Native Plant Spotlight: Coneflower & Butterflyweed – Supporting Monarchs and Pollinators

As monarch butterflies begin their journey through Missouri, now is a great time to think about the plants that help support them along the way.

This week's Native Plant Spotlight features two native garden favorites: Coneflower (Echinacea) and Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa). Both provide valuable resources for pollinators, thrive in our region, and bring lasting color to the landscape.

Whether you're creating a pollinator garden, adding native plants to an existing bed, or simply looking for low-maintenance beauty, these two plants deserve a spot on your list.

Coneflower (Echinacea)

Coneflower is one of the most recognizable native perennials in American gardens. Known for its daisy-like blooms and prominent central cone, it is a tough, drought-tolerant plant that attracts butterflies, bees, and birds.

Why We Like It

• Drought tolerant once established

• Low maintenance

• Deer resistant

• Long blooming season

• Excellent pollinator plant

• Seed heads provide food for birds in fall and winter

Growing Conditions

Light: Full sun (6–8+ hours)

Flower Color: Native varieties are purple or yellow. Cultivars may be orange, red, white, pink, and more.

Soil: Well-drained soils; average to poor soils tolerated

Zones: 3–9

Mature Size

Native varieties typically grow:

• 3–5 feet tall

• 1–3 feet wide

Compact cultivars may stay closer to 2 feet tall.

Maintenance

Coneflowers require very little maintenance.

Deadhead spent blooms during summer to encourage additional flowering. In fall and winter, leave seed heads standing to provide food for songbirds and add seasonal interest to the landscape.

Landscape Uses

Coneflowers work beautifully in:

• Pollinator gardens

• Native landscapes

• Prairie plantings

• Perennial borders

• Mass plantings

Their wide range of flower colors makes them easy to incorporate into almost any landscape design.

Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Butterflyweed is one of the most important native plants for monarch butterflies. Its vibrant orange flowers make it a standout in the landscape, but its real value comes from its role as a host plant for monarch caterpillars.

Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on milkweed species, and the emerging caterpillars rely on those plants for survival.

Why We Like It

• Host plant for monarch caterpillars

• Brilliant orange blooms

• Drought tolerant

• Native to Missouri

• Excellent pollinator plant

• Long-lived perennial

Growing Conditions

Light: Full sun (6+ hours)

Flower Color: Bright orange to yellow-orange

Soil: Dry, sandy, and extremely well-drained soils

Zones: 3–9

Mature Size

• 1–3 feet tall

• Bushy, clump-forming habit

Maintenance

Cut back dead stems in early spring before new growth emerges.

While deadheading can encourage additional blooms, many gardeners choose to leave seed pods for seasonal interest and wildlife value.

Try to avoid broad-spectrum pesticides around Butterflyweed, especially during monarch season.

Landscape Uses

Butterflyweed is an excellent choice for:

• Pollinator gardens

• Native plantings

• Prairie-style landscapes

• Rock gardens

• Meadow plantings

• Mass plantings

Its drought tolerance makes it particularly useful in hot, sunny locations.

Why Plant Both?

Coneflowers and Butterflyweed complement each other beautifully in the landscape.

Coneflowers provide nectar for pollinators, seasonal color, and seed heads for birds.

Butterflyweed provides nectar while also serving as a host plant for monarch caterpillars.

Together, they help support pollinators through multiple stages of their life cycle while creating a colorful, low-maintenance display in the garden.

Find Them at Carson's

You'll find Coneflowers, Butterflyweed, and many other native plants throughout our dedicated native plant sections at Carson's Nurseries.

If you're interested in creating a pollinator-friendly landscape or supporting monarch butterflies during migration season, our team would be happy to help you choose the right plants for your space.

Stay tuned for next week's Native Plant Spotlight as we continue highlighting native plants and native cultivars that thrive in southwest Missouri landscapes.