Butterfly Garden
The butterfly garden at Oak Park has been designed specifically to attract butterflies by providing nectar plants for the adults and host plants for the caterpillars. The garden can be found behind the tennis courts at Oak Park.
Native plants are essential to the successful lifecycle of numerous butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera). Important not only for their nectar, but many native plants also play the important role of "larval host plant." Host plants provide food during the caterpillar phase that is part of the butterfly/moth lifecycle. Butterflies and moths need a host plant for their developing caterpillars and most adults need to fuel their flight and mating seasons with nectar from flowers. They also need sites in which to overwinter and rest as well as areas free from insecticides.
For more information visit the Xerces society: https://www.xerces.org/endangered-species/butterflies
Here are some of the native plants you will find in the Butterfly Garden:
WILDFLOWER SPECIES | HEIGHT | BLOOM | ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS |
ZIZIA AUREA (Golden Alexanders) |
3' | May-June | Host plant to black swallowtail |
BAPTISIA ALBA (White Wild Indigo)
|
4' | June-July | Sulphurs, skippers, bumblebees |
ECHINACEA PALLIDA (Pale Purple Coneflower)
|
3.5' | June-July | Many pollinators |
PENSTEMON DIGITALIS (Foxglove Beardtongue) |
3' | June-July | Bumblebees/Hummingbirds |
AGASTACHE FOENICULUM (Anise Hyssop) |
3' | June-August | Many pollinators |
RUDBECKIA HIRTA (Brown-Eyed Susan)
|
3' | June-September | Many pollinators/bees |
MONARDA FISTULOSA (Bee Balm)
|
3' | July-September | Many pollinators/hummingbirds |
LIATRIS ASPERA (Button Blazing Star)
|
3' | July-October | Many pollinators |
SOLIDAGO NEMORALIS (Old Field Goldenrod)
|
2' | August-September | Late season pollinators |
ASCLEPIAS VERTICILLATE (Whorled Milkweed)
|
2' | August-September | Host plant to a monarch |
ASCLEPIAS TUBEROSA (Butterfly Weed)
|
2' | August-September | Host plant to a monarch |
SYMPHYOTRICHUM OOLENTANGIENSE (Sky Blue Aster) |
3' | August-October | Many pollinators |
SILPHIUM LACINIATUM (Compass Plant) |
8' | June-September | Bees/Birds |
Grasses and Sedges Species:
SPECIES | HEIGHT | BLOOM | ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS |
BOUTELOUA CURTIPENDULA (Side-Oats Grama) |
2.5' | August-September | Skippers |
SCHIZACHYRIUM SCOPARIUM (Little Bluestem)
|
3' | July-October | Skippers |
SPOROBOLUS HETEROLEPIS (Prairie Dropseed) |
3' | August-September | Skippers |