North Meadow Butterfly Gardens

The North Meadow Butterfly Gardens provide habitat for the more than 50 species of butterflies that pass through Central Park.

The four planting beds feature two species of milkweed (essential to caterpillars and butterflies at all stages of life) amid an array of colorful and fragrant plant life that supports moth, insect, and bird populations from spring through first frost.

The Central Park Conservancy and volunteers established the North Meadow Butterfly Gardens in 2000. For home gardeners and horticulturists alike, the garden provides an opportunity to study the flora that attracts these winged beauties. Plants are chosen for their viability as a food source and a host for reproduction. Many are nectar-producing perennials that bloom all season long.

A monarch butterfly in a close-up photograph perched on a bud.

Support the Park

Become an honorary gardener and keep Central Park blooming by contributing to the Conservancy’s work.

Donate Now

Also in the area

Read more

  • Park Information

    A Reflection of Nature Itself: The Different Landscapes of Central Park

    Central Park is made up of a variety of landscapes that are diverse, intricate, and interconnected—just like the communities of Park-lovers who enjoy them.

    Tags: Trees / Nature Lovers / Lawns / Landscapes

  • Wildlife

    From Central Park to Central Mexico: The Great Monarch Butterfly Migration

    When it comes to skipping town—and the cold—Central Park’s monarch butterflies go the distance: a pilgrimage that starts in southern Canada and the northeastern United States and ends in Mexico.

    Tags: Conservancy Staff / Spring / Flowers / Pollinators / Nature Lovers