Gardening for Butterflies


Ice Plant (sedum spectabile)

Attracts Small Tortoiseshells, Commas, Red Admirals, Small White, Green -veined White.

Pale pink and white are the best colours. Likes a well-drained sunny spot.

This old-fashioned perennial produces grey- green leaves of succulent foliage throughout summer. In late summer the buds gradually open to reveal masses of tiny flowers. It is a valuable late source of nectar for butterflies and bees. The flower-heads look great left during the winter to add shape and texture to your border. In February and March cut back the old flower-heads and apply a generous mulch of well-rotted garden compost or manure around the base of the plant. Older plants can have a tendency to flop leaving an open centre. To help prevent this, cut one in every three stems back to the ground towards end of May. This will produce plants that are less lush and flower slightly later.

Comma on Sedum

Page last update 24th Sept 2011