Description
Create your own sanctuary for butterflies and other beneficial insects with our Butterfly Garden Seed Collection. This collection includes eight packets of seeds proven to attract butterflies. You will receive seeds for Aromatic Aster, Cardinal Flower, Mexican Sunflower, Echinacea (Purple Coneflower), Gayfeather, Common Milkweed, Showy Milkweed, and Valerian.
You will receive one each of the following open-pollinated seed packets (each one either organic or non-GMO, as noted below):
Aromatic Aster (non-GMO): 100 seeds
Cardinal Flower (organic): 100 seeds
Common Milkweed (non-GMO): 30 seeds
Echinacea (Purple Coneflower organic): 100 seeds
Gayfeather (non-GMO): 50 seeds
Mexican Sunflower (non-GMO): 30 seeds
Showy Milkweed (non-GMO): 30 seeds
Valerian (organic): 100 seeds
Please see the seed descriptions below for more information. All information is provided for educational purposes with no guarantee of results; please use all herbal products with care.
About the Seeds:
---Aromatic Aster (aster oblongifolius)---
Aromatic aster is an herbaceous perennial that is native to the Eastern and Central United States. This plant is hardy in zones 3 to 8. This plant grows up to three feet tall and will bear lots of showy blossoms from the summer to fall.
Spiritual and Magickal Usage:
- Burn the leaves of aster to keep away evil spirits.
- Petals of aster flowers can be used in potpourri or herbal incense. Each color carries a different symbolism.
- Purple symbolizes wisdom.
- White symbolizes purity and innocence.
- Red symbolizes undying devotion.
- Pink symbolizes sensitivity and love.
- Decorate your altar with aster flowers (according to color and intention) for spell work and energetic aid.
Herbal Uses:
- Make an aster tea to treat earache, relieve gas pains and fevers.
- Using the flowers and leaves to make a steam bath will help cough and may act as a decongestant for the lungs.
Cultivation:
This plant does well in full sun and mesic to dry conditions. It is tolerant of clay soils and sands; using organic compost will increase the size, vigor, and floral yield. Sow these seeds in the spring. Barely cover them and keep them evenly moist until germination. It is recommended that you work them up in pots and transplant them to the garden once they are sufficiently sized to withstand the rigors of being outside.
Size: One packet of 100 non-GMO aromatic aster (aster oblongifolius) seeds.
---Cardinal Flower (lobelia cardinalis)---
Cardinal flower is an herbaceous perennial native to the eastern, southern, and central United States. This plant is hardy in zones 3 to 9. The bright scarlet flowers of this plant attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
Spiritual and Magickal Usage:
- Use the flowers in a ritual bath before love spells to increase potency.
- Add the roots and flowers to love charms.
- Add leaves to incense or your altar for protection against negative magick and the dead.
Herbal Uses:
- A poultice made from the cardinal flower leaves and applied to the head is said to alleviate headache pain.
- Tea made from the roots has been used for the treatment of stomachache and cramps.
- Tea made from the leaves is said to ease fevers and the discomfort of colds.
Cultivation:
This plant does well in partial shade to full sun and in ever-moist soil. Sow these seeds in the spring. Press the seeds into the surface of your soil and keep it evenly moist and in the light. Seedlings are nearly microscopic in the beginning but will reach transplantable size soon. It is recommended that you work them up in pots and transplant them to the garden once they are sufficiently sized to withstand the rigors of being outside. Like many perennials, the first year will form a rosette of leaves, but it will begin blooming in the second year.
Size: One packet of 100 organic cardinal flower (lobelia cardinalis) seeds.
---Common Milkweed (asclepias syriaca)---
Common milkweed is a herbaceous perennial native to North America This plant is hardy in zones three to eight. Common Milkweed is the standard midwestern ditch milkweed that has some of the prettiest, baseball-sized flower clusters you'll see anywhere, giving off a heady perfume. It is of great importance as a food source for the monarch butterfly and their offspring. Planting this will call Monarch Butterflies to your garden and provide a welcoming, nurturing place for them to thrive.
Spiritual and Magickal Usage:
- Add the seed fluff from milkweed to dream pillows for dreaming of faeries and nature spirits.
- Use the flowers as altar decoration or in incense for creativity.
- Allow the flowers to go to seed and harvest the "fluff" for use in wishes. Focus on your intention with them in your hands and blow them into the air taking your wishes with them.
Herbal Uses:
- The sap of milkweed is said to cure warts if you apply it regularly for a few weeks.
- The root is used to treat painful menstruation.
- When applied as a poultice, a cooked mash made from the stems is said to alleviate rheumatic joint pain.
Cultivation:
This plant prefers full sun and dry to mesic soils and will grow happily in poor soil. Sow seeds early in the spring, this is a cool soil germinator. Strew your seeds on distributed soil in spring. Rake them in and tamp down, keeping them evenly moist until germination. Transplant to one foot apart.
Size: One packet of 30 non-GMO common milkweed (asclepias syriaca) seeds.
---Echinacea (echinacea purpurea)---
Echinacea is a flowering herbaceous perennial hardy in zones 4-12. This plant is widely known in herbal healing circles for its ability to stimulate the immune system as well as properties to provide inner strength and calling prosperity.
Spiritual and Magickal Usage:
- Carry echinacea petals in a sachet or mojo back to give you inner strength during tough times.
- Grown around the house or added to a bouquet, it is said to draw prosperity and protect the family from poverty.
- Add echinacea to any spell or charm to increase its effectiveness.
Herbal Uses:
- Used in a tonic, echinacea can stimulate your immune system. There are diminishing returns to this, so long-term use is not advised.
- Echinacea has been said to activate the liver, mucous membranes, and lymph nodes.
- When used in a compress, echinacea can help wound healing and cleansing of germs.
Cultivation:
Echinacea prefers alkaline, rich, and rocky, well-drained soil will full sun to partial shade. The seeds are light-dependent germinators so lightly tamp them into soil or cover with a thin layer of 1/4". Germination is 10-20 days; seedlings should be spaced 8-12 inches apart.
Size: One packet of 100 organic echinacea (echinacea purpurea) seeds.
---Gayfeather (liatris spicata)---
Gayfeather is a herbaceous perennial prairie dweller that is native to the central and eastern United States. This plant is hardy in zones 3 to 9. Narrow basal leaves bear magnificent spikes of purple flowers, making this an excellent butterfly attractor. These grow from one to five feet and are drought-tolerant.
Spiritual and Magickal Usage:
- Decorate your altar with the spiky leaves of this plant during protection rituals and spells to protect from hidden dangers.
- Add the petals of the flowers to incense for enhancing your psychic enhancement.
- Use the leaves and flowers for eloquence and to attract sweetness to your life.
Herbal Uses:
- Make a decoction with this and gargle to ease a sore throat.
- The flowers and leaves are said to have a sweet smell that some say resembles vanilla, making it an excellent addition to potpourri for aromatherapy.
- The leaves and roots can be added to insect-repellant mixtures.
Cultivation:
This plant prefers sun to partial shade and regular garden or clay soils. These seeds have been rubbed to remove the pappus, so they are ready to go. Barely cover the seed with soil and keep moist until germination. It is recommended that you work them up in pots and transplant them to the garden once they are sufficiently sized to withstand the rigors of being outside.
Size: One packet of 50 non-GMO gayfeather (liatris spicata) seeds.
---Mexican Sunflower (tithonia rotundifolia)---
Mexican sunflower is an annual native to the drylands of Mexico and the United States. While this is an annual to most gardens, it will persist as a perennial in frost-free or nearly frost-free gardens. This plant has gorgeous velvety flowers attracting butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds alike, blooming mid-summer through hard frost.
Spiritual and Magickal Usage:
- Use the petals of the Mexican sunflower in spells for intelligence and mental clarity.
- Add the flowers or petals to altars and crystal grids for vitality and strength.
Herbal Uses:
- The flowers are an excellent choice for cut flowers.
- Use these flowers to create beautifully tall borders and screens in your garden.
Cultivation:
This plant prefers full sun and dry to well-drained soils, thriving in the summer heat. It would be best to avoid rich soils as they tend to produce weak-stemmed plants with excess foliage. These seeds can be sown directly into the garden at last frost, or if you wish an earlier bloom start them indoors 6-8 weeks before the final frost. Thin plants to two feet apart, they appreciate staking or other support items due to their height, which can grow up to 6'. Deadhead spent flowers to prolong the period of blooming. Approximately 120days to maturity.
Size: One packet of 30 non-GMO Mexican sunflower (tithonia rotundifolia) seeds.
---Showy Milkweed (asclepias speciosa)---
Showy milkweed is a herbaceous perennial native to the western states. This plant is hardy in zones 4 to 9. Milkweed is a widely recognized butterfly attractant with its beautiful flower clusters.
Spiritual and Magickal Usage:
- Add the seed fluff from milkweed to dream pillows for dreaming of faeries and nature spirits.
- Use the flowers as altar decoration or in incense for creativity.
- Allow the flowers to go to seed and harvest the "fluff" for use in wishes. Focus on your intention with them in your hands and blow them into the air taking your wishes with them.
Herbal Uses:
- The sap of milkweed is said to cure warts if you apply it regularly for a few weeks.
- The root is used to treat painful menstruation.
- When applied as a poultice, a cooked mash made from the stems is said to alleviate rheumatic joint pain.
Cultivation:
This plant prefers being seeded directly in the garden as opposed to pots. It is possible to start them in flats or pots and then transplant them, but they do not like to normally grow in pots. Showy milkweed does well when sown directly in warm soil with germination in two to three weeks. Space plants one to two feet apart.
Size: One packet of 30 non-GMO showy milkweed (asclepias speciosa) seeds.
---Valerian (valeriana officinalis)---
Valerian is a herbaceous perennial that is hardy in zones 4 to 8. This plant is native to Europe and temperate Asia; our seeds are the standard European wild form of this plant.
Spiritual and Magickal Usage:
- Add valerian root to spells and rituals for overcoming guilt and negative self-talk.
- Hang a sprig of valerian under a window to ward off evil.
- Add to herbal incense for uncrossing.
Herbal Uses:
- When added to a nighttime tea, valerian root helps treat insomnia allowing for a more restful sleep.
- Infusions and tinctures have been used to ease anxiety and stress.
- Add a little valerian to your cat's toys; they find it intoxicating, similar to catnip.
Cultivation:
Valerian prefers full sun to partial shade with moist but well-drained soils. This plant adapts well to a wide range of conditions and is a light-dependent germinator. Sow seeds in the spring. Tamp seeds securely into the surface of your soil and keep evenly moist until germination. Germination generally occurs within 10 to 16 days. Seedlings will have a very "un-valerian" in appearance at first, which may be confusing. The leaves will divide and begin to resemble the standard form for this plant. When ready to add to the garden bed, space your plants one to two feet apart. Flowers will be white in the second year and can reach a height of five feet or more.
Size: One packet of 100 organic valerian (valeriana officinalis) seeds.
Additional Details
- SKU:
- HH-COL-BFLY
