Butterflies, like most flying creatures, look for sheltered places to rest now and then. A tall grass in your butterfly garden would be just the ticker.
Switch grasses are airy clumps of thinned leaved grasses that sway in the breeze. They are tolerant of just about any type of soil and can become a nuisance self seeding, if you don't stay ahead of them. But most are valued for their tight clumping habit, airy nature and the hazy flower and seed heads that form late in the season. Many, like 'Shenandoah' have red fall color. Both Shenandoah's leaves and plumes turn a burgundy red.
Panicum virgatum (Switch Grass) 'Shenandoah' - (USDA Zones 4 - 9, 4' x 3', Red Foliage in Fall)
Alternatives:
- Miscanthus sinensis (Maiden Hair Grass) 'Gracillimus' - USDA Zones 5 - 9, 5-6' x 3', Green Foliage with Copper-Red Plumes)
- Pennisetum setaceum (Purple Fountain Grass) 'Rubrum' - (USDA Zones 9 - 11, 2-3' x 2-3', Maroon Foliage)