This document provides information about designing butterfly gardens in containers. It discusses choosing appropriate container size and plants that attract butterflies. Specifically, it examines using desert marigold and coastal gum plant in a small container garden with three planters. Desert marigold is highlighted as a good choice because it blooms yellow flowers, needs little water, and provides habitat for butterflies. Coastal gum plant is also presented as an option for its drought tolerance, attractive flowers, and support of pollinators. The document emphasizes selecting native plants that provide food and habitat throughout the butterfly's lifecycle.

1. © Project SOUND
Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden
Gardening with California Native Plants in Western L.A. County
Project SOUND – 2016 (our 12th year)

2. © Project SOUND
The Butterfly Container:
creating a butterfly garden using
containers
C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSUDH (emeritus) & Madrona Marsh Preserve
Madrona Marsh Preserve
July 2 & 7, 2016

3. 2016 Season - Rediscovering Eden:
S. California Gardens for the 21st Century
© Project SOUND

4. Part of Rediscovering Eden is
rediscovering our faunal heritage
© Project SOUND
And that includes providing habitat for
local butterflies & pollinators

5. But maybe I have only limited space
© Project SOUND
http://www.houzz.com/photos/4550907/Manhattan-Roof-Garden-White-Planters-Terrace-Deck-Paver-Patio-
Container-Plan-contemporary-deck-new-york

6. Can I attract butterflies, with just a few planters?
© Project SOUND
http://www.houzz.com/patio-container-plants
Yes, but not as many butterflies as you could with a
larger garden – and you need to choose plants carefully

7. Today we’re going to design several
butterfly gardens based on containers
 What it takes to attract
butterflies
 Choosing and siting containers
 California native plants that
attract butterflies – and
provide habitat for them
 Choosing plants appropriate for
containers
© Project SOUND
https://www.crateandbarrel.com/blog/container-garden-ideas/
What we learn today is applicable to those with very limited space (e.g. a
balcony) or those who want to add accents that will attract more butterflies to
a larger garden.

8. Let’s start with a very small garden…
…and very big dreams of
attracting lots of interesting
butterflies
© Project SOUND

9. © Project SOUND
The first steps involve thinking, learning
and planning
http://www.firstredeemer.org/thinking/

10. © Project SOUND
Is my location really suitable for a
butterfly garden?
 Best in a sunny, protected
area – check the sun/shade
patterns (need at least 4
hours sun/day)
 Away from traffic -
parking strips are generally
not the best choice
 Out of heavy winds.
Butterflies won't stay
where they are being blown
around.
http://www.hot100fm.com.au/lifestyle/in-outdoors/43478-getting-
the-most-out-of-your-balcony-garden
http://siteforeverything.com/can-you-make-your-own-balcony-garden/
Too windy?

11. © Project SOUND
Two important first questions in planning
a butterfly garden
 What butterfly species do I
want to attract?
 Are there particular butterflies
we really want to attract?
 What butterflies occur
commonly in my area?
 Do I want to just attract
adult butterflies, or do I
want to create true butterfly
habitat (provide everything
the butterflies need to live
out their lives)?

12. Mother Nature’s Backyard Blog has
articles on common local butterflies
© Project SOUND

13. © Project SOUND
The ‘S. Bay Butterflies & Their Native
Food Sources’ list is another place to start

14. © Project SOUND
Participating in the annual July Butterfly Count is a
great way to learn about butterflies

15. © Project SOUND
It helps to understand the basics of
the life cycle of butterflies
http://basrelief.org/NewFiles/lifecyc.html
 If we want to provide
complete butterfly
habitat, we have to
provide for all stages
of the life cycle
 That may or may not
be feasible in a small
garden – let’s see what
it takes

16. Elements of a butterfly habitat garden
 Nectar sources (food for adult
butterflies)
 Often generalist; good nectar
sources attract many species
 Often the same as good pollinator
habitat plants – garden serves
many species
 Often have attractive flowers
 Larval (caterpillar) food sources
– may be quite specific
 Water
 Sunning/perching spots
 Protected areas
© Project SOUND
http://www.axsoris.com/butterfly-garden-plan-with-full-sun-plants-for-a.html
Of course you’ll also want to
design some seating so you can
enjoy the butterfly visitors

17. © Project SOUND
Caterpillars are born to eat….
It takes a huge amount of energy
(food) to grow & metamorphose
into a butterfly

18. Keys to successful
‘Architectural pots’
 Choose pots appropriate for
architectural style
 Limit the container palette: all the
same or similar size, shape or color
 Choose plants that look good year
round
 Choose plants that are large
and/or dramatic in some way –
‘plant divas’
 Manage the plants: should always
‘look good’
© Project SOUND
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/zinc-tall-square-
planter/s391046?si=2205077&aff=cj

19. If you’re limited to a very small garden…
 You are limited in the size and
number of plants you can
accommodate
 Plants may need to ‘look tidy’
most of the year
 You may want to add floral color,
in addition to interesting foliage
© Project SOUND
In this situation, it is usually
easier to focus on attracting
adult butterflies, rather than
providing year-round butterfly
habitat

20. © Project SOUND
If you were a butterfly, what kind of plant
would you like?
 Lots of little flowers filled
with nectar
 Sunflower family (Asteraceae)
 Buckwheat genus (Eriogonum )
 Milkweed genus (Asclepias )
 Fiddleneck genus (Phacelia)
 Mint family (Mentha;
Monardella; Salvia)
 Pea family (Fabaceae)
 Monkeyflowers (Phrymaceae)

21. Why choose CA native plants, rather than
non-natives (to attract adult butterflies)?
 They have exactly the right
characteristics (they are ‘butterfly
plants’)
 Lots of small flowers
 Sweet-smelling nectar
 Most are fine-tuned to attract &
provision our local butterflies:
 Scent cues
 Visual cues
 Qualities of the nectar:
 Sugar content
 Other: minerals, ‘vitamins’, ‘insect
medicinals’, other useful chemicals
© Project SOUND
In short, native plants
provide abundant, healthy
food (both for the adult
butterfly & for her offspring)

22. A closer look at our very small butterfly garden
Factors to consider:
 What material is the container
made of? What are the
drainage characteristics
 What color is the container?
 What are the light
characteristics of the site?
Will you be able to move the
container with changing light
conditions?
 How are you going to water the
container? How often?
© Project SOUND
Typical ‘large, architectural planter’
18-24” tall; 40-48” long; 16-18” deep

23. How big a pot?
 Good rule of thumb: big enough
for 2-3 year’s growth (learn
enough about the plant’s
growth to judge)
 Go big - the smallest (for small
plants) should be 2.5 gallon
 Bigger can be better:
 Allows room for plants to grow
 Easier to maintain correct soil
moisture
 Easier to maintain temperature
© Project SOUND
http://housetohome.media.ipcdigital.co.uk/96/000011849/e80f_orh550w550/R
ed-Mud-Hut-planter.jpg
Light-colored pots are easier to
keep cool in sunny locations

24. Back to our very small garden…
 Site characteristics
 Sunny location
 Light colored pots
 Hand water (or drip) – whenever
needed
 Planting medium: whatever
needed – adequate drainage
 Size limits:
 Three containers: each 18-24”
tall; 40-48” long; 16-18” deep
© Project SOUND
What plants are suitable
butterfly nectar sources, given
our site and size constraints?

25. Where can we find plants that meet our
basic requirements?
 Attract butterflies
 Are sun-loving
 Some heat tolerance (in a container)
 Any water and drainage
requirement, as long as those in an
individual container are compatible
© Project SOUND

26. © Project SOUND
Consult ‘Butterfly Nectar Sources’ list (on
the Native Plants for Butterflies list,
Mother Nature’s Backyard Blog)

27. Characteristics of our plants: reality check
 Root depth: less than 2 ft.
(unless we increase the
container depth)
 Overall size:
 Height: probably less than 3
ft.; taller if a vine (need to have
space; support)
 Diameter: less than 2 ft.
(larger if will drape or slightly
larger if space allows)
 Nice appearance much of the
year
© Project SOUND
Fortunately size and other traits
can be found on the list

28. More information and pictures in the
Gallery of Native Plants
© Project SOUND

29. What if we like a plant, but it doesn’t look
good all year long?
© Project SOUND

30. One easy trick: the ‘Cache pot’ solution
(double potting)
© Project SOUND
http://www.fabdwell.com/home/mid-century-modern-planters-
addressing-beauty-function/
http://www.calendariodojardim.com.br/anterior
es/Dica0412.html
http://www.canberraorchids.org/tips.html
Pot stand made from a cheap plastic pot
Allows you to
switch out plants for
seasonal color
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/
bronze-26.5-tall-tapered-
planter/s595512?si=2205077&
aff=cj
8” wide/11” deep insert

31. Back to our very small garden…
 Site characteristics
 Sunny location
 Light colored pots
 Hand water (or drip) – whenever
needed
 Planting medium: whatever
needed
 Size limits:
 Three containers: each 18-24”
tall; 40-48” long; 16-18” deep
© Project SOUND
Let’s go for a yellow & purple theme
that will attract adult butterflies in
summer and fall. We’ll start by
considering the Sunflowers.

32. A few tips for plants grown in containers
 Consider final size carefully;
some plants are just too large for
most containers
 Much easier to grow plants that
like water than those that don’t
 Most container-grown plants
need more/more frequent water
than they would in the ground
(except those grown in plastic
pots or with poor drainage).
 Plants that do well in sun/part-
shade may do best with morning
or late-day sun in summer
© Project SOUND
Check your pots often in
dry, windy weather

33. Sunflower options – yellow & white
Name Blooms Size Water+ Soil
Achillea millefolia (Yarrow) White
Spr-Su
< 2 ft
spreads
2 to 3 Any
Baileya multiradiata (Desert
marigold)
Yellow
Spr-Su
1-2 ft t
1-2 ft w
2
Well-
drained
Coreopsis/Leptosyne maritima
(Sea dahlia)
Yellow
Spr
1-2 ft t
3-4 ft w
2
Well-
drained
Grindelia hirsutula
(Coastal gum plant)
Yellow
Su
1-2+ ft t
2-3 ft w
2, 2-3 Any
* Grindelia stricta
(Spreading gum plant)
Yellow
Su
1 ft t
3+ ft w
2, 2-3 Any
Senecio flaccidus var. douglasii
(Butterweed)
Yellow
Su-F
2-3 ft t
2-3 ft w
1-2 to 2 Any
Solidago californica (CA
goldenrod)
Yellow
Su-F
2-3 ft t
spreads
2 to 3 Any
© Project SOUND
+: Water Zone in containers: 1 = dry; 2 = occasional (1-2 times/wk); 3= regular/moist

34. © Project SOUND
*Desert marigold – Baileya multiradiata
©2010 Neal Kramer

35. © Project SOUND
*Desert marigold – Baileya multiradiata
©2010 Neal Kramer
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-
bin/get_cpn.pl?BAMU
 Mojave and Sonoran Deserts [Anza-Borrego] in CA,
to Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, n Mexico
 Desert roadsides, flats, washes, hillsides to ~ 6000
ft. in Creosote Bush Scrub, Joshua Tree Woodland
 Collected 1902 by TS Brandegee; "Baileya" honors
Jacob Whitman Bailey (1811-1857), a chemist and
botanist known for microscopic studies of diatoms

36. © Project SOUND
Desert marigold looks like a garden plant
 Size:
 1-2 ft tall
 1-2 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Mounded, short-lived perennial
 Herbaceous; drought deciduous
(dies way back)
 Foliage:
 Gray-green & very hairy (good
desert plant)
 Leaves lacy, mostly in tidy basal
rosette
 Pretty accent color; larval food
for desert marigold moth
(Schinia minima)
©2010 James M. Andre
©2010 Barry Breckling

37. © Project SOUND
Sunny, yellow flowers
 Blooms:
 On & off with moisture from
Mar-Nov
 Flowers:
 Sunflower heads with lots of
overlapping ray flowers (like a
marigold)
 Both ray & disk flowers and
intense, golden yellow
 Very attractive; good cut
flowers
 Attract wide range of
pollinators: native bees, flies,
butterflies, moths
 Seeds: reseeds well on bare soil or
gravel mulch
©2010 Neal Kramer
©2013 Jean Pawek

38. © Project SOUND
Desert wash plant
 Soils:
 Texture: any well drained; ‘cactus
mix’ in containers
 pH: any local (7.0-9.0); takes alkali
and salty soils
 Light: full sun to part-shade; can take
reflected heat
 Water:
 Winter: needs good moisture to
get it though flowering
 Summer: your choice; best
flowering with occasional water
(Zone 1-2 to 2; Zone 2 in pots).
Taper off in Sept.
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils.
Yearly ½ strength in containers
 Other: inorganic or no mulch; prune
off old flower heads
Gerald and Buff Corsi © California Academy of Sciences

39. © Project SOUND
Use like a marigold
 As an accent plant in desert-
themed garden; rock garden
 In foreground of water-wise beds;
along walkways
 On dry margins of vegetable
garden (attracts pollinators)
 Does well in containers
©2015 Richard Spellenberg
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/119--baileya-multiradiata
https://www.snwa.com/apps/plant/detail.cfml?type=87&id=14752

40. © Project SOUND
Include Gumplants in your garden
because of..
 Attractive flowers Mar-Oct
 Balsamic aroma
 Tolerates any soil – well-
drained is best
 Drought tolerance
 Easy to grow
 Highly attractive for
 Bees
 Butterflies
 Other insects (beetles; other
unusual insects)
 Birds (seeds)

41. © Project SOUND
* Saltmarsh gumplant – Grindelia stricta var. platyphylla
Beatrice F. Howitt © California Academy of Sciences

42. © Project SOUND
Saltmarsh gumplant – pretty, but too short
Brother Alfred Brousseau @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

43. © Project SOUND
Coastal Groundcover Gum Plant
- Grindelia stricta venulosa
 A.K.A Grindelia arenicola, G.a.
pachyphylla, G.s. procumbens
 Coastal bluff plant from the
bay area.
 Low growing - < 1 ft.
 Spreads nicely as a ground
cover
 Mix with Baccharis Pigeon
Point and Penstemon
Margarita BOP on coastal
slopes
 Likes some summer water –
Zone 2 to 2-3
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/grindelia-stricta-venulosa

44. © Project SOUND
Hairy (Coastal) Gumplant – Grindelia hirsutula
Grindelia hirsutula var. maritima
© 2008 Jorg Fleige
http://www.coestatepark.com/grindelia_hirsutula.htm
© 2008 Jorg Fleige

45. © Project SOUND
Hairy (Coastal) Gumplant – Grindelia hirsutula
 Var. hisutula – coastal, including
western L.A. Co., coast near Santa
Monica Mtns.
 Var. maritima – north & central CA
coast
 Both:
 Coastal areas; sea bluffs and
slopes
 Sandy soils
var. hirsutula
var. maritima
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?609,1255,1260,1264
http://www.coestatepark.com/grindelia_hirsutula.htm

46. © Project SOUND
Hairy Gumplant - an herbaceous perennial
 Size:
 1-3 ft tall (v.maritima 1-2 ft)
 1-3 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Herbaceous perennial; dies back
in fall
 Many slender stems from woody
rootstock
 May be upright or more leaning
(maritima)
 Foliage:
 Blue-green, tinged with red,
purple or yellow
 More refined-looking than other
Grindelia species© 2000 Joseph Dougherty/ecology.org

47. © Project SOUND
Flowers are pure gold
 Blooms: spring-summer – usually
June-Aug in S. Bay
 Flowers:
 Typical sunflower heads with
well-developed ray flowers
(maritima has more ray flowers)
 Bright golden yellow
 Profuse bloomer – even with
little summer water
 Pollinator magnets!!
 Seeds:
 Small, but edible
 Birds love them!
 Vegetative reproduction: not a
real spreader
© 2008 Jorg Fleige
https://www.anniesannuals.com/signs/d%20-%20g/grindelia_hirsutula.htm

48. © Project SOUND
Hairy Gumplant – a natural
for the perennial bed
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/grindella-hirsutula
 At back of mixed flowers
beds; along walls, fences
 Fine on slopes
 Easy, adaptable & hardy
 Do fine in containers
http://sfcompact.blogspot.com/2009/06/mmmmm-food.html

49. © Project SOUND
California Goldenrod – Solidago californica
http://plants.montara.com/ListPages/FamPages/Astera7.html#solcan

50. © Project SOUND
California Goldenrod – Solidago californica
 Good example of the
Sunflower family
 Western coast from OR to
Baja, east to NV
 In CA, mostly in north &
coastal S. CA (including
mountains)
 In both dry and moist
environments
 In the open (including
grasslands) and in shaded
woods, from coastal sage
scrub to yellow pine forest
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?609,1838,1840

51. © Project SOUND
CA Goldenrod: an adaptable perennial
 Size:
 1-3 ft tall (flowering stalk may be
taller)
 2+ ft wide; spreading
 Growth form:
 Bunching perennial
 Fast growing; more so with regular
summer water
 Dies back (to the ground) in
fall/winter
 Foliage:
 Leaves dark green to gray-green;
typical of Sunflower family
 Roots: Spreads via rhizomes

52. © Project SOUND
Great nectar plants – true
butterfly magnets
 Important nectar source in
summer/fall in the wild.
 Provides nectar for wide range of
butterflies & hummingbirds:
 Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
 West Coast Lady (Vanessa annabella)
 Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
 Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)
 Mylitta Crescent (Phyciodes mylitta)
 Acmon Blue (Plebejus acmon)
 Skippers
 Others
 Seed-eaters eat the seeds
http://www.wildscaping.com/plants/plantprofiles/Solidago_californica.htm
http://www.santabarbarahikes.com/flowers/index.php?action=show_
item&id=27&search=

53. © Project SOUND
Goldenrods are easy to grow if you follow
a few tips
 Give them plenty of sun
 Water them (regularly to
occasionally) in summer – at
least until they start to bloom
 Cut them back in winter dormant
period
 Remove unwanted stems; or
divide and give some away
 Will spread more quickly in
lighter soils – may want to
contain, or limit summer waterhttp://www.calflora.net/bloomingplants/californiagoldenrod.html

54. Which is closest to our vision?
© Project SOUND

55. Now to the other containers in our very small
garden…
 Site characteristics
 Sunny location
 Light colored pots
 Hand water (or drip) – whenever
needed
 Planting medium: whatever
needed
 Size limits:
 Three containers: each 18-24”
tall; 40-48” long; 16-18” deep
© Project SOUND
We need something purple – or possibly
pink – in order to complete our design

56. Sunflower options – purple
Name Blooms Size Water
Zone+
Soil
Corethrogyne filaginifolia
(Common sand aster)
Violet/Y
Spr-Su
1-3+ ft t
spreads
2 Most
Erigeron foliosus
(Fleabane daisy)
Violet/Y
Spr-Su
2-3 ft t
2-3 ft w
2 to 3 Most
*Erigeron glaucus
(Seaside daisy)
Violet/Y
Spr-F
< 1 ft tall
spreads
2 to 3 Most
Pluchea odorata
(Sweetscent)
Pink
Su-F
2-3 ft tall
2-3 ft w
2 to 3 Most
* Symphyotrichum chilense
[Aster chilensis]
(Coast aster)
Violet/Y
Spr-F
2-3 ft tall
spreads
2 to 3 Most
© Project SOUND
+: Water Zone in containers: 1 = dry; 2 = occasional (1-2 times/wk); 3= regular/moist

57. © Project SOUND
Two California Erigeron Daisys
Erigeron foliosus
Erigeron glaucus
 E. foliosus (Leafy):
 Mountain ranges & hills of C.
& western S. CA
 Dry, sunny, rocky, brushy or
wooded or grassy slopes
 coastal sage scrub, chaparral
and southern oak woodland
 E. glaucus (Seaside)
 Central to N. Coast (into OR)
 Coastal bluffs, dunes,
beaches
 Coastal Strand, Coastal Sage
Scrub, Northern Coastal
Scrub

58. © Project SOUND
What differences in
gardening practices?
 Soils: both do well in any
well-drained soil
 Light: both do well in full
sun or part-shade
 Water:
 Leafy: little/no summer
water
 Seaside: takes regular
watering; doesn’t like to be
dusty
Seaside Daisy tolerates seaside
conditions

59. © Project SOUND
Horticultural cultivars of
Seaside Daisy
 Variable in size (but all are short) and
number of flowers per plant
 Choose the one you like best
‘Cape Sebastian’ cultivar
http://www.mostlynatives.com/notes/erigeronglaucuscs.jpg
http://www.callutheran.edu/Academic_Programs/Departments/
Biology/Wildflowers/gf/plants/category/gar-1670.htm
‘Olga’ cultivar ‘Bountiful’ cultivar
http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=2213
‘Sea Breeze’ cultivar
http://www.elnativogrowers.com/Photographs_page/eriglasb.htm

60. Seaside daisy
Erigeron glaucus
© Project SOUND
http://nativeson.com/annotated_catalog/ecatalog.htm
http://garden-photos-com.photoshelter.com/image/I0000zpquFw1K.bA
Great butterfly accent plant -
if we had more space!

61. © Project SOUND
Pacific Aster – Symphyotrichum chilense var. chilense
(Aster chilensis)
© 2007 Neal Kramer

62. © Project SOUND
A plant of many
habitats
 Grasslands
 Salt marshes
 Coastal dunes and
bluffs
 Coastal grasslands and
scrub,
 Even open disturbed
habitats in evergreen
and Pacific coast
coniferous forest© 2004, Ben Legler
Not surprisingly, there are phenotypic variants

63. © Project SOUND
Flowers are dainty
 Blooms:
 Summer into fall: usually Jul-Sep
in Western L.A. Co.
 Flowers:
 Typical sunflower head – but
dainty; ~ 1 inch head
 White to purple (even pink) ray
flowers; yellow disc flowers
 Many flowers blooming at one
time; very showy
 Excellent nectar source for
native moths and butterflies
 Seeds:
 With fluffy tail to aid wind
distribution; birds love them!
 Can reseed on bare ground© 2007 Neal Kramer
© 2004, Ben Legler

64. © Project SOUND
 Soils:
 Texture: any – sand to clay
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Full sun to light shade;
 Probably best color in light
shade
 Water:
 Winter: adequate
 Summer: wide range (Zone 1-2
to 3); probably best as Zone 2 –
too aggressive with more water.
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other: can be heavily pruned, even
mowed, occasionally. Cut back in
fall after flowering.
© 2004, Ben Legler
Pacific Aster can thrive
in a container

65. © Project SOUND
Pacific Aster: not for
everywhere…
 Best contained, as it is an
aggressive competitor:
 Pots & planters
 Areas bounded by walks, or other
boundries
 Parking strips – if managed
 Usually used in combination with
native grasses, bulbs, sub-shrubs
(Epilobium canum; Goldenrods) in
native meadows; can be mowed
back in fall
 Appropriate for Cottage Gardens
 Good for stabilizing slopes
© 2005 Andrea Jesse
Excellent choice for butterfly gardens

66. © Project SOUND
Saltmarsh Fleabane – Pluchea odorata
http://www.kenbowles.net/SDWildflowers/FamilyIndexes/AsteraceaeDisciform/AsteraceaeDisciformKey.htm

67. © Project SOUND
Saltmarsh Fleabane –
typical for genus
© 2003 BonTerra Consulting
 Size:
 2-4 ft. tall
 2-3 ft. wide
 Growth form: sub-shrub
 Woody base; ends of stems are
herbaceous
 Upright growth habit
 Annual in colder climates;
perennial in ours
 Dies back in winter
 Foliage:
 Pretty color; like
 Arrow-shaped leaves
 Roots: fibrous; good soil-binding
http://www.kenbowles.net/SDWildflowers/FamilyIndexes/AsteraceaeDisciform/Aste
raceaeDisciformKey.htm

68. © Project SOUND
Saltmarsh Fleabane does well in gardens…
 Soils:
 Texture: any local – does very well in
fine-textured soils (clays)
 pH: any local, including alkali, salty
 Light:
 Best in full sun with some water
 Fine with partial shade; not too
particular
 Water:
 Winter: likes it’s water; plant in moist
areas of garden, rainswale, etc.
 Summer: quite flexible; looks better
with some to regular summer water
(Zone 2/3 probably optimal; takes 3)
 Fertilizer: fine with none; organic mulches
work well (leaf mulch)
© 2003 BonTerra Consulting

69. © Project SOUND
Pretty little flowers
 Blooms: summer-fall; usually
in June to Oct. in western L.A.
County
 Flowers:
 Similar to Mule Fat – but
prettier; no separate
male/female plants
 Color: pink to lavender
 Many small flowers in dense
flat bunches – very showy
 Great fall butterfly and
other pollinator plant!
 Vegetative reproduction:
 Slowly spreading; more with
regular water
http://www.kenbowles.net/SDWildflowers/FamilyIndexes/AsteraceaeDisciform/AsteraceaeDisciformKey.htm

70. © Project SOUND
Versatile in the garden
 Excellent choice for moist
places in garden:
 Stream or pond banks/edges
 Rain gardens/swales
 Areas with sprinkler drift
 Fine with other natives
needing similar water
requirements – remember,
dies back in winter
 Showy choice for habitat/
butterfly garden; great with
yellow fall-flowering plants
 Does great in pots; give it an
occasional dose of fertilizer
or top-dress each spring
http://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=13929
http://www.sibleynaturecenter.org/daytrips/naturetrail0709/index.html

71. Another pink-purple option: the Milkweeds
© Project SOUND
Indian milkweed – Asclepias eriocarpa Showy milkweed – Asclepias speciosa
Milkweeds are also larval food – so they are ‘two-for-one’ plants

72. Milkweeds make
great insect habitat
 Bees – many kinds including
bumblebees
 Lepidoptera (Moths &
Butterflies)
 Other insects:
 Flies
 Milkweed bugs
 Milkweed long-horned
beetle
 Yellow oleander aphids
 Many, many more
© Project SOUND
http://www.plantsofthesouthwest.com/Showy-
Milkweedbri-Asclepias-
speciosa/productinfo/P1180/
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-
california/plants/asclepias-speciosa

73. Indian Milkweed is a food source for
butterflies and other insects
Photo by Gabi McLean
http://www.natureathand.com/Gallery/Asclepias_eriocarpa
_29025.htm
Variable checkerspot butterfly
(Euphydryas chalcedona)
http://www.californiagardens.com/Plant_Pag
es/Tarantula_Hawk.htm
Tarantula Hawk
(Pepsis mildei)
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Asclepias%20eriocarpa

74. © Project SOUND
Showy Milkweed – Asclepias speciosa
© 2004 George W. Hartwell

75. © Project SOUND
Showy Milkweed – Asclepias speciosa
 Western N. America from Canada to
Baja; throughout N. Ca, the Sierra
foothills
 Open areas at low elevations in dry
to moist, loamy to sandy soil
 Often in areas that are seasonally
flooded or quite damp
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?583,586,599
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/floramw/species/asclspec.htm
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=14422

76. © Project SOUND
Showy Milkweed: a stout perennial
 Size:
 2-5+ ft tall
 Spreading by rhizomes; often
forms a clump
 Growth form:
 Drought/winter deciduous
perennial
 Stems stout, succulent, erect or
nearly so
 Foliage:
 Leaves large 96-8 inches long),
gray-green, velvety
 Milky sap typical of Milkweeds
 Larval food, Monarch Butterflies
 Roots: stout taproot; don’t move once
established.
© 2005, Ben Legler

77. © Project SOUND
Flowers are…showy!
 Blooms:
 In summer: May-Sept
 usually July-Aug in our area
 Flowers:
 Large compared to other
milkweeds ; sweet scent
 Pale pink or purple – in
dense, ball-like clusters
 Very showy in bloom – among
our prettiest perennials
 Seeds:
 Relatively large, with silky
parachute (typical of
milkweeds)
 Seed pods are 3-5" long and
are either spiny or smooth.
© 2005, Ben Legler

78. © Project SOUND
Plant Requirements
 Soils:
 Texture: any, including clays
 pH: any local, including alkali
 Light:
 Full sun to light shade
 Water:
 Winter: good winter/spring
moisture; supplement if
needed
 Summer: variable once
established; probably best as
Zone 2 or 2-3 once established
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils;
light or no mulch (or inorganic)
 Other:
 Spreads via rhizomes & seeds
(on bare ground).
 Protect from slugs & snails
http://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/plant_display.asp?prodid=125&account=none
Cut back to the ground in late fall
(native Californians would burn)

79. © Project SOUND
Showy Milkweed Shines
 In large pots, planters
 Mid- or back-bed in perennial
gardens
 Near birdbaths or water features
 Lovely massed
 Scented gardens
http://back40feet.blogspot.com/2008_07_01_archive.html
http://plantlust.com/plants/asclepias-speciosa/

80. Which is closest to our vision?
© Project SOUND

81. © Project SOUND
What do we think about this combo?

82. What butterflies will our plants attract?
The smaller butterflies like:
• Skippers
• Gray hairstreak
Larger butterflies like:
• Whites
• Ladies
• Red Admirals
• Monarchs
• Swallowtails

83. © Project SOUND
What do we think? We like it!

84. But what if our 3-6 containers are in an
area that is part-shade?
© Project SOUND
http://www.fireangels.org/container-gardening-vegetable-spaces-rustic-with-black-
bowl-planter-container/container-gardening-vegetable-spaces-rustic-with-black-bowl-
planter-container/
 Site characteristics
 Part-shade location
 Darker colored pots
 Hand water (or drip) –
whenever needed
 Planting medium:
whatever needed
 Size limits:
 Six containers: each 18-
24” tall; 18-24” long; 18-
24” deep

85. Characteristics of the plants for garden 2
 Attracts butterflies
 Part-shade adapted
 Some heat tolerance (in a container)
 Any water and drainage
requirement, as long as those in an
individual container are compatible
© Project SOUND

86. Characteristics of our plants: reality check
 Root depth: less than 2 ft.
(unless we increase the
container depth)
 Overall size:
 Height: probably less than 2
ft.; windows limit height to 1 ft.
for some pots
 Diameter: less than 2 ft.
(larger if will drape or slightly
larger if space allows)
 Nice appearance much of the
year
© Project SOUND

87. Butterfly plants that take part-sun
© Project SOUND
 The Mint family
 Mentha (true mints)
 Monardella
 Stachys (Woodmints)
 Yarrow (Achillea millefolia)
 Diplacus/Mimulus/Erythranthe
– the Monkeyflowers
 Several others

88. Some butterfly choices for part-sun - mints
© Project SOUND
Name Blooms Size Water+ Soil
Mentha arvensis
(Wild mint)
White
Su
1-2 ft tall
spreads
2 to 3 Any
Monardella linioides
(Willowy monardella)
Lavender
Su-F
1-2 ft tall
1-3 ft w
2-3 to 3
Well-
drained
Monardella macrantha
(Red monardella) Red
1-2 ft tall
1-2 ft w
2-3 to 3 Most
Monardella odoratissima
(Mountain/Desert monardella)
Lavender
Sp-Su
1-3 ft tall
1-3 ft w
2 Most
Monardella villosa
(Coyote mint)
Magenta
Sp-Su
1-3 ft tall
1-3 ft w
2
Well-
drained
Stachys bullata
(CA Woodmint)
Pink
Sp-Su
1-2 ft tall
spreads
2 to 3 Any

89. © Project SOUND
The genus Monardella
 20 species native to western North
America.
 Commonly known as wildmints, coyote
mints or monardellas.
 Highly aromatic foliage; some species
used for herbal teas.
 Two-lipped, tubular flowers in terminal
clusters; usually red, pink, or purple.
 Caterpillar (moth and butterfly)
foodplants; also nectar sources
 Special needs: excellent drainage; cannot
take excess winter dampness
http://www.laspilitas.com/butterfl_files/pale_swallowtail_butterfly_
on_a_monardella.jpg

90. © Project SOUND
*Willow Mint – Monardella linoides ssp. viminea
© 2005 Jasmine J. Watts

91. © Project SOUND
Willow Mint: a dainty perennial
 Size:
 1-2 ft tall
 2-3 ft wide; sprawling
 Growth form:
 Herbaceous perennial
 Sprawling/draping
 Semi-deciduous;
evergreen with more
water
 Foliage:
 Narrow leaves
 Light green; very aromatic
 Makes a nice tea
 Roots: taproot

92. © Project SOUND
Mountain/Desert Monardella – Monardella odoratissima
J. E.(Jed) and Bonnie McClellan © California Academy of Sciences

93. © Project SOUND
The name (odoratissima) says it all
 Size:
 1-2 (sometimes 3) ft tall
 2-3 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Herbaceous perennial from stout
woody taproot
 Many upright stems; sprawly when
young, then mounded
 Foliage:
 Color: green to gray-green (hairy)
 Simple leaves
 Strong minty scent – great tea
(medicinal or ‘sipping tea’)
 Make a ‘kitchen extract’ for use in
baking, etc., etc.
© 2009 Terry Dye
Al Schneider @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Databasehttp://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/regions/Pacific_Southwest/McGee/index.shtml

94. © Project SOUND
A showy Monardella
 Blooms:
 Summer in the wilds
 Likely June-July in our area
 Flowers:
 Pale pink to light magenta –
good colors for garden
 Flowers small – typical for
Monardellas
 Flowers in ball-like clusters
at ends of flowering stems
 Really showy
 Attracts many butterflies,
hummingbirds, many others
 Seeds: small, typical for Mint
family
© 2009 Terry Dye © 2011 Wynn Anderson

95. © Project SOUND
Likes a little shade
 Soils:
 Texture: well-drained; sandy
or rocky are fine
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Part-shade (morning sun)
works well
 Dappled shade under trees is
ideal
 Water:
 Winter: good soakings
 Summer: happy with
occasional summer water
(Zone 2, even 2-3 in well-
drained soils)
 Fertilizer: fine with organic
amendments, mulches
© 2010 Julie Kierstead Nelson
Does fine at higher elevations;
also thrives in Mother Nature’s
Garden of Health (elevation <
100 ft. – Gardena CA)

96. © Project SOUND
Mountain Monardella:
lovely
 Under trees, as a groundcover
 Along partly shady walkways
 Shady edges of the vegetable
garden
 As an accent in large
containers
 In a rock or butterfly garden
© 2010 Steven Thorsted
Ssp. pallida
http://www.theodorepayne.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=Monardella_odoratissim
a_ssp._pallida&redirect=no

97. © Project SOUND
Coyote Mint – Monardella villosa

98. © Project SOUND
Coyote Mint – Monardella villosa
 Distributed from the
central coast,
throughout the San
Francisco Bay Area
and into the north
coast ranges.
 Typically associated
with dry, rocky
locations in coastal
scrub and woodland
habitats near the
coast.
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?4745,4789,4835,4839

99. © Project SOUND
Several ssp. of Coyote Mint
 San Luis Obispo Coyote Mint (M. villosa var.
obispoensis). It has round, gray leaves
covered in soft white fuzz.
 Mountain Coyote Mint (M. villosa var. villosa)
most commonly available here
© 2001 Dean Wm. Taylor
ssp. franciscana
© 2006 Tom Cochrane ssp. globosa
ssp. villosa
© 2005 California Academy of Sciencesssp. obispoensis

100. © Project SOUND
Coyote Mint is quite
variable
 Size:
 1-2 ft tall
 2-4 ft wide, spreading
 Growth form: evergreen
perennial with many upright
square stems, growing in
colonies
 Foliage:
 Bright green or gray green
 Leaves rounded or more
elongated
 Crushed foliage has minty
‘toothpaste-like’ fragrance

101. © Project SOUND
Showy mint flowers
 Blooms: May-Aug. in S. Bay
 Flowers:
 Dense heads of small
flowers; showy
 Color ranges from
lavender, rose-purple, to
white
 Long-blooming
 Attract a wide range of
butterflies, bees, other
pollinators
 Vegetative
reproduction: natural
layering

102. © Project SOUND
Coyote Mint
 Soils:
 Texture: any well-drained
 Light: full sun to part shade
 Water:
 Winter: don’t let it get too wet
 Summer: best with slightly damp to
slightly dry sandy soil; don’t over-
water – will make it leggy and decrease
it’s lifespan – Water Zone 2 in pots
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other:
 Pinch tips to promote fuller growth
 Shear back to about 1/3 of it’s volume in
fall/winter
If the plant loses its leaves
to drought during the hot
months, it will leaf out
again with rain and cooler
weather.

103. © Project SOUND
http://idoradesign.blogspot.com/2010/05/afternoon-in-anns-garden.html http://ocparkswildflowers.blogspot.com/
http://drystonegarden.com/index.php/2010/08/august-bloom-day/

104. California woodmint - Stachys bullata

105. California woodmint (Hedgenettle) -
Stachys bullata
 CA coast from San
Francisco to Orange Co.
 Grows on:
 dry slopes and canyons in
chaparral and coastal sage
scrub
 partially-shaded canyons
 coast live oak riparian
forest
 sycamore riparian
woodlandhttp://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Stachys+bullata

106. Characteristics of CA Woodmint
 Drought deciduous perennial
herb; but does like water
 Size: 2-4 ft high, 3-4 ft wide
(spreading)
 Foliage:
 Dark green, softly hairy,
“wrinkled”
 Scented: lemon-mint
 Flowers:
 Pink to lavender-red, with white
markings on the lower lips
 Blooms Mar-May/June
 Attract bees, hummingbirds,
butterflies

107. Succeeding with Stachys bullata
 Does best in part-shade
 Plant in well-drained soils
 While drought tolerant, does
better with moderate water,
and tolerates seasonal flooding
 useful in north- and east-facing
banks, rockwalls
 Use it in woodland gardens or
perennial gardens
 Remember that it suckers
freely – will spread moderately
especially if watered – makes a
good groundcover
http://biology.fullerton.edu/biol317/im/s03/ft2/ft20-47.html

108. Woodmints make good shady ground
cover plants

109. Like all mints, Stachys species also do
fine in containers
© Project SOUND

110. What butterflies will our mints attract?
The smaller butterflies like:
• Skippers
• Gray hairstreak
• Funereal Duskywing
Larger butterflies like:
• Whites
• Gulf Fritillary
• Ladies
• Monarchs
• Swallowtails

111. Some butterfly choices for part-sun – non-mint
© Project SOUND
Name Blooms Size Water+ Soil
Achillea millefolia
Yarrow
White
Spr-Su
< 2 ft
spreads
2 to 3 Any
Diplacus/Mimulus species
Shrubby monkeyflowers
Many colors
Sp-Su
2-3 ft tall
2-3 ft w.
2 Any
Glandularia gooddingii
*Southwest mock verbena
Lilac
Spr-Su
< 18 inches
spreads
2 to 3
Well-
drained
Sidalcea calycosa ssp.
rhizomata
*Pt. Reyes checkerbloom Magenta
Spr-Su
1-3 ft tall
1-3 ft w. 2-3 to 3 Any

112. © Project SOUND
*Southwest mock verbena – Glandularia gooddingii
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=GLGO

113. © Project SOUND
Flower-garden flowers
 Blooms:
 in spring – usually Apr-June
 Flowering season depends on
moisture
 Flowers:
 Violet or pale pink-purple
 In dense clusters at tops of stalks
 Very attractive – and also attract
hummingbirds and butterflies
 Seeds:
 Plant untreated seeds in winter
 Needs light to germinate
 Best seeded in place
 Will reseed if happy
http://www.fireflyforest.com/flowers/1163/glandularia-gooddingii-southwestern-mock-vervain/

114. © Project SOUND
Desert arroyo plant
 Soils:
 Texture: well-drained a must
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Full sun to part-shade; good heat
tolerance
 Water:
 Winter: needs adequate;
supplement if needed
 Summer: best with occasional
summer water – Water Zone 2 (2-
3 in pots) to keep green, blooming
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other:
 No/inorganic mulch for reseeding
 Light pruning (deadheading)
after flowering
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=GLGO

115. © Project SOUND
©2010 James M. Andre
http://www.amwua.org/pictures/gc-v-gooddingii-1.jpg
http://www.landscape-resources.com/portfolio/groundcoversx/pages/Verbena%20gooddingii-
1.htm

116. © Project SOUND
*Pt. Reyes Checkerbloom – Sidalcea calycosa ssp. rhizomata
©2011 Vernon Smith

117.  N. CA coast - Mendocino, Marin, Sonoma
Counties
 Coastal Salt Marsh, wetland-riparian,
freshwater marsh
 Collected by M. K. Curran [1886 – Marin
Co.], Alice Eastwood & Lester Rowntree
© Project SOUND
*Pt. Reyes Checkerbloom – Sidalcea calycosa ssp. rhizomata
©2013 Aaron Arthur
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/draw_tiny2.pl?0104000000
http://www.theheartofthehouse.com/2016/05/hwy-1-to-mendocino/

118. © Project SOUND
The showiest of the Calif. Checkerblooms
 Size:
 1-3 ft tall
 1-3 ft wide, sprawling
 Growth form:
 Mostly evergreen, herbaceous
perennial
 Sprawling/creeping habit
 Foliage:
 Bright to darker green; red-tinged
if drought/salt stressed
 Geranium-like leaves; rounded,
somewhat fleshy
 Young leaves edible – raw or cooked
 Larval food for Lady butterflies
 Roots: spreads via rhizomes; ground
cover potential
©2013 Aaron Arthur
http://www.baynatives.com/plants/Sidalcea-calycosa-rhizomata/

119. © Project SOUND
Enchanting flowers
 Blooms: spring & summer (Apr-
Sep); water prolongs bloom period
 Flowers:
 Typical, open Mallow shape
with 5, slightly-overlapping,
translucent petals
 Color: pastel pink-purple with
white center
 Flowers clustered along a
flowering stalk – open serially
 Attract hummingbirds, native
bees and butterflies
 Seeds: easy to grow from seed
http://www.answers.com/topic/dudleya
©2011 Vernon Smith

120. © Project SOUND
Loves moist soils  Soils:
 Texture: any - adaptable
 pH: any local
 Light: best with afternoon shade
or dappled sun in our area.
 Water:
 Winter: moist ground;
supplement if needed
 Summer: best with regular
water – Water Zone 2-3 to 3;
check pots regularly
 Fertilizer: occasional light
fertilizer is fine
 Other: cut back when flowering
ceases; vigorous grower in moist
conditions
©2013 Aaron Arthur
This plant might do best in a
glazed ceramic pot (with good
drainage) in S. CA

121. © Project SOUND
Garden uses for
 In N. CA often used as shady
groundcover or around edible garden
 In S. CA, best treated as a container
plant, where moisture conditions can
be met – lovely accent plant!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/eastbaywilds/7201649744

122. Your butterfly garden as your ‘green oasis’
© Project SOUND

123. So many choices – so little space
© Project SOUND
Yarrow
Monkeyflowers

124. Western Yarrow – Achilla millefolia
J.S. Peterson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

125. The Yarrows – horticultural plants extraordinaire
 Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower
family)
 Cultivated in Europe ??thousands
of years
 About half a dozen species are
commonly grown as garden plants
 Natural variation in color has been
exploited – many named cultivars –
yellow, pink, red, purple
 Attract many different
pollinators, including butterflies
http://aggiehorticulture.tamu.edu/ornamentals/Cornell_Herbaceous
/plant_pages/Achilleamillefolium.html

126. © Project SOUND
Monkeyflowers:
Fantastic flower colors
© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College

127. Sticky monkeyflower – Diplacus/Mimulus aurantiacus
© Project SOUND
http://www.flickr.com/photos/36386822@N07/3458022529

128. © Project SOUND
Sticky monkeyflower: seasonal sub-shrub
 Size:
 2-4 ft tall
 2-5 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Mounded to sprawling (with
age) sub-shrub
 Drought-deciduous
 Often short-lived (5-10 years)
 Foliage:
 Bright to dark-green, glossy
 Leaves lance-shaped, sticky
 Young leaves are edible (cook)
 Important larval food for
Checkerspot butterflies
 Roots: net-like; bind soil

129. © Project SOUND
Lovely flowers
 Blooms:
 Spring-summer; usually Mar-Aug.
in western L.A. County
 Judicious summer water for
summer blooms
 Flowers:
 Typical monkeyflower shape,
with long, tubular neck
 Most commonly buff-colored;
some include those with other
colors as sub-species
 Attracts hummingbirds, large
bee and long-tongued
butterflies (esp. Checkerspots
& Buckeyes)

130. © Project SOUND
 Soils:
 Texture: most local; likes well-
drained soils, but adaptable
 pH: any local, including alkali
 Light:
 Afternoon shade is best in most
gardens;
 full sun only along immediate
coast
 Water:
 Winter: needs adequate;
supplement as needed
 Summer: occasional (1-2 times
per month – 2-3 per month in
containers) OK; taper off in
Aug.
Succeeding with Shrubby Monkeyflowers
Fertilizer: time-released in pots

131. Pruning the shrubby monkeyflowers
 Prune back each fall to 18
inches or so; or prune back
to ground every third year.
 Can also tip-prune after
spring bloom to encourage
fall blooms
 Propagate new plants from
cuttings to replace old
plants
© Project SOUND
Great u-tube video on pruning
monkeyflowers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=u6b1whxy3h8

132. Butterflies that might come to the part-shade garden?
The smaller butterflies like:
• Skippers
• Gray hairstreak
• Funereal Duskywing
• Blues
Larger butterflies like:
• Whites
• Gulf Fritillary
• Ladies
• Monarchs
• Swallowtails
• ?others

133. Perhaps you have a more space – but still
want to use containers to attract butterflies
© Project SOUND
https://www.crateandbarrel.com/blog/container-garden-ideas/
Crate & Barrel and other
companies offer a wide range of
wonderful containers

134. Achieving adequate floral coverage in each
season: it takes some thought if space is limited
 Flower patches: at least 3 ft x 3 ft
per species – the bigger the better
 A few well-chosen plant species
might be better than many
 Most bang for buck: shrubs vs. annual
wildflowers (depends on situation)
 Likely will need to use vertical space
 Some shrubs and trees are quite
adaptable to small/narrow spaces
 Lots of ‘flowering area’ with a small
footprint
 One yard/garden can’t do it all -
“it takes a neighborhood”
© Project SOUND

135. Garden 3: Containers but larger, more
© Project SOUND
Allow you to grow more flowering plants – plus some
larval food plants (if desired)

136. © Project SOUND
If you were a caterpillar what would you
like to eat?
 Readily accessible
 Succulent
 Easy to digest
 Non-toxic
 Not too
protected: hairs,
secretions, etc.
Larval (caterpillar) food plants are often very
specific – you need to plant the larval food plants
for the species you want to attract

137. Dwarf citrus trees are a good habitat choice
© Project SOUND
Giant Swallowtail
Anise Swallowtail

138. © Project SOUND
Swallowtails are wonderful garden
inhabitants
Anise Swallowtail larva

139. Cruciferous vegetables: larval food for White Butterflies
© Project SOUND
Cabbage White
Common Checkered White

140. But there are other larval/adult plants to
try in larger containers
 Asclepias (Milkweeds)
 Atriplex (Saltbushes)
 Chenopodia (Goosefeet)
 Diplacus/Mimulus (Monkeyflowers)
 Some Eriogonum (Buckwheats)
 Galium (Bedstraws)
 Grasses (most native species)
 Pseudognaphalium (Everlastings)
 Sphaeralcea (Desert Mallow)
 Sidalcea (Checkerblooms)
 Annuals/perennials like Urtica
(nettles), Thistle (Cirsium
occidentale), Plantains (Plantago)

141. © Project SOUND
*Allscale (Cattle) saltbush – Atriplex polycarpa
©2005 Steve Matson

142.  Desert and other hot, dry areas of the
American Southwest down into N. Mexico.
 In CA, in San Joaquin Valley and margins
and desert mountains/foothills
 Alkaline flats, dry lakes, often in clays
 Warm desert shrub communities (creosote
bush, ambrosia, shadscale, mesquite,
saltgrass, etc.)
© Project SOUND
*Allscale (Cattle) saltbush – Atriplex polycarpa
©2009 California State University, Stanislaus ©2013 Jean Pawek
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242415595

143. © Project SOUND
Allscale saltbush: desert sub-shrub
 Size:
 3-5 ft tall
 3-5 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Mounded sub-shrub; can be kept
somewhat rounded by pruning
 Evergreen except in extreme
drought
 Foliage:
 Color: pale to blue-green
 Leaves small, oblong; excrete
salt
 Larval food for Pygmy and
other Blue butterflies
 Roots: net-like; some may be deep
©2013 Jean Pawek

144. © Project SOUND
Flowers: under-stated
 Blooms:
 Mostly in summer
 Rain/irrigation can extend
flowering season (spring to
fall)
 Flowers:
 Small, mostly golden – typical
of saltbushes
 Nothing to write home about
 Seeds:
 Eaten by birds and wildlife
 Were roasted, ground and
eaten as famine food
©2013 Jean Pawek
©2009 Neal Kramer

145. © Project SOUND
Desert wash plant
 Soils:
 Texture: sandy to clay, well-
drained soils in nature. Adaptable
in garden
 pH: any local (7.0-9.0); alkali, salty
soils are fine
 Light: full sun
 Water:
 Winter: needs adequate
 Summer: very drought tolerant,
but looks best with occasional
water (Water Zone 1-2 to 2; Zone
2 in containers)
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils; in
containers, ½ strength dose, spring
 Other:
 Inorganic mulch
 Trim back up to ½ late fall

146. © Project SOUND
Garden uses Atriplex
polycarpa
 As a background to mid-ground habitat
shrub: insects, Blue Butterflies, birds
eating seeds, insects
 As a hedge (formal to informal)
 In large containers©2009 Neal Kramer
https://www.pinterest.com/asilvertoca/plants-with-favorable-fire-performance-rating/ http://snowbirdpix.com/sonoran_desert_plant_page.php?id=1352

147. So what’s the deal about Western Pygmy
Blue butterflies?
 Brephidium exilis
 The smallest N. American
butterfly (often ~ ½ inch wingspan)
 Adults feed on many flowers
 Larvae feed on pigweed, goosefoot,
Russian thistle (‘Tumbleweed’) or
saltbush (Atriplex spp.)
 Most of these are either weeds or
too large (Coast Quailbush)
 Plant the larval food plants and
they will come
© Project SOUND
http://cdn.playbuzz.com/cdn/2647263a-583c-4119-8738-
09a6f9aff255/7fba1ed2-69e4-472e-994d-8b5690b652e6.jpg
http://blog.growingwithscience.com/2014/11/bug-of-the-week-western-pygmy-blue-
butterfly/

148. And what do these larvae look like?
© Project SOUND
http://bugguide.net/node/view/25198/bgimage

149. Native buckwheats attract tons of
pollinators, including butterflies
© Project SOUND
Marine Blue Butterfly

150. Can I really grow buckwheats in large containers?
© Project SOUND
Probably yes, if the pots are large and you choose carefully

151. Three Eriogonums I’d try
(in large sunny pots)
Red buckwheat – E. grande rubescens
California buckwheat – E. fasciculatum
Ashyleaf buckwheat – E. cinerium
Native Buckwheats are such
good pollinator habitat that it’s
probably worth the gamble

152. And now we’ve come to the end…
© Project SOUND

153. © Project SOUND
Summary suggestions for creating a
butterfly-friendly garden
 Include important nectar and
larval food plants; when possible
from local sources
 Mass/group plants
 Include plants that bloom at
different times
 Consider including some good non-
native food plants
 Use safe methods of insect
control – no pesticides

154. Several things to do in July for butterflies
 Attend butterfly events at
Madrona, El Dorado, Gardena
Willows and other places
 Learn more about local butterflies;
review past ‘Out of the Wilds’
butterfly talks
 Watch butterflies in your garden;
draw, paint or photograph them
 Evaluate your garden for it’s
butterfly habitat potential;
supplement as appropriate
 Talk to your friends and neighbors
about butterflies
© Project SOUND
 Buy a butterfly plant and
plant it in a pot (I’ve got a
few today)

155. Next month: Designing a Garden Pond
© Project SOUNDhttp://lagunadirt.com/2011/01/visit-mermaids-garden-backyard-stream.html