Trees
Title: Plants for shelter for butterflies
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

I understand that butterflies need certain plants for food, but are there specific plants that butterflies prefer to use as shelter in central Texas?

ANSWER:

The Austin Butterfly Forum (ABF) has an excellent article, Butterfly Gardening Basics, that I encourage you to read. In the article, they advise leaving brushy areas in the yard for shelter but no particular plants are named. Other sources suggest a variety of shrubs, trees, and vines—any sort of plant that can provide shelter from the wind and rain. There are several plants on the ABF's Butterfly Nectar Plants for Central Texas list as well as on their Caterpillar Food Plants for Central Texas list that will serve as shelter as well as nectar sources or caterpillar food. Here are a few suggested ones:

Rhus aromatica (fragrant sumac)

Rhus virens (evergreen sumac) evergreen

Cercis canadensis var. texensis (Texas redbud)

Prunus caroliniana (Carolina laurelcherry) evergreen

Ungnadia speciosa (Mexican buckeye)

Forestiera pubescens (stretchberry)

Ilex vomitoria (yaupon) evergreen

Sophora secundiflora (Texas mountain-laurel) evergreen

Cornus drummondii (roughleaf dogwood)

Morus rubra (red mulberry)

Ehretia anacua (knockaway)

Frangula caroliniana (Carolina buckthorn)