The Flowering Ground Cover That'll Keep Butterflies Coming To Your Yard Into Fall

Butterflies are a staple pollinator in any garden, but they're also just nice to have around. If you want to see them around more often, there are certain plants you can keep around to fill your yard with different types of butterflies. White heath aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides) is one such plant that will have butterflies flocking to your yard. This beautiful flowering ground cover will attract both bees and butterflies to help pollinate the other plants in your yard while adding beauty from the tiny white flowers to the landscape. It's also a good fit for arid or low-water environments — once established, this plant is resistant to drought.

Note before planting that white heath aster is considered an invasive species in some locations, like Nebraska, but endangered in others, like Tennessee. However, in most locations, it is just considered an aggressive grower that requires a bit of regular maintenance. You may want to check with your local guidelines before growing it in your state.

The biggest thing to consider when growing white heath aster is placement. It's native to the central and eastern U.S. but grows well in full sun in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 10. You can plant it anywhere in your yard, as long as you give it space to expand. You can also use it as a landscaping accent in a rock garden or a border plant for a vegetable or wildflower garden. It can grow in almost any type of soil, but thrives in well-draining soils. There are a lot of ways you can plant white heath aster to fill your yard or garden with beautiful butterflies.

White heath aster blooms from late summer into the fall, usually between August and October, providing butterflies and other pollinators with an essential food source after many of your other flowers have already bloomed. It is also a self-seeding plant, so there is very little need for you to propagate it every year. Generally, you can expect it to grow at a rate of 1 foot per year, making it great for ground cover. All you need to do is trim it back when it begins to grow beyond the desired areas. At the end of the season, when winter arrives, you can cut it all back, trim the stalks to protect it from mold and fungus, or simply leave it be.