What plants help attract butterflies?

"Build it and they will come," he said, and he was right.

It was in February of 2005 when Carlos Chacon, manager of natural history at the Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn on Hilton Head Island, spoke these words to members of the island Garden Council who were interested in helping build a butterfly enclosure on the museum grounds.

More then four years later on June 4, a crowd of nature lovers came to attend the ribbon-cutting dedication of the butterfly house and surrounding gardens with their myriad of butterflies. Michael Marks, president and CEO of the museum, thanked the hardworking museum employees, volunteers and donors, especially Karen Wertheimer, whose memory the museum is dedicated.

"Karen Wertheimer was totally focused on others despite her eminent death," Marks said. "She wanted to die well and happy, looking out a window at a vista of birds and butterflies with a Western exposure. She said it was her Western door. Early Indians believed a person's spirit passed through a Western door to be united with the 'Great Spirit.' "

In the absence of his father who is recovering from an illness, Robert Wertheimer thanked "the volunteers for all they've done to make this happen."

The Butterfly Project, as it came to be known, got off to a slow start despite the enthusiasm that Chacon generated as he spoke to civic and garden groups. When dealing with permits the wheels turn slowly, his audience told him. But the project got wings when landscape architect Eric Walsnovich arrived on the scene. "I'm at your service," he announced. Eric visualized an enclosure elegant and natural. I'm no artist, but in my mind, he got it just right.

Island Mayor Tom Peeples spoke of the Honey Horn staff, calling them the hardest workers he's seen. "This island is blessed with a huge family of volunteers," he said. "We've a very engaged citizenry. And could you ask for a better setting than this to build a wildlife attraction?"

The dedication concluded with readings by the winners of elementary school teacher Amy Tressler's essay contest, Pierce Daly and Will Danzel, who assisted in the ribbon cutting.

The butterflies did come, but where did all the butterfly friendly plants come from? Many of the native plants are from Daniel Payne's Naturescapes, located on Coosaw Island. Local nurseries provided others, but arguably the largest plant source was from the area's generous Master Gardeners. They've been growing them by propagation and by seed for more than three years. The below-freezing temperatures this past winter almost decimated the butterfly weed population (Asclepias curassavica), the important nectar plant of the monarch butterfly. But the monarchs are flying thanks to the seed savers who got another crop going.

Butterfly caterpillars have voracious appetites; to maintain the butterfly enclosure requires a constant supply of their favorite plant material. Master gardener chairwoman Sue Roderus has a life-line going with

fellow gardeners. This winter they were asked to grow host plants in gallon containers to be delivered to Honey Horn at planting time. Besides butterfly weed, there is always a need for passion-flower vine (Passiflora incarnata), dill and parsley for the very hungry black swallowtail caterpillars, and partridge pea (Cassia fasciculate) for the cloudless sulphurs.

Impossible to find in the Lowcountry and difficult to transplant from the wild is the pawpaw tree (Asimina triloba), important to the zebra swallowtail. The pawpaw bears fruit that was the largest found among North American natives. The Lewis and Clark expedition depended on it during hard times in 1806, and George Washington enjoyed chilled pawpaw as a favorite desert. There are nurseries that carry pawpaws. You need a second tree for fruit set, but they are quick to bloom and produce.

All through undeveloped woods of the Lowcountry is the spicebush swallowtail's favorite larval food, the sassafras tree (S. albidium). In my yard the sassafras has staged a big comeback after suffering and dying from the disease that caused the demise of many of our native redbay trees.

The butterfly enclosure is entertaining and educational. Plants and butterflies are identified; for me it's a source that I can use to answer queries from readers who want to know what they can plant to have a native plant yard. Go to Honey Horn, I'll say, and do take the children -- they'll love it, too.