Plant Encyclopedia
Discover plants for your garden — filter by sun, water, bloom time and more.
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7 plants
ShrubsBuddleja davidii
Butterfly Bush
Butterfly Bush is the ultimate butterfly magnet with long, fragrant flower spikes in purple, pink or white from July to September. The shrub grows quickly and flowers abundantly, even in poor soil. On every warm summer day, dozens of butterflies flock to the honey-sweet blooms.
PerennialsEchinacea purpurea
Purple Coneflower
Purple Coneflower is a sturdy perennial with distinctive pink-purple petals surrounding an orange-brown cone. The flowers appear from July to September and are a magnet for butterflies and bees. In autumn and winter, the seed heads attract goldfinches and other seed-eating birds.
PerennialsEupatorium purpureum
Joe Pye Weed
Joe Pye weed is an impressive perennial that can reach up to two metres in height. The large, dome-shaped flower clusters in pink to purple appear from July to September and are a paradise for butterflies. A powerful structural plant for the back of large borders.
PerennialsLiatris spicata
Blazing Star
Blazing Star is an elegant perennial with striking purple flower spikes that bloom from top to bottom. The stiff, vertical stems appear in July and August and provide a wonderful contrast with rounder garden plants. Butterflies and bees adore the nectar-rich flowers.
Aquatic plantsPontederia cordata
Pickerelweed
Pickerelweed is a graceful aquatic plant with heart-shaped, glossy green leaves and striking spikes of violet-blue flowers appearing from July to September. The plant grows in shallow water or bog zones and forms lush colonies along pond margins. The flowers are a magnet for butterflies, bees and dragonflies.
PerennialsRudbeckia fulgida
Black-eyed Susan
Black-eyed Susan blooms from July through October with radiant golden-yellow petals surrounding a dark brown center. The plant is virtually indestructible, spreads gradually, and suits large borders and prairie-style gardens. After flowering, the seed heads provide food for birds.
PerennialsSedum spectabile
Stonecrop
Stonecrop is a succulent perennial with thick, grey-green leaves and flat pink flower heads from August to October. The plant is extremely drought-tolerant and attracts large numbers of butterflies and bees in late summer. The dried flower heads provide striking winter interest.