Want More Butterflies? Plant This and Watch What Happens

Every garden needs a splash of color, whether that's plants, birds, or butterflies (maybe all three). Some butterflies, like the Monarch (Eastern population), migrate every year to Mexico and return to the U.S. in April or May. You will start to see them soon, especially if you make your garden welcoming to numerous butterfly species.

"My garden is like a magical butterfly fairy land right now, and I feel like a Disney princess," creator MegGrowsPlants opens her video. That is exactly the feeling we want to capture in our lives right now, and we need Meg's butterfly garden ideas. The secret, in this case, is the Mexican Sunflower. She shows us around her garden and highlights which plants seem to draw the butterflies the most (we'll cover more in the next section).

@meggrowsplants

I'm so happy to see all of the butterflies in my garden today after the last few weeks of this awful rainy weather! Seeing the monarchs was such a special surprise To attract butterflies: Plant bright, big, colorful flowers like the Mexican sunflower (Tithonia), zinnias, marigolds, cosmos, etc. Don't forget the host plants of these butterflies so you can help raise their caterpillars! Milkweed, dill, and passionflower are great beginner host plants for the monarchs, swallowtails, and gulf fritillaries #gardening#gardenlife#farmlife#savethemonarchs#butterflies#gardentok#gardeninspiration

original sound - MegGrowsPlants

Of course, viewers were absolutely thrilled to see the gorgeous insects and beautiful array of flowers. @Monica Pacheco put out exactly what we were thinking, "Thank you for sharing. I feel so blessed when they all come to visit my garden." There's nothing quite like knowing you have welcomed nature into your home. @Laura had a good point as well, "This is one of my favorite by-products of gardening! The pollinators that come to my flowering plants delight me every day!"

Anyone watching this will instantly start looking at their local plant store or nursery for the right flora to attract butterflies. If you haven't filled your garden yet this season, try some of these, which will bring birds and pollinators to you.

Related: Want More Hummingbirds? This One Plant Keeps Them Coming Back

Other Plants That Attract Butterflies

Meg mentioned a couple of other plants in her video, including Zinnias and Marigolds. Both of these plants, as well as the earlier-discussed Mexican Sunflowers, will grab the attention of butterflies in the area. Butterflies, like hummingbirds, eat nectar, so they'll see these flowers as good sources of nutrients. They specifically like bright colors and flat surfaces to make landing easy.

Depending on your local climate and the butterflies who frequent your neighborhood, you may want to look into Butterfly Bushes, Milkweed, or Bee Balm to round it out. No matter which plants you choose, take the time to enjoy these stunning creatures when they visit you.

SIGN UP to get "pawsitivity" delivered right to your inbox with inspiring & entertaining stories about our furry & feathered friends

Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved

This story was originally published April 25, 2026 at 6:20 AM.