For the Mid-Atlantic U.S. states, these are some of the plants that would be great in a butterfly garden.

- Pawpaw for Zebra Swallowtail (not for northern PA, DE, NJ
- Pipevine for Pipevine Swallowtail
- Fennel, parsley, dill for Eastern Black Swallowtail
- Black cherry, tulip poplar for Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
- Spicebush, red bay, sassafrass, for Spicebush Swallowtail and Palamedes Swallowtail
- Milkweed for Monarch
- False nettle, hackberry, for Eastern Comma, Question Mark, Red Admiral
- Violets for Diana, Great Spangled Fritillary, Meadow Fritillary, Variegated Fritillary
- Plantain for Baltimore Checkerspot
- Willow, birch, cottonwood for Compton Tortoiseshell
- Willow, hackberry, elm for Mourning Cloak
- Asters for Pearl Crescent
- Willow, hackberry for Mourning Cloak
- Willow, black cherry for Red-spotted Purple
- Willow for Viceroy
- Hackberry for Tawny Emperor and Hackberry Emperor
- Hackberry for American Snout