Australian natives for butterflies at every stage of their lifecycle
The plant that makes all the difference in a butterfly-attracting garden is the larval host. This is the species a female butterfly seeks out to lay her eggs on and on which her caterpillars will feed and grow. Without host plants, butterflies can visit a garden but cannot complete their lifecycle. Many species are also highly specialised: some will only lay on a single plant genus.
Once a butterfly has completed metamorphosis (passing through egg, caterpillar and chrysalis before eclosing as adults) butterflies need nectar from open flowers and warm sheltered spots to bask and rest. The plants below support both these stages.
Cairns birdwing caterpillar (Ornithoptera euphorion)
Cairns birdwing butterfly (Ornithoptera euphorion)
Ten native plants that support Australian butterflies
Kangaroo Grass (Themeda triandra)
Kangaroo grass is the most ecologically significant plant on this list and the one most likely to surprise gardeners. Kangaroo grass is a larval host for at least thirteen species of Australian butterfly, including the Common Brown (Heteronympha merope), Evening Brown (Melanitis leda), Ringed Xenica (Geitoneura acantha), Shouldered Brown (Heteronympha penelope) and multiple grass skippers. Over a quarter of all Australian butterfly species use native grasses as larval hosts and kangaroo grass supports more of them than almost any other single plant.
It is drought tolerant, frost hardy, widespread across all states and territories and grows in everything from coastal conditions to alpine grassland. Plant it in drifts for best effect and in combination with flowering natives that will provide nectar for the adults that emerge.
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Australian Indigo (Indigofera australis)
Australian indigo is a larval host for the Large Grass-yellow (Eurema hecabe), Common Grass-blue (Zizina labradus) and Pea Blue (Lampides boeticus) butterflies and its nectar-rich spring flowers attract adults of many more species.
It is widespread across open forests and woodlands from WA to north-east Queensland and is one of the most adaptable native shrubs available, tolerating most soil types, frost, drought and moderate shade. Tip prune lightly after flowering to keep it compact. A genuinely underused garden plant that earns its place on flowering performance alone, before the butterfly ecology is factored in.
Sweet Bursaria (Bursaria spinosa)
Sweet bursaria has one of the most remarkable butterfly stories of any Australian plant. It is the sole larval host for the endangered Bathurst Copper butterfly (Paralucia spinifera). It also supports the Eltham Copper (Paralucia pyrodiscus lucida) and Fiery Copper (Paralucia pyrodiscus), both of which have a complex three-way relationship with the plant and specific ant species that tend the caterpillars and receive secretions in return.
Beyond its larval value, sweet bursaria is a major nectar source for a wide range of butterfly and bee species at a time when many other plants have finished flowering. It's hardy, widespread across eastern and southern Australia and tolerant of most soils and conditions. Worth growing for the conservation value alone.
Hardenbergia (Hardenbergia violacea)
One of the most familiar native climbers in Australian gardens, hardenbergia is among the earliest flowering natives of the season, providing nectar at a time when few other plants are open. It is a confirmed larval host for the Common Grass-blue butterfly (Zizina labradus), recognisable by its small size and delicate blue-grey wings.
As a garden plant it is extremely versatile; it climbs fences and trellises, scrambles as a ground cover, tolerates coastal conditions, frost, drought and poor soils and compact cultivars are suitable for pots and small spaces. It flowers from Queensland to Tasmania and is one of the most reliable and low-maintenance natives available. Plant it where it can spread freely and the caterpillars will find it.
Native Violet (Viola hederacea)
Native violet is a larval host for both the Common Grass-blue (Zizina labradus) and the Meadow Argus (Junonia villida). A low, spreading ground cover with kidney-shaped leaves and small purple-and-white flowers that appear almost continuously in frost-free conditions, it is one of the few butterfly host plants that thrives in shade, making it valuable under trees and in positions where little else will flower.
It spreads by runners and divides readily, making it easy to establish across a wide area. Native violet is also one of the best lawn alternatives for shaded areas and can be walked on lightly. It grows from Queensland through to Victoria and Tasmania and tolerates a wide range of conditions as long as it receives consistent moisture and is not exposed to full summer sun.
Golden Buttons (Chrysocephalum apiculatum)
If you have seen an orange and black butterfly hovering over a daisy in your garden, it was almost certainly the Australian Painted Lady (Vanessa kershawi). They are one of the most recognisable and widely distributed butterflies on the continent. Golden buttons is one of its most important larval host plants and its flat, open yellow flower heads are a major nectar source for adults.
Golden buttons is a low-growing, silvery-leaved perennial that is widespread across southern Australia in grasslands, open forests and disturbed areas. It is drought tolerant, frost hardy and grows in poor soils, making it one of the most useful and undemanding garden natives. It is naturally short-lived but self-seeds readily and can be replaced easily from cuttings or seed. Plant in full sun in groups for best effect.
Silver Cassia (Senna artemisioides)
For gardeners in drier parts of Australia, silver cassia fills a role that few other plants can — a larval host for the Small Grass-yellow butterfly (Eurema smilax) and a nectar source for adults of many species. The silvery, finely divided foliage provides year-round texture and the plant's drought and heat tolerance is exceptional.
Silver cassia is native to arid regions across all mainland states and comes in several subspecies of varying size and leaf form. The most commonly grown garden form (subsp. artemisioides) stays around 1.5 metres. It is susceptible to frost when young but becomes very hardy once established. Full sun and good drainage are non-negotiable. An outstanding plant for low-water gardens across inland and Mediterranean-climate regions.
Bottlebrush (Callistemon spp. and cultivars)
Callistemon is one of the most reliable dual-purpose plants for butterfly gardens, providing both nectar for adults and larval host material for caterpillars across a wide range of species. The dense, nectar-rich flower spikes are heavily visited by adult butterflies throughout the flowering season and the same flowers that draw butterflies also attract honeyeaters and other nectar-feeding birds.
Callistemon is broadly tolerant of most soils, moderate drought and frost once established and grows across the full range of Australian climate zones. Choose a local or regionally appropriate species where possible rather than a hybrid from a distant state — the ecological relationships between callistemon and local butterfly species will be stronger. Prune lightly after flowering to encourage dense growth and repeat flowering.
Scaevola (Scaevola aemula)
Fan flower is a confirmed larval host for the Meadow Argus butterfly (Junonia villida) and its fan-shaped purple-blue flowers provide nectar for a wide range of adult butterflies throughout the warmer months. It is a low-spreading plant that performs particularly well in coastal conditions, tolerating salt spray, sandy soils and dry summers.
Scaevola has a long productive season that overlaps with the main butterfly flight periods. It is widely available, easy to grow and requires minimal maintenance beyond a light trim to encourage repeat flowering. For gardeners in coastal areas who struggle to establish other butterfly host plants in sandy, salt-affected soils, scaevola is a reliable solution.
Pink Euodia (Melicope elleryana)
For tropical and subtropical gardeners, pink euodia is perhaps the single most important butterfly tree available. It is the primary larval host for the Ulysses butterfly (Papilio ulysses). Female Ulysses butterflies favour small trees under two metres for egg-laying, making young euodias particularly valuable; as the tree matures it becomes a major nectar source for the Ulysses and a long list of other tropical butterfly species including the Orchard Swallowtail, Blue Triangle and Macleay's Swallowtail.
Pink euodia is a fast-growing evergreen tree, attracting birds and flying foxes in addition to butterflies. It has a shallow root system that makes it suitable for street and garden planting and it typically flowers within one to three years. Not frost tolerant and best suited to tropical Queensland and warm subtropical areas. One of the most rewarding trees a tropical gardener can plant.
A few things that help: Butterflies need warm, sheltered spots to bask so include a flat rock in a sunny position. A shallow dish of water with stones for landing gives adults somewhere to drink. Avoid all insecticides, including neem oil, which affect caterpillars as well as pest insects.
Australia has around 440 species of butterfly and several are now at risk due to habitat loss and the removal of specific host plants from the landscape. The four stages of a butterfly's life — egg, caterpillar, chrysalis and adult — each depend on particular conditions being met.
A garden planted with even a few of these species extends viable habitat into suburban areas at a time when butterflies have increasingly few places left to go.
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A Guide to Australian Native Gardening
How to plan, plant and care for a thriving native garden, whatever your experience level.
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