There are MANY, MANY great host plants to provide, but this is a short list to get you started. Many butterflies, and moths require a certain plant when they are in the caterpillar stage. This is called a host plant. Monarchs for instance will only feed on species of milkweed. Luckily there are many native species of milkweed, so it’s easy to find one that will fit the conditions in your yard. If you want monarchs and other butterflies to stay in your yard, providing host plants, as well as nectar plants, is always a wise idea.
Choose NATIVE varieties for your area and pick ones that have different blooming times.
Here are TEN GREAT BUTTERFLY HOST PLANTS to get you started. For each one, I’ve listed the butterfly/s after the host plant in parentheses.
- Milkweed, any NATIVE species in your area (Monarch)
- Dutchman’s Pipevine (Pipevine Swallowtail)
- Purple Passion Flower (Gulf and Variegated Fritillary)
- Violets (Meadow Fritillary, Silver-bordered Fritillary, Regal Fritillary, Diana Fritillary, Great Spangled Fritillary, Aphrodite Fritillary)
- Partridge Pea (Cloudless Sulphur, Gray Hairstreak, Sleepy Orange)
- Calico Aster (Pearl Crescent)
- Oaks (Too many to name!)
- Golden Alexanders (Black Swallowtail)
- Paw Paw (Zebra Swallowtail)
- Spicebush (Spicebush Swallowtail)