Add ageratum plants to your flower garden and you'll attract monarch butterflies and many other pollinators. It's just like magic!
Butterflies Can’t Resist Monarch Magic Ageratum Plants
Published on Apr. 24, 2025
Monarch Magic ageratum is a new plant for spring 2025 that will be available at garden centers this year. The flowers are a true periwinkle blue, with a light, sweet scent. Here’s what you need to know about this pretty pollinator favorite.
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Does Monarch Magic Ageratum Attract Butterflies?
Yes, butterflies (monarchs especially), moths and bees are attracted to ageratum flowers. The colorful bloom clusters allow for an ample landing platform for butterflies feeding on the flower nectar.
“I can’t explain what I would call a phenomenon in my garden last year, when on any given day I had more than 20 monarch butterflies in my garden! I had planted Monarch Magic in my garden and patio containers. It was amazing and whimsical to see the flutter of activity every day,” says Tanya Carvalho, territory manager of Canada for Ball FloraPlant.
Check out more monarch butterfly flowers you should grow.
Ageratum Care and Growing Tips
- Common name: Flossflower
- Botanical name: Ageratum houstonianum
- Growing zones: Annual
- Watering needs: Moderate
- Exposure: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Well-draining
- Size: 6 to 12 inches high, 12 to 16 inches wide
“Provide moderate watering without allowing a full dry down,” Tanya says. “Water the soil around the base of plant, not the blooms, and fertilize biweekly throughout the season for amazing flower production.”
Check out more monarch butterfly flowers you should grow.
Where to Plant Monarch Magic
A full sun location (6+ hours of direct light) is best for Monarch Magic, but it will bloom in a spot with a half day of sun, as well. These plants are non-invasive and do not get weedy or reseed.
“The finished plant height is 6 to 12 inches and it spreads 8 to 16 inches,” Tanya says. “If it’s planted in the landscape with ample room, it can spread up to a 2-foot circumference with a generous 12 to 16 inches of height. It has a more controlled growth when used in mixed patio planters or hanging baskets.”
Monarch Magic mixes beautifully with other sun-loving plants as its sturdy stems help to lift it up above other plants. Tanya says lantana, petunias, calibrachoa and angelonia mix beautifully with ageratum.
“I mixed Bee’s Knees petunia and Shamrock Rose lantana with Monarch Magic at my home last spring and it was stunning,” she says.
Other Ageratum Varieties to Grow
In addition to Monarch Magic, look for these other varieties of ageratum at the nursery:
- Swing Pink
- Summer Snow
- Blue Horizon
- Hawaii White
- Aloha Blue
- Aguilera Purple
- Aguilera Violet
Diseases and Pests
“Monarch Magic ageratum is a great deer and rabbit resistant plant,” Tanya says. “It is not very prone to disease but is susceptible to powdery mildew if planted too close to other vegetation (these plants like room to grow). Leaf spot or root rot can occur if planted in full shade or the soil becomes too wet.”
Pests to watch for include mites, whiteflies, thrips and aphids.
Are Ageratum Plants Toxic to People or Pets?
If it is ingested ageratum can be toxic to people, dogs or cats. “If you have an animal that likes to ‘graze’ in the garden, this plant would be best placed out of reach,” Tanya says.
About the Expert
Tanya Carvalho works as a regional territory manager in Canada for Ball FloraPlant and SelectaOne. She previously worked for Bradford Greenhouses Limited in Ontario.
Sources
- Ballseed.com – Monarch Magic ageratum
