My first Zebra Heliconian (Zebra Longwing) Butterfly page shows the life cycle of the butterfly. Click above to visit it.

The Zebra Heliconian (Zebra Longwing) Butterfly on the left is nectaring on Firebush. Firebush is the all time favorite nectar plant of the Zebra Heliconian Butterflies in my yard. It is a native Florida plant, but there are non native varieties available that the serious conservationists really dislike. Meadow Beauty sells the native variety.

The Zebra Butterfly on the left is nectaring on Spanish Needles.

I have a love-hate relationship with that particular weed. The butterflies absolutely adore it, so I have to keep some, but the name defines the burrs. Visit my Spanish Needles Nectar Plant page for pictures of the 'needles' and more information about the plant.

Another favorite nectar plant of Zebra Heliconians is Jatropha. The Zebra in the photo below is sipping from one. It's a small decorative tree with red flowers. I don't think it's a Florida native plant, but I'm keeping mine because it's pretty, and my butterflies like it too.

Butterfly Bush (above) is another good one, but I understand it's not native here, and mine kept dying so I finally quit wasting money buying more of them. No, they're so pretty I'd have probably wasted a bit more, but digging holes in the hot Florida sun for a plant that will die in a season? Nope, I'm not doing that any more unless it re-seeds itself for me.

Golden Dewdrop (above) comes with purple or white (and possibly more colors) flowers. The name describes the seeds. Mine is growing next to a Firebush. Most of the time my Zebra Butterflies sip from the Firebush, but every so often they pause and taste the Golden Dewdrop too.

Unless otherwise indicated, all of my photos are in Palm Beach and Broward Counties in South East Florida. Butterflies in your area might prefer other flowers; follow them to find out.

Now I've also seen these butterflies sip nectar from Lantana, Porterweed, and other flowers.