Mid-autumn flowers for butterflies
April 2026
The shading of some of my butterfly garden with the lower sun has really affected what plants the butterflies are choosing to feed from this month. I am now impatient for the leaves to fall off the liquidambers and give the main bed more direct light again. I went away for Easter and was jealous that pink escallonia was blooming away in the Bay of Plenty, attracting monarchs. Both underlined to me that each gardener needs to see what flowers when in their own butterfly garden. When I was setting up this garden, I went looking for a guide that told me exactly what to plant to ensure year-round nectar. I understand now why I could not find one. Nevertheless, here are my mid-autumn recommendations!
French marigolds
This is a recommendation from my trip to Wellington, but French marigolds, native to Mexico and Guatemala, grow well in Auckland and flower over a long period of time with deadheading. Whilst these are often listed as a butterfly flower, I was wary because they are commonly doubles (two rows of petals) if not more, making landing and nectar access difficult for butterflies. Wellington Botanic Garden was growing single (one row of petals) varieties - perhaps Disco? - and both monarchs and yellow admirals were feeding on them. Next year I'll grow single French marigolds too.
Buddleia
I previously mentioned seeing the yellow globe buddleia cross, Buddleja x weyeriana at Franklin Farm and deciding to take my two 10+ year-old plants out of pots. They have indeed grown bigger, but so very much quicker than I expected and they have taken over the new front garden bed. They did flower earlier in the year, but this April they have come into their own, as the rest of the garden fades or is shaded. I saw six monarchs on these this month, which is a new record for this young garden.
Tropical milkweed
Yes, they are still flowering and the monarchs are still favouring them, although not as much as the globe buddleia. What is more impressive is that they are all still upright after the third serious storm came through Auckland and blew my already suffering taller flowers over even further. The swan plants are practically horizontal now and the poor zinnias are limboing under them. I need to invest in a garden stake company.
Honourable mentions
Before the third storm the zinnias were still feeding the monarchs on a daily basis in my Auckland garden. I am not sure why they have gone from heroes to zeros as the flowers still look good, albeit battered, but I haven't seen a monarch on them since the first week of the month. Down in Wellington dahlias and white Jupiter's Beard were feeding monarchs and pink escallonia was attracting the monarchs in Papamoa.
The blue butterflies that featured so heavily last month are still around, but I haven't seen them feeding much. The cooler weather has resulted in a lot more sunbasking. They have been on the Mexican bush sage, which is the main go-to for the bees as well and one of my favourite new plants this year for their velvety texture, vibrant colour and nectar load.
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