A Complete Guide to Keeping Nectar Available January–December in Texas Zone 8

Cover photo: Pipevine swallowtail butterfly feeding on purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Butterflies don’t just need flowers in spring. They need nectar every single month of the growing season — including the surprise warm spells in January, the crushing heat of August, and the much-needed late-fall flush when monarchs migrate through Texas.

But most gardening guides skip the most important detail:

WHEN Do These Plants Actually Bloom?

Below is your complete month-by-month nectar map for Texas Zone 8, so you can keep butterflies fed all year long — and make your garden one of the most reliable resources in your neighborhood.

Prairie verbena (Glandularia bipinnatifida) a native early spring bloomer that provides nectar for butterflies.

JANUARY – FEBRUARY

Winter: scarce but powerful nectar

Even though it feels like nothing blooms, a few natives start early and give butterflies, bees, and moths the first sugars of the year.

Top Early-Nectar Producers

• Texas Redbud (Cercis canadensis var. texensis)

A crucial nectar tree for the earliest pollinators. Pink blossoms appear long before leaves, offering a burst of spring in late winter.

• Agarita (Mahonia trifoliata)

One of the earliest bloomers in Texas. Tiny yellow blossoms provide nectar during warm spells when butterflies briefly take flight.

• Carolina Jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens)

Evergreen vine. Bright yellow flowers open as early as February and give creamy-sweet nectar.

• Prairie Verbena (Early bloom)

Some years it wakes up shockingly early and becomes one of the first consistent nectar sources.

Why Winter Nectar Matters

This early energy helps overwintered butterflies (especially swallowtails) break dormancy in better condition and gives bees their first meals of the year.

Native to Texas: Ten-petal anemone blooming in spring. (Anemone berlandieri).

MARCH – APRIL

Spring: the season that sets the tone for the whole year

This is when your nectar foundation should begin — a mix of low-growing flowers, daisies, and early-blooming perennials.

Top Spring Nectar Plants

• Prairie Verbena (Glandularia bipinnatifida)

Heavy spring nectar production; butterflies visit constantly.

• Indian Blanket (Gaillardia pulchella)

Starts early and doesn’t stop blooming until frost. A quintessential Texas powerhouse.

• Winecup (Callirhoe involucrata)

A groundcover that fills gaps between larger plants and blooms reliably in spring.

• Engelmann Daisy

Bright yellow daisies that last for weeks, becoming a favorite nectar source.

• Ten-Petal Anemone

Short-lived bloom but very early.

Early Flowering Shrubs & Vines

• Coral honeysuckle (native, red/orange blooms)

• Texas barberry

Plant These Now for Next Spring:

• Milkweed

• Gregg’s Mistflower

• Blackfoot Daisy

• Lantana

• Salvias

These establish roots now and explode next spring.

Goldenball leadtree with its yellow puffball flowers begins blooming in May.

MAY – JUNE

Late Spring: nectar in every direction

This is when gardens hit that lush, vibrant phase — and when butterflies start showing up in higher numbers.

Late Spring Nectar All-Stars

• Blackfoot Daisy

Constant bloom, drought tolerant, sweet nectar scent.

• Gaura (Lindheimer’s Beeblossom)

Dances in the breeze; irresistible to swallowtails and skippers.

• Four-nerve Daisy

Heat-proof and long-blooming.

• Purple Coneflower (Echinacea)

A major nectar source, especially for migrating species.

• Catmint (not native but pollinator-friendly)

A marathon bloomer.

Excellent Shrubs for May–June

• Buttonbush

One of the top 5 pollinator shrubs in the entire U.S. Produces spherical ‘pom-pom’ nectar balls butterflies swarm.

• Goldenball Leadtree (Leucana retusa)

Fast growing with yellow pom-pom blooms.

• Desert Willow

Loved by hummingbirds AND butterflies.

• Rock Rose (Pavonia lasiopetala)

Blooms daily through heat waves.

Mealycup sage (salvia farinacea) keeps blooming in the summer heat and is loved by butterflies (like this silver spotted skipper) and many types of bees.

JULY – AUGUST (The Heat Months)

Where most gardens fail — but natives thrive

Texas heat wipes out many nectar plants, but native species are adapted for it.

Top Heat-Tough Nectar Plants

• Gregg’s Mistflower

Queen butterflies’ #1 plant. Explodes with blooms in heat.

• Lantana urticoides (Texas Lantana)

A major nectar source and one of the toughest survivors.

• Zexmenia (Wedelia texana)

Thrives in full, scorching sun. Spreads into soft mounds of yellow blooms.

• Skeletonleaf Goldeneye (Viguiera stenoloba)

Blooms despite drought. A highly underrated butterfly plant.

• Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea)

Deep-rooted, colorful, and great mid-summer nectar.

• Mealy Blue Sage (Salvia farinacea)

Long bloom window and extremely heat tolerant.

Why Summer Nectar Matters

Butterflies will only stay in your garden if there is summer nectar. Without it, they feed and leave.

Monarch butterfly feeding on Frostweed (Verbesina virginica) in Fall in Texas.

SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER

Fall migration: the most important nectar window of the year

Texas is a migration funnel. Monarchs need your garden in early fall.

Top Fall Nectar Plants (Critical for Monarchs)

• Frostweed (Verbesina virginica)

The most important monarch nectar plant of the fall. Attracts clouds of butterflies.

• Maximilian Sunflower

Tall, dramatic, full of pollen and nectar.

• Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)

The backbone of fall nectar; supports dozens of species.

• Gayfeather / Blazing Star (Liatris)

Purple spikes full of nectar. Monarchs often stay on a single stem for minutes.

• Gregg’s Mistflower

Peaks again in fall — your garden will hum with activity.

• Native Asters

Late-season, cool-weather nectar.

Texas Peak Migration Window:

Late September → Late October

Your garden may feed thousands of traveling monarchs without you even seeing all of them.

Turk’s cap blooming late into Fall.

NOVEMBER – DECEMBER

Late-fall nectar: small but meaningful

Butterflies slow down in winter, but some stay as late as possible and still come out on warm days.

Top Late-Fall Nectar Producers

• Fall Asters

Another important fall nectar source for butterflies.

• Frostweed (late blooms)

Continues until the first freeze.

• Cowpen Daisy

Extremely dependable, warm-season bloom.

• Turk’s Cap

Nectar & berries for wildlife.

Why Late Nectar Matters

Not every butterfly migrates — some overwinter as adults or late-stage caterpillars.

Even a little nectar helps them survive longer.

HOW TO BUILD A YEAR-ROUND NECTAR GARDEN

A simple strategy for beginners, busy people, or small yards.

Choose 3–4 Spring Bloomers:

• Prairie verbena

• Indian blanket

• Engelmann daisy

• Winecup

Choose 3–4 Heat-Loving Summer Bloomers:

• Gregg’s mistflower

• Lantana

• Zexmenia

• Purple prairie clover

Choose 3–4 Fall Nectar Sources:

• Frostweed

• Goldenrod

• Maximilian sunflower

• Liatris

Add At Least 1 Shrub or Vine:

• Buttonbush

• Coral honeysuckle

• Desert willow

• Texas redbud

This gives you flowers for 10+ months with very little effort!

Giant swallowtail butterfly feeding on nectar from lantana flowers.

Common Problems That Interrupt Nectar (and How to Fix Them)

1. Too Much Shade

Many nectar plants need 6–8+ hours of sun.

Fix: Move shade lovers (mistflower, turk’s cap) to shaded beds and put daisies and coneflowers in open sun.

2. Overwatering

Texas natives prefer deep, infrequent watering.

Fix: Water deeply once a week until established.

3. Not Enough Diversity

Butterflies need shallow, tubular, and composite blooms.

Fix: Plant at least 3 flower shapes.

4. Gaps Between Bloom Periods

Fix: Use this month-by-month guide to plug holes.

Conclusion

Texas butterflies rely on nectar more than anything else you grow — and with this month-by-month guide, you can keep food available January through December.

A garden with steady nectar becomes a migration rest stop, a breeding ground, and an overwintering shelter all at once.

If you are planning or planting this season, the Butterfly Garden Cheat Sheet can help you check that the basic habitat pieces are in place.

Related Guides:

The Complete Guide to Butterfly Gardening: How to Attract, Feed, and Protect Butterflies All Year

The Best Host Plants for Caterpillars in Zone 8

The Ultimate Texas Zone 8 Garden Guide: What to Plant and When

Photo credits: Cover pipevine swallowtail – Paul Crook, Skipper on blue sage – Jeffrey Hamilton