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

2 ratings

Thursday - December 13, 2012

From: San Antonio, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Butterfly Gardens, Deer Resistant, Herbs/Forbs, Shrubs, Wildflowers
Title: Texas natives that attract butterflies but not deer
Answered by: Guy Thompson

QUESTION:

I'd like to have some plants in my garden that are butterfly attractors, but that whitetail deer won't like. I can find lists of butterfly plants, and lists of deer-resistant plants -- is there a list that combines these two parameters in one list? I live just north of San Antonio city limits. Thank you.

ANSWER:

I do not know of a listing of just the properties that you desire. But there are pertinent lists, such as the Landscapes Plants listing prepared by the City of Austin. Deer-resistant plants are indicated in this extensive plant list, and in the Comments column those species frequented by butterflies are shown. Shrubs, forbs, vines, and even grasses are included. Some of those plants are listed below as descriptions from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Native Plant Database. At the bottom of some of these descriptions you will find the species of butterflies that are drawn to the plant.

Lantana urticoides (Texas lantana), Buddleja marrubiifolia (Woolly butterflybush),Malvaviscus arboreus (Turkscap),Asclepias tuberosa (Butterflyweed), Schizachyrium scoparium (Little bluestem), Coreopsis lanceolata (Lanceleaf coreopsis), Gaura lindheimeri (Lindheimer's beeblossom), Packera obovata (Golden groundsel), Echinacea purpurea (Eastern purple coneflower), Salvia coccinea (Scarlet sage), Achillea millefolium (Common yarrow)and Passiflora incarnata (Purple passionflower). Images of these species are shown below.