Butterflies
Plants for a butterfly-friendly garden:
WILDFLOWERS
There are 24 species of butterflies in the Melbourne region - more than half of these are regularly seen in the inner city. Some species are threatened by habitat removal - you can play your part in preserving habitat by butterfly gardening.
Adult butterflies need lots of nectar-rich flowers to drink from. Specific plants are required as hosts for caterpillars to hatch on and to eat. Caterpillars of some species will feed on introduced plants, but the vast majority require native plants as hosts.
Choose plants that produce large masses of flowers - easier for the butterflies to find than single blooms. Butterflies are generally active on warm sunny days in Spring, Summer & Autumn. A range of plants flowering in different seasons create a constant food source for adult butterflies.
Many Australian caterpillars are small, shy, even nocturnal. There may be no evidence of them in the garden (most caterpillar damage in gardens is caused by the exotic pest, the White Cabbage Butterfly caterpillar).
WILDFLOWERS
|
Arthropodium milleflorum |
Vanilla Lily |
|
Arthropodium strictum |
Chocolate Lily |
|
Bulbine bulbosa |
Bulbine Lily |
|
Chrysocephalum spp. |
Everlasting Daisy |
|
Craspedia canens |
Billy Buttons |
|
Dianella spp. |
Flax-Lily |
|
Helichrysum scorpiodes |
Button Everlasting |
|
Patersonia spp. |
Purple-flag |
|
Senecio pinnatifolius |
Variable Groundsel |
|
Wahlenbergia stricta |
Tall Bluebell |
|
Xerochrysum viscosum |
Sticky Everlasting |
CLIMBERS & TWINERS
|
Billardiera scandens |
Apple Berry |
|
Clematis microphylla |
Small-leafed Clematis |
|
Hardenbergia violacea |
Purple Coral Pea |
SHRUBS
|
Atriplex spp. |
Saltbush |
|
Bossiaea cinerea |
Showy Bossiaea |
|
Bursaria spinosa |
Sweet Bursaria |
|
Correa spp. |
Correa |
|
Daviesia latifolia |
Hop Bitter-pea |
|
Dillwynia spp. |
Parrot Pea |
|
Epacris impressa |
Common Heath |
|
Goodenia ovata |
Hop Goodenia |
|
Hakea spp. |
Hakea |
|
Hibbertia spp. |
Guinea-flower |
|
Indigofera australis |
Austral Indigo |
|
Kunzea ericoides |
Burgan |
|
Leptospermum spp. |
Tea-tree |
|
Leucophyta brownii |
Cushion Bush |
|
Myoporum spp. |
Boobialla |
|
Olearia spp. |
Daisy-bush |
|
Pimelea spp. |
Rice-flower |
|
Rhagodia candolleana |
Seaberry Saltbush |
|
Solanum laciniatum |
Large Kangaroo Apple |
GROUNDCOVERS
|
Astroloma humifusum |
Cranberry Heath |
|
Carprobrotus rossii |
Karkalla |
|
Einadia spp. |
Saltbush |
|
Enchylaena tomentosa |
Ruby Saltbush |
|
Kennedia prostrata |
Running Postman |
|
Lobelia pedunculata |
Matted Pratia |
|
Myoporum parvifolium |
Creeping Boobialla |
|
Pultenaea tenuifolia |
Slender Bush-pea |
|
Tetragonia implexicoma |
Bower Spinach |
|
Viola spp. |
Native Violet |
TREES
|
Acacia spp. |
Wattle |
|
Allocasuarina spp. |
Sheoke |
|
Banksia spp. |
Banksia |
|
Eucalyptus ovata |
Swamp Gum |
|
Eucalyptus pauciflora |
Snow Gum |
|
Eucalyptus radiata |
Narrow-leaved Peppermint |
|
Viminarea juncea |
Golden Spray |
SEDGES AND RUSHES
|
Baloskion tetraphyllum |
Tassel Cord-rush |
|
Carex spp. |
Sedge |
|
Gahnia spp. |
Saw-sedge |
|
Juncus amabilis |
Rush |
|
Lepidosperma spp. |
Sword-sedge |
|
Lomandra spp. |
Mat-rush |
GRASSES
|
Austrodanthonia spp. |
Wallaby Grass |
|
Austrostipa spp. |
Spear-grass |
|
Microlaena stipoides |
Weeping Grass |
|
Poa spp. |
Tussock Grass |
|
Themeda triandra |
Kangaroo Grass |
