California Gardens - The Year Round Gardening Site

Mormon Metalmark - Apodemia mormo

The Mormon Metalmark Butterflies are a small butterfly brightly colored like Monarchs. They nectar plants in the Buckwheat family but also can be found on composites in the Aster Family. They have been known to visit Dogbane, Wallflowers and Yerba Santa. The Mormon Metalmarks are seen infrequently but are abundant when they show up.

Mormon Metalmark on California Buckwheat

Mormon Metalmark Butterfly sipping nectar from California Buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum. High resolution photos are part of our garden image collection.

Mormon Metalmark with wings spread

Mormon Metalmark with wings spread. High resolution photos are part of our garden image collection.

Mormon Metalmark taking nectar from Eriogonum fasciculatum

Mormon Metalmark Butterfly sipping nectar from California Buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum. High resolution photos are part of our garden image collection.

Mormon Metalmark on California Buckwheat

Mormon Metalmark Butterfly nectaring from California Buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum. High resolution photos are part of our garden image collection.

Video of a Mormon Metalmark Butterfly Flight

Plants to include in your Butterfly Garden from the buckwheat, mustard and aster families to attract the Mormon Metalmark Butterfly:
Achillea Apple Blossom * Apple Blossom Yarrow
Achillea Cerise Queen * Cerise Queen Yarrow
Achillea clavennae * Silver Yarrow
Achillea Desert Paprika * Desert Paprika Yarrow
Achillea filipendulina Coronation Gold * Coronation Gold Yarrow
Achillea Hoffnung * Hoffnung Yarrow
Achillea kellereri * Keller's Yarrow
Achillea lanulosa * Mountain Yarrow
Achillea Moonshine * Moonshine Yarrow
Achillea Paprika * Paprika Yarrow
Achillea Pomegranate * Pomegranate Yarrow
Achillea ptarmica * Pearl Yarrow
Achillea Salmon Beauty * Salmon Beauty Yarrow
Achillea Sonoma Coast * Sonoma Coast Yarrow
Achillea Terracotta * Terracotta Yarrow
Achillea The Beacon * The Beacon Yarrow
Achillea tomentosa * Woolly Yarrow
Apocyum canniabinum * Dogbane
Anthemis tinctoria * Dyer's Chamomile, Golden Marguerite
Arctotis acaulis Torch Purple * Torch Purple African Daisy
Arctotis gumbletonii * Gumbleton African Daisy
Arctotis Opera Rose * Opera Rose African Daisy
Arctotis Pink Sugar * Pink Sugar African Daisy
Arctotis stoechadifolia * White African Daisy
Arctotis Sun Spot Orange * Sun Spot Orange African Daisy
Argyranthemum Chelsea Girl * Chelsea Girl Silver Marguerite, Chelsea Girl Paris Daisy
Argyranthemum Madeira Cherry Red * Madeira Cherry Red Marguerite, Madeira Cherry Red Paris Daisy
Argyranthemum Silver Lady * Silver Lady Marguerite, Silver Lady Paris Daisy
Asclepias angustifolia * Arizona Milkweed
Asclepias californica * California Milkweed
Asclepias cordifolia * Purple Milkweed
Asclepias curassavica * Tropical Milkweed
Asclepias curassavica Red Butterflies * Red Butterflies Tropical Milkweed
Asclepias curassavica Silky Gold * Silky Gold Tropical Milkweed
Asclepias eriocarpa * Woollypod Milkweed, Indian Milkweed, Kotolo Milkweed
Aslepias erosa * Desert Milkweed
Asclepias fascicularis * Narrow Leaf Milkweed
Asclepias linaria * Pine Needle Milkweed
Asclepias speciosa * Showy Milkweed
Asclepias subulata * Rush Milkweed, Skeleton Milkweed
Asclepias tuberosa * Butterfly Weed
Asteriscus maritimus
Asteriscus sericeus
Camissonia boothii condensata * Booth's Evening Primrose, Woody Bottle Washer
Camissonia boothii decorticans * Desert Shredding Evening Primrose
Catananche caerulea * Cupid's Dart
Centaurea cyanus * Bachelor's Button
Centaurea cyanus Black Gem * Black Gem Bachelor's Button
Centaurea gymnocarpa * Pink Dusty Miller
Centaurea montana * Perennial Bachelor's Button, Mountain Bluet
Chaenactis artemisiifolia * White Pincushion
Chrysactinia mexicana * Damianita
Chrysothamnus nauseosus * Rabbit Brush
Cirsium occidentale * Cobwebby Thistle
Coreopsis bigelovii * Bigelow's Coreopsis, Desert Coreopsis
Coreopsis gigantea
Coreopsis grandiflora Flying Saucers
Coreopsis grandiflora Sunray
Coreopsis nana
Coreopsis verticillata Moobeam
Cosmos atrosanguineus * Chocolate Cosmos
Cosmos sulphureus * Sulfur Cosmos
Dahlia imperialis Tree Dahlia
Echinacea Cheyenne Spirit * Cheyenne Spirit Cone Flower
Echinacea purpurea * Purple Cone Flower
Echinacea Salsa Red * Salsa Red Cone Flower
Echinacea Sunset * Sunset Cone Flower
Echinacea White Swan * White Swan Cone Flower
Encelia californica * California Brittlebush, Coast Sunflower
Encelia californica El Dorado * El Dorado Brittle Bush
Encelia farinosa * Brittlebush
Encelia Paleo Yellow * Paleo Yellow Brittlebush
Encelia ventorum * Baja Bush Sunflower
Eremothera boothii condensata * Booth's Evening Primrose, Woody Bottle Washer
Eremothera boothii decorticans * Desert Shredding Evening Primrose
Ericameria linearifolia * Narrowleaf Goldenbush
Ericameria nauseosa * Rabbit Brush
Erigeron argentatus * Silver Fleabane
Erigeron blochmaniae * Blochman's Erigeron
Erigeron foliosus foliosus * Leafy Fleabane, Hartweg's Fleabane
Erigeron glaucus Bountiful * Bountiful Seaside Daisy
Erigeron glaucus Cape Sebastian * Cape Sebastian Seaside Daisy
Erigeron glaucus Sea Breeze * Sea Breeze Seaside Daisy, Pink Seaside Daisy
Erigeron glaucus Wayne Roderick * Wayne Roderick Seaside Daisy
Erigeron glaucus White Lights * White Lights Seaside Daisy
Erigeron karvinskianus * Santa Barbara Daisy, Mexican Daisy
Erigeron speciosus * Aspen Fleabane, Showy Fleabane, Oregon Fleabane
Eriodictyon crassifolium * Felt Leaved Yerba Santa
Eriodictyon tomentosum * Woolly Yerba Santa
Eriogonum arborescens * Santa Cruz Island Buckwheat
Eriogonum cinereum * Ashyleaf Buckwheat, Coastal Buckwheat
Eriogonum crocatum * Saffron Buckwheat, Conejo Buckwheat
Eriogonum fasciculatum * California Buckwheat
Eriogonum fasciculatum Warriner Lytle * Warriner Lytle Buckwheat
Eriogonum giganteum * Saint Catherine's Lace
Eriogunum grande rubescens * Pink Buckwheat, Red Buckwheat
Eriogonum incanum * Frosted Buckwheat
Eriogonum latifolium * Seaside Buckwheat, Coast Buckwheat
Eriogonum parviflorum * Sea Cliff Buckwheat, Coastal Buckwheat
Eriogonum umbellatum * Sulphur Buckwheat
Eriogonum wrightii * Bastardsage, Wright's Buckwheat
Eriophyllum confertiflorum * Golden Yarrow
Eriophyllum staechadifolium * Seaside Golden Yarrow
Eryngium planum * Blue Eryngo, Flat Sea Holly
Eryngium variifolia * Moroccan Sea Holly
Eryngium yuccifolium * Button Eryngo, Rattlesnake Master
Erysimum Apricot Twist * Apricot Twist Perennial Wallflower
Erysimum Bowles Mauve * Bowles Mauve Wallflower
Erysimum capitatum * Western Wallflower, Sand Dune Wallflower
Erysimum Jenny Brook * Jenny Brook Wallflower
Erysimum linifolium variegatum * Variegated Wallflower
Euryops virgineus * Honey Euryops
Gaillardia aristata Arizona Apricot * Arizona Apricot Blanketflower
Gaillardia grandiflora * Blanketflower
Gaillardia grandiflora Mesa Red * Mesa Red Blanketflower
Geraea canescens * Hairy Desert Sunflower
Gnaphalium californicum * California Everlasting, California Cudweed
Grindelia camporum * Great Valley Gumweed, Great Valley Gumplant
Grindelia stricta * Coast Gumweed, Coast Gumplant
Isocoma menzeisii * Coastal Goldenbush
Layia platyglossa * Tidy Tips
Leptosyne bigelovii * Bigelow's Coreopsis, Desert Coreopsis
Lessingia filaginafolia * California Aster
Leucanthemum superbum Shasta Daisy
Malacothrix glabrata * Desert Dandylion
Osteospermum Blue Eyed Beauty * Blue Eyed Beauty African Daisy
Osteospermum Bright Lights * Red Freeway Daisy
Osteospermum ecklonis Spider White * Spider White African Daisy
Osteospermum fruticosum * Freeway Daisy
Pseudognaphalium californicum * California Everlasting, California Cudweed
Rafinesquia neomexicana * Desert Chicory, New Mexico Plumeseed
Ratibida columnifera * Mexican Hat Flower, Upright Prarie Coneflower
Rudbeckia Tiger Eye * Black Eyed Susan, Gloriosa Daisy
Stokesia Blue Danube * Blue Danube Stoke's Aster
Stokesia Peachies Pink * Peachie's Pick Stoke's Aster
Stokesia Purple Parasols * Purple Parasols Stoke's Aster
Tagetes lemmonii * Bush Marigold
Tagetes lucida * Mexican Tarragon
Tetraneuris acaulis * Angelita Daisy, Stemless Four Nerve Daisy
Tithonia rotundifolia * Mexican Sunflower
Venegasia carpesioides * Canyon Sunflower