Boasting vibrant flowers and attractive foliage, a Plant that Looks Like a Butterfly is a must-have for your garden!
Whether you wish to create a butterfly garden or are looking for some rare specimens that resemble the insect, we have something for you! Pick your favorite Plant that Looks like a Butterfly that will add aesthetic value but serve to attract real butterflies and other pollinators, contributing to the biodiversity of the environment.
Check Out Flowers That Look Like Balls Here
Plant that Looks Like a Butterfly
1. Alpine Violet
Botanical Name: Cyclamen
Alpine Violet features upward curving petals in varying colors from pink to purple, which resemble butterfly wings. The heart-shaped green leaves with silver variegation provide a striking background to the flowers.
2. Red Butterfly Wing
Botanical Name: Christia vespertilionis
True to its name, this plant boasts red triangular leaves that look more like a hoard of butterflies resting on the stems. The leaves show intricate vein patterns similar to those on butterfly wings, adding to their unique look.
3. Blue Butterfly Bus
Botanical Name: Clerodendrum ugandense
Another Plant that Looks Like a Butterfly is the Blue Butterfly Bush bearing clusters of blue-violet flowers. With a distinct shape, these nectar-rich blooms resemble a group of butterflies hovering together.
4. Whirling Butterfly
Botanical Name: Gaura lindheimeri
The Whirling Butterfly is a perennial with white or pink flowers atop tall, slender stems. The delicate four-petalled flowers with long yellow stamens create the impression of delicate butterflies amidst green foliage.
5. Butterfly Orchid
Botanical Name: Encyclia tampensis
This beautiful orchid blooms intricate patterns in delicate shades of white, cream, and pale green. The petals often twist and curl, mimicking the wings of a butterfly in mid-flight.
Do Blue Orchids Exist? Learn here
6. Laceleaf
Botanical Name: Anthurium
This eye-catching Plant that Looks Like a Butterfly demands attention with its vibrant spathe that resembles butterfly wings from certain angles. The elongated spadix clustered with mini flowers creates the illusion of the antennas of the insect.
Learn about Growing Anthurium Forgetti Indoors here
7. Rex
Botanical Name: Begonia spp.
Rex Begonias’ resemblance to butterflies stems from their leaves, which are large, colorful, and intricately patterned, much like butterfly wings. The intricate leaf venation in shades of green, purple, silver, and pink further adds to its similarity.
8. Black-Eyed Susan
Botanical Name: Rudbeckia hirta
The bright yellow or orange petals arranged around a dark center can give the impression of a butterfly in flight, particularly when viewed from a distance. These cheerful blooms attract butterflies, bees, and other pollinators, enhancing the beauty of any garden.
9. Butterfly Weed
Botanical Name: Asclepias tuberosa
Butterfly Weed’s vibrant clusters of orange or yellow flowers resemble a gathering of butterflies. This plant that looks like a butterfly also serves as a host for monarch butterfly larvae, making it a must-have addition to butterfly gardens.
10. Snap Dragon
Botanical Name: Antirrhinum majus
Snap Dragons have unique, tubular petals that open and close like a mouth when squeezed. When viewed from the side, these blooms resemble fantastical butterfly faces due to their distinctive shape.
11. Egyptian Star
Botanical Name: Pentas lanceolata
The Egyptian Star’s clusters of star-shaped flowers look like a swarm of tiny butterflies, especially when viewed from a distance. They come in vibrant shades of red, pink, and white.
12. Oxalis
Botanical Name: Oxalis triangularis
Popular as “False Shamrock” or “Butterfly Plant”, this plant features three triangular, purple-black leaves that fold up at night or in low light, resembling butterfly wings. Delicate lavender or white flowers grace the plant in spring.
13. Poor Man’s Orchid
Botanical Name: Schizanthus
This annual plant produces a profusion of intricately patterned Flowers that Look Like Butterflies. Its deeply lobed, fern-like foliage complements the colorful display, creating an overall delightful appearance.
14. Birdsfoot Trefoil
Botanical Name: Lotus corniculatus
This perennial wildflower features clusters of small, bright yellow, pea-like flowers that look like mini butterflies fluttering in a group. It earned its distinctive name from the arrangement of its seed pods on the stem, which closely resemble a bird’s foot.
