Plants with this symbol are Host Plants and feed Butterflies when they're in their Caterpillar phase and some can also provide nectar when in the Butterfly phase.  These plants are selected by the Butterfly for egg laying.  

The primary information about these plants is on their corresponding catalogue page per the above menu.  This is merely a printable list that combines all of our Butterfly plants on one page.

Without caterpillars, there would be no butterflies or moths!  And, in fact, Butterfly populations are decreasing in measurable numbers.  Having Butterfly food (Host) plants in your yard attracts female butterflies, encouraging them to stay and lay eggs. Caterpillars eat a lot as they grow, but they don't usually damage plants permanently and if you've ever seen a Butterfly emerge from it's chrysalis, you'll forget all about the munched foliage!  Promise!  Some folks build a separate 'Host Garden' -- an out of the limelight garden filled with host plants -- knowing they're going to be munched on BUT without host plants, you will have fewer Butterflies.  Some caterpillars are able to thrive on a number of closely related plants while others are able to digest just one specific plant species!  We don't profess to be experts on Butterflies but hope this list and brief information gives you a place to start.

The following Links will take you to a picture page of that plant.  Use your Back Button to return to this page at the exact spot where you were on this very, very long page.  This page is printable with .5", narrow side margins.

This page is definitely a "works in progress".  We had no idea what a huge undertaking this was when we naively started this project!  :-)  But we're excited about making an accurate list of our Butterfly plants and knowing which ones, in particular, are Host Plants and for which Butterflies.

*Host Plants

Abelia chinensis

Abelia mosanensis

Abelia x grandiflora

Abelia x grandiflora 'Bobby'

Abelia x grandiflora x schumanii 'Edward 

Goucher' 

Abelia x 'Rose Creek'

Aesculus parviflora  

Aesculus pavia

Aesculus x carnea 'Briotii' 

Albizia julibrissin 

*Betula saposhnikovii 

*Boehmeria sieboldiana

Buddleia alternifolia

Buddleia crispa

Buddleia davidii 'Adonis Blue' ^TM 

Buddleia davidii 'Black Knight' 

Buddleia davidii 'Opera'  

Buddleia davidii 'Peacock' ^TM ppaf

Buddleia davidii 'Petite Purple' 

Buddleia davidii 'Potter's Purple' 

Buddleia davidii 'Purple Emperor' ^TM ppaf

Buddleia davidii 'Royal Red' 

Buddleia davidii 'White Harlequin' 

Buddleia davidii 'White Profusion' 

Buddleia fallowiana 'Alba' 

Buddleia japonica

Buddleia lindleyana

Buddleia x davidii 'Violet' 

Buddleia x 'Lochinch'

Buddleia x 'Pink Delight' 

Buddleia x weyeriana 'Honeycomb' 

Buddleia x 'White Ball' 

Callicarpa americana

Callistemon citrinus

Caragana arborescens

*Ceanothus sp. (Calif. tortoiseshell, Echo Blue, Pale and Calif. Swallotail, Nut brown Hairstreak)

*Ceanothus sanguineus

*Ceanothus thyrsiflorus 'Victoria' 

*Ceanothus x delilianus 'Gloire de 

Versailles'

*Ceanothus x pallidus 'Julia Phelps'

*Ceanothus x pallidus 'Marie Simon' 

*Ceanothus x pallidus 'Roseus'

*Cephalanthus occidentalis 

*Cephalanthus occidentalis 'Keystone' 

*Cercis canadensis

*Cercis canadensis 'Nana'

Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Texas Scarlet’

Chaenomeles speciosa 'Chujubai'

Chaenomeles speciosa 'Kan Toyo' 

Chaenomeles speciosa 'Spitfire'

Chaenomeles speciosa 'Toyo-Nishiki' 

Chaenomeles x superba 'Cameo' 

Clethra acuminata

*Cornus canadensis

Diervilla rivularis 

Elaeagnus pungens

Elaeagnus pungens 'Variegata'  

Fuchsia magellanica 'Aurea'

Fuchsia magellanica 'Little Giant'

Fuchsia magellanica 'Riccartonii'

Fuchsia x exoniensis 

Gaultheria shallon

Halesia tetraptera (caroliniana)

Halesia tetraptera (caroliniana) 'Wedding 

Bells' 

*Hibiscus coccineus

*Hibiscus dasycalyx

*Hibiscus 'Fireball' #PP13,631

*Hibiscus moscheutos 'Blue River 2

*Hibiscus moscheutos 'Disco Bell White' 

*Hibiscus moscheutos 'Lady Baltimore'   

*Hibiscus moscheutos 'Lord Baltimore' 

*Hibiscus syriacus 'Variegata'

Holodiscus discolor

Kolkwitzia amabilis 'Pink Cloud'

Leycesteria formosa 

Leycesteria formosa 'Golden Lanterns' 

PPAF

*Lindera benzoin

Lonicera periclymenum var. serotina

Lonicera tatarica (red form)

*Myrica cerifica

*Prunus virginiana 'Canada Red'

*Rhus aromatica 'Gro-Low' 

*Rhus copallina

Rubus odoratus

Rubus parviflora

Salix species (Dreamy Duskywing, Striped

 hairstreak, Mourning Cloak, Viceroy, Lorquin's Admiral)

*Salix alba Flame
*Salix caprea

*Salix chaenomeloides

*Salix discolor 'Rosea'

*Salix eleagnos angustifolia

*Salix gracilistyla 'Melanostachys'

*Salix hylematica

*Salix integra 'Hakuro Nishiki' 

*Salix matsudana 'Golden Curls'

*Salix matsudana 'Scarlet Curls'

*Salix matsudana 'Snake'

*Salix nakamurana var. yezoalpina Yezo

*Salix purpurea nana

*Salix udensis 'Sekka'

*Salix x blanda

Sambucus nigra 'Gerda' PP12,305  

Sambucus nigra 'Guincho Purple'

Sambucus nigra f. laciniata

Sambucus nigra 'Madonna' 

Sambucus nigra 'Variegata' 

Sambucus racemosa 'Sutherland Gold' 

*Sassafras albidum

Symphoricarpos x doorenbosii 'Magic Berry' 

Syringa meyeri 'Miss Kim'

Tecoma stans var. angustata

Vitex agnus-castus

Vitex agnus-castus 'Abbeville Blue'

Vitex agnus-castus 'Blue Spire' 

Vitex agnus-castus 'Shoal Creek' 

Vitex agnus-castus 'Silver Spire' 

Vitex negundo 

Vitex negundo 'Cannabifolia'

Vitex negundo 'Heterophyllum' 

Weigela coraeensis

Weigela florida 'Carnaval' 

Weigela florida 'Java Red' ('Rhoni')

Weigela florida 'Polka'

Weigela florida 'Rubidor' 

Weigela florida 'Variegata'

Weigela 'Alexandria' PP#10772 

Weigela japonica var. sinica

Weigela subsessilis 'Canary'

Vines:  (*Host Plant)

*Aristolochia sp. (Pipevine Swallowtail)

*Aristolochia baetica

*Aristolochia clematitis

*Aristolochia contorta

*Aristolochia durior (microphylla)

*Aristolochia fimbriata

Bignonia capreolata

Bignonia capreolata 'Dragon Lady'

Bignonia capreolata 'Tangerine Beauty'

Campsis grandiflora 'Morning Calm' 

Campsis radicans 

Campsis radicans 'Flava'

Campsis radicans 'Jersey Peach'

Gelsemium sempervirens

Gelsemium sempervirens 'Margarita' 

*Humulus lupulus 'Aurea' (Eastern Comma, Red Admiral, Common Hairstreak)

*Lonicera japonica 'Aureo-Reticulata' (Great Swallowtail)

*Passiflora caerulea 'Constance Elliot' (Fritallary)

*Passiflora caerulea 'Waterloo Blue' 

*Passiflora hybridum 'Incense' 

*Passiflora incarnata

*Passiflora lutea

*Wisteria frutescens 'Amethyst Falls'

Grasses  (*Host Plant)

Many grasses are host plants and we love them for that BECAUSE, they don't show the feeding damage the way some other plants do!

*Andropogon virginicus

*Carex almost all!

*Eragrostis elliottii  

*Eragrostis spectabilis 

*Panicum virgatum 'Haense Hermes'

*Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah' 

*Panicum virgatum 'Trailblazer' 

*Schizachyrium scoparium 'The Blues'

Perennials- A

*Acanthus caroli-alexandri (syriacus) 

*Acanthus hungaricus  

*Acanthus mollis 

*Acanthus mollis 'New Zealand Gold' 

*Acanthus mollis 'Rue Ledan'  

*Acanthus spinosus 'Spinosissimus Group' 

*Acanthus x 'Summer Beauty' 

Achillea filipendula 'Gold Plate' 

Achillea millefolium 'Cerise Queen' 

Achillea millefolium 'Paprika' 

Achillea millefolium 'Red Beauty' 

Achillea millefolium 'Royal Tapestry' 

Achillea ssp. ex Utah

Achillea x 'Appleblossom'

Achillea x 'Christel'

Achillea x lewisii  

Achillea x 'Salmon Beauty' 

Achillea x 'Schwellenberg' 

Achillea x 'Summerwine'

Achillea x 'Walter Funcke'

Achillea x 'Weser River Sandstone'

Actaea japonica

Actaea pachypoda (A. alba)

Actaea matsumurae 'White Pearl'

*Actaea racemosa (Spring Azure)

Actaea ramosa 'Atropurpurea'

Actaea simplex 'Brunette'

Agapanthus 'Bressingham Blue'

Agapanthus 'Peter Pan'

Agapanthus 'Storm Cloud'

Agastache aurantiaca 'Coronado'

Agastache barberi x mexicana 'Tutti-frutti' 

Agastache breviflora (A. rugosa)

Agastache cana 'Heather Queen'

Agastache foeniculum 'Golden Jubilee' 

Agastache nepetoides 'Pink Panther'

Agastache 'Red Fortune' PP11816 

Agastache rupestris 

Agastache 'Tangerine Dreams' 

Agastache urticifolia 'Honey Bee Blue' 

Agastache urticifolia 'Honey Bee White'

Agastache x 'Black Adder'

Agastache x 'Globetrotter' (Globe Trotter)

Agastache x 'Purple Haze' 

Allium ampeloprasum var. babingtonii 

Allium caeruleum

Allium christophii

Allium carinatum ssp. pulchellum (Allium pulchellum

Allium christophii

Allium cyathophorum var. farreri

Allium maximowiczii 'Alba'

Allium nutans

Allium obliquum

Allium oreophilum

Allium 'Pink Feathers

Allium plurifoliatum 'Alba'

Allium prattii

Allium pulchellum

Allium schoenoprasum 'Grolau'

Allium schubertii

Allium senescens 'Glaucum'  (Allium spirale)

Allium sphaerocephalum

Allium tanguticum

Allium thunbergii 'Ozauwa'

Allium tuberosum

Allium unifolium

Allium virguncule 'Splendens'

*Althaea armeniaca

Amsonia ciliata 

Amsonia ciliata filiformis 

Amsonia hubrictii 

Amsonia illustris

Amsonia ludoviciana

Amsonia orientalis

Amsonia tabernaemontana

Amsonia tabernnamontana 'Montana' 

Amsonia x 'Seaford Skies'

Amsonia x 'Blue Ice'

Anemone altaica

Anemone altaica 

*Antennaria dioica 'Rubra' (Virginia Lady)

*Antennaria parviflora  (Virginia Lady)

Aquilegia canadensis

Aquilegia chrysantha 'Denver Gold' 

Aquilegia chrysantha 'Yellow Queen' 

Aquilegia clematiflora

Aquilegia ecalcarata 

Aquilegia flabellata var. pumila

Aquilegia vulgaris 'Woodside Strain'

*Asclepias species (Monarch)

*Asclepias incarnata

*Asclepias incarnata 'Ice Ballet'

*Asclepias tuberosa

*Asclepias tuberosa 'Hello Yellow'

*Asclepias verticillata

*Aster sp. (Gorgone & Silvery Checkerspot, American Painted Lady, Long-tailed Skipper, Painted Lady, Pearl Crescent)

*Aster carolinianus

Aster divaricatus

Aster dumosus 'Alert'

Aster dumosus 'Professor Kippenburg'

Aster dumosus 'Wood's Blue' 

Aster dumosus 'Wood's Pink'

Aster dumosus 'Wood's Purple' 

Aster ericoides 'Schneegitter' 

Aster ericoides 'Snow Flurry'

Aster laevis 'Bluebird' 

Aster lateriflorus 'Lady in Black' 

Aster lateriflorus 'Lovely'

*Aster novae-angliae 'Alma Potschke'

*Aster novae-angliae 'Hella Lacy' 

*Aster novae-angliae 'Honeysong Pink'

*Aster novae-angliae 'LSS Hello Rhonda!'

*Aster novae-angliae 'Purple Dome' 

Aster novi-belgii 'Jenny' 

Aster novi-belgii 'Royal Opal' 

Aster novi-belgii 'Sailor Boy' 

Aster novi-belgii 'Schneekissen' 

Aster novi-belgii 'White Swan' 

Aster oblongifolius 'October Skies' 

Aster oblongifolius 'Raydon's Favorite'

Aster pilosus 

Aster sagittifolius

Aster puniceus 'Eric's Big Blue' 

Aster tataricus

Aster tataricus 'Jindai'

Aster x frikartii 'Moench'

*Baptisia alba var. alba B. pendula

*Baptisia alba var. macrophylla  (B. leucantha/B. lactea)

*Baptisia albescens (Baptisia alba) 

*Baptisia australis

*Baptisia bracteata

*Baptisia minor

*Baptisia sphaerocarpa

*Baptisia x 'Carolina Moonlight' 

*Baptisia x 'Purple Smoke'

*Baptisia x 'Twilite Prairieblues'

Campanula carpatica 'Blue Clips'

Campanula 'Dwarf Tornado'

Campanula glomerata 'Crown of Snow' 

Campanula glomerata 'Joan Elliott' 

Campanula lactiflora 'Pritchard's Variety'

Campanula persicifolia 'Kelly's Gold' 

Campanula persicifolia 'Powder Puff’ PPAF

Campanula persicifolia 'Telham Beauty'

Campanula portenschlagiana 'Birch' 

Campanula poscharskyana

Campanula punctata 'Alba'  

Campanula punctata 'Cherry Bells' 

Campanula punctata 'Pink Chimes' PP13156

Campanula punctata 'Wedding Bells' 

Campanula rapunculoides

Campanula rotundifolia 'Olympica'

Campanula spottii

Campanula takesimana

Campanula takesimana 'Beautiful Trust' PP12815 

Campanula trachelium

Campanula trachelium 'Bernice'

Campanula x haylodgensis Blue

Campanula x 'Kent Belle' 

Campanula x 'Pink Octopus' 

Campanula 'Royal Wave' PPAF

*Cardamine diphylla (Falcate Orange Tip)

*Cardamine concatenata (Falcate Orange Tip)

*Cassia marilandica (Sulphur, Silver Spotted Skipper, Common Hairstreak)

Centaurea dealbata

Centaurea macrocephala

Centaurea montana

Centranthus ruber

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides

*Chelone glabra (Buckeye, Checkerspot)

*Chelone lyonii 'Hot Lips'  (Buckeye, Checkerspot)

*Chryanthemums species (Painted Lady, American Painted Lady)

*Chrysanthemum koreana 'Bronze Elegans'

*Chrysanthemum koreana 'Mei Kyo' 

*Chrysanthemum rubellum 'Clara Curtis'

*Chrysanthemum rubellum 'Venus' (Pink)

*Chrysanthemum rubellum 'Venus' (White)

*Chrysanthemum weyrichii 'White Bomb'

Chrysogonum virginianum 'Eco Lacquered

Spider'

Cimicifuga (see Actaea)

Coreopsis grandiflora 'Domino'

Coreopsis integrifolia

Coreopsis lancelolata 'Baby Sun' 

Coreopsis rosea 'Alba'

Coreopsis rosea 'American Dream'

Coreopsis rosea 'Limerock Ruby' PPAF

Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam'

Coreopsis verticillata 'Zagreb'

Crocosmia 'Emberglow'

Crocosmia 'Emily McKenzie'

Crocosmia 'Lucifer'

Crocosmia masoniorum

Delphinium nudicaule 'Laurin' 

Delphinium tricorne

Delphinium x belladonna 'Bellamosum'

*Desmodium canadense (Silver-spotted & Long-tailed Skipper, Hoary Edge, Clouded Sulphur, Northern Cloudy Wing and Eastern Tailed Blue)

Dianthus deltoides 'Frosty Fire'

Dianthus 'First Love'

Dianthus gratianapolitanus 'Tiny Rubies' 

Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Firewitch'

Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Greystone'

Dianthus japonica

Dianthus 'Lady Granville'

Dianthus 'Pauline'

Dianthus 'Pike's Pink'

Dianthus plumarius 'Dad's Favorite'

Dianthus plumarius 'Itsaul White'

Dianthus plumarius 'Kinsey Blue'

Dianthus plumarius 'Pheasant's Eye'

Dianthus 'Rose de Mai'

Dianthus superbus 'Snowdonia'

Dianthus x allwoodii 'Little Boy Blue'

Dianthus x allwoodii 'Oakington'

Dianthus x 'LSS Holly's Choice'

Dictamnas albus 'Purpureus'

Dictamnus albus (fraxinella)

Echinacea 'Mango Meadowbrite' PPAF

Echinacea 'Orange Meadowbrite'™ PP15090

Echinacea pallida

Echinacea paradoxa

Echinacea purpurea 'Doubledecker'

Echinacea purpurea 'Fragrant Angel'

Echinacea purpurea 'Leuchstern'

Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus' 

Echinacea purpurea 'Rubinstern' (Ruby Star)

Echinacea 'Sundown' PPAF

Echinacea 'Sunrise' PPAF

Echinacea 'Sunset' PPAF

Echinacea tennesseensis 'Rocky Top'

Echinacea 'Twilight' PPAF

Echinops ritro

Eryngium yuccifolium

Erysimum linifolium 'Variegatum'

Eucomis comosa 'Oakhurst'

Eupatorium (Conoclinium) coelestinum 'Alba'

Eupatorium (Conoclinium) coelestinum 'Cori'

Eupatorium auromaticum 'Joicus Variegated'

Eupatorium cannabinum 'Flore Plena'

Eupatorium dubium 'Little Joe' PPAF

Eupatorium fistulosum

Eupatorium maculatum 'Purple Bush'

Eupatorium perfoliatum 

Eupatorium purpureum 'Joe White'

Eupatorium rugosum 'Chocolate'

*Foeniculum vulgare azoricum 'Rubrum'

Gaillardia x grandiflora 'Maxima Aurea'

Geranium 'Ann Thompson'

Helenium autumnale 'Bruno'

Helenium hoopesii

Helenium 'Moerheim Beauty'

Helenium x 'Kanaria' (Canary)

Helianthus atrorubens 'Monarch'

Helianthus maximiliani

Helianthus microcephalus

Helianthus salicifolius

Helianthus salicifolius 'First Light' PP#13150

Helianthus salicifolius 'Low Down' PP#13197

Heliopsis helianthoides 'Loraine Sunshine'

PP10690

Heliopsis scabra 'Summer Sun'

Iberis saxatilis 'Nana'

Iberis sempervirens 'Autumn Beauty'

Inula ensifolia

Inula helenium 'Goliath'

Inula orientalis

Inula orientalis 'Grandiflora'

Inula royleana

Iris ensata 'Geisha Girl'

Iris ensata 'Goddess of the Rainbow' 

Iris ensata 'Mt. Fuji'

Iris ensata 'Royal Robe'

Iris ensata 'Ruby King'

Iris ensata 'Variegata'

Iris ensata 'Velvet Queen'

Iris versicolor

Jasione perennis 'Sky Blue'

*Linaria purpurea (Buckeyes)

*Linaria purpurea 'LSS Pink Form' 

Liatris microcephalus

Liatris scariosa 'White Spires'

Liatris spicata 'Floristan White'

Liatris spicata 'Kobold' 

Lobelia bridgesii

Lobelia cardinalis

Lobelia cardinalis 'Alba'

Lobelia 'Cotton Candy'

Lobelia 'Cranberry Crown'

Lobelia 'Crown Royal'

Lobelia 'Dark Crusader'

Lobelia excelsa

Lobelia fulgens 'Elm Fire' (Elmfeuer)

Lobelia fulgens 'Queen Victoria'

Lobelia laxiflora var. angustifolia

Lobelia polyphylla

Lobelia puberula

Lobelia sessilifolia

Lobelia siphilitica

Lobelia siphilitica 'Alba'

Lobelia x 'Compliment Scarlet'

Lobelia x Gerardii

Lobelia x gerardii 'Vedrariensis'

Lobelia x 'Grape Knee-Hi' PPAF

Lobelia x 'Monet Moment'

Lobelia x 'Sparkle Divine'

Lobelia x 'Wildwood Splendor'

Lychnis chalcedonica

Lychnis flos-cuculi 'Nana'

Lychnis miqueliana

Lychnis sieboldii

Lychnis sp. 'LSS Flame'

Lychnis viscaria 'Splendens'

Lychnis viscaria 'Zulu'

Lychnis x awkwrightii 'Vesuvius'

Lysimachia clethroides

Malva sylvestris 'Zebrina'

Melissa officinalis 'All Gold'

Melissa officinalis 'Variegata'

Monarda 'Dark Ponticum' 

Monarda didyma 'Beauty of Cobham'

Monarda didyma 'Croftway Pink'

Monarda didyma 'Jacob Kline'

Monarda didyma 'Raspberry Wine'

Monarda didyma 'Sunset'

Monarda didyma 'Thundercloud'

('Donnerwolke')

Monarda didyma x fistulosa 'Gardenview

Scarlet'

Monarda didyma x fistulosa 'Mahogany'

Monarda didyma x fistulosa 'Violet Queen'

Monarda 'Petite Pink Supreme' PPAF

Monarda 'Petite Wonder' PP#13,149

Monarda punctata

Nepeta grandiflora 'Dawn to Dusk'

Nepeta mussinii (racemosa)</