Caterpillar Host Plants

Providing nectar in your garden for butterflies is an excellent idea, but providing plants for them to munch on while they are caterpillars is better! Here's a list of host plants for our native butterfly caterpillars; plant them and watch your butterfly population grow!

by Debbie Teashon

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Botanical Name
Common Name

Caterpillars

Abies species
TRUE FIRS

Pine White

Abutilon
FLOWERING MAPLE

Common Checkered-Skipper

Agropyron
WHEAT GRASS

Woodland Skipper

Agrostis
BENT GRASS

Common Roadside-Skipper

Alnus rubra
RED ALDER

Pale Swallowtail
Green Comma

Althea
HOLLYHOCK

Painted Lady
West Coast Lady
Common Checkered-Skipper

Amaranthus
AMARANTHS

Common Sootywing

Amorpha species
FALSE INDIGO

Silver-spotted Skipper

Anaphalis margaritacea
PEARLY EVERLASTING

American Lady

Andropogon
BEARD GRASS

Common Branded Skipper

Androsace septentionalis

Arctic Blue

Antennaria plantaginifolia
PLANTAIN-LEAVED PUSSY TOES

American Lady

Apiaceae species
PARSLEY

Old World Swallowtail
Anise Swallowtail
Indra Swallowtail

Arbutus

Brown Elfin

Arceuthobium campylopodum
DWARF MISTLETOE

Thicket Hairstreak
Johnson's Hairstreak

Arctium
BURDOCK

American Lady

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
KINNIKINICK

Hoary Elfin

Artemisia
WORMWOOD

American Lady

Artemisia arctica

Old World Swallowtail

Asclepius incarnata
BUTTERFLY WEED

Monarch

Asclepius speciosa
BUTTERFLY WEED

Monarch

Asclepius syriaca
BUTTERFLY WEED

Monarch

Asters

Old World Swallowtail
Hoffman's Checkerspot
Field Crescent

Astragalus tridactylicus
MILK VETCH

Western-tailed Blue
Arrowhead Blue
Silvery Blue
Northern Blue
Acmon Blue

Avena
WILD OATS

Common Roadside-Skipper

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Botanical Name
Common Name

Caterpillars

Besseya

Variable Checkerspot

Betula species
BIRCH

Dreamy Duskywing

Betula lenta
BLACK BIRCH

Green Comma

Boehmeria cylindrica
FALSE NETTLE

Red Admiral

Bromus rubens

Juba Skipper
Common Branded Skipper

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Botanical Name
Common Name

Caterpillars

Calamagrostis purpurascens
PURPLE REED GRASS

Arctic Skipper

Callirhoe
POPPY MALLOW

Common Checkered-Skipper

Calocedrus decurrens
INCENSE CEDAR

Nelson's Hairstreak

Carex bigelowii
SEDGE

Melissa Arctic

Carex heliophila
SUN SEDGE

Dun Skipper

Carex rupestris

Melissa Arctic

Ceanothus species
CALIFORNIA LILAC

Hedgerow Hairstreak
Bramble Green Hairstreak
California Tortoiseshell

Ceanothus americana

Spring Azure

Ceanothus cordulatus
MOUNTAIN WHITETHORN

Pacuvius Duskywing

Ceanothus fendleri
DEER BRIER

Pacuvius Duskywing

Ceanothus oliganthus
HAIRY CEANOTHUS

Pacuvius Duskywing

Celosia
COCKSCOMB

Common Sootywing

Celtis occidentalis
HACKBERRY

Mourning Cloak

Chasmanthium latifolia
INDIAN WOOD OATS GRASS

Common Roadside-Skipper

Chenopodium album
LAMBSQUARTERS

Common Sootywing

Cirsium
NATIVE THISTLES

Mylitta Crescent
Painted Lady

Collinsia
CHINESE HOUSES

Spring Azure
Edith's Checkerspot

Cornus
DOGWOOD

Spring Azure

Cuscuta
DODDER

Brown Elfin

Cynodon dactylon
BERMUDA GRASS

Sachem
Woodland Skipper
Common Roadside-Skipper

Cyperus esculentus
CHUFA FLATSEDGE

Dun Skipper

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Botanical Name
Common Name

Caterpillars

Danthonia spicata
POVERTY OAT GRASS

Chryxus Artic

Deschampsia elongata
SLENDER HAIRGRASS

Juba Skipper

Desmodium
BEGGAR'S TICKS

Northern Cloudywing

Diapensia lapponica

Arctic Blue

Dicentra uniflora
BLEEDING HEART

Clodius Parnassian

Dicentra formosa
WESTERN BLEEDING HEART

Clodius Parnassian

Dicentra pauciflora

Clodius Parnassian

Dodecatheon
SHOOTING STAR

Arctic Blue

Dudleya

Moss Elfin

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Botanical Name
Common Name

Caterpillars

Eleusine
GOOSE GRASS

Sachem

Elymus
WILD RYE

Woodland Skipper

Epigaea repens
TRAILING ARBUTUS

Hoary Elfin

Ericaceae
HEATH

Mariposa Copper
Northern Blue

Eriogonum species

Blue Copper
Bramble Green Hairstreak
Square-spotted Blue
Dotted Blue
Acmon Blue

Eriogonum fasciculatum
FLAT TOP

Lupine Blue

Eriogonum umbellatum
SULFUR FLOWER

Lupine Blue

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Botanical Name
Common Name

Caterpillars

Festuca species
FESCUES

Common Branded Skipper

Fragaria virginiana
WILD STRAWBERRY

Grizzled Skipper

Fraxinus
ASH

Western Tiger Swallowtail
Two-tailed Swallowtail

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Botanical Name
Common Name

Caterpillars

Gleditsia triacanthos
HONEY LOCUST

Silver-spotted Skipper

Glycyrrhiza species
LEGUMES

Silver-spotted Skipper

Gnaphalium obtusifolium
SWEET EVERLASTING

American Lady

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Botanical Name
Common Name

Caterpillars

Hedysarum
SWEET VETCH

Western Sulphur
Northern Blue

Horkelia bolanderi clevelandii
CLEVELAND'S HORKELIA

Two-banded Checkered-Skipper

Horkelia fusca
DUSKY HORKELIA

Two-banded Checkered-Skipper

Horkelia tenuiloba
SANTA ROSA HORKELIA

Two-banded Checkered-Skipper

Hosackia
LOTUS

Northern Cloudywing

Humulus
HOPS

Red Admiral

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Botanical Name
Common Name

Caterpillars

Laportea canadensis
WOOD NETTLE

Red Admiral

Lathyrus
VETCHES

Western-tailed Blue
Silvery Blue

Lavatera
TREE MALLOW

West Coast Lady

Ledum groenlandicum
LABRADOR TEA

Brown Elfin

Lespedeza
BUSH CLOVER

Northern Cloudywing

Lithocarpus densiflorus
TAN OAK

Golden Hairstreak

Lonicera
HONEYSUCKLE

Variable Checkerspot

Lotus species
Bramble

Green Hairstreak
Silvery Blue
Acmon Blue
Persius Duskywing

Lupinus LUPINES

Western Sulphur
Arrowhead Blue
Silvery Blue
Boisduval's Blue
Acmon Blue
Persius Duskywing

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Botanical Name
Common Name

Caterpillars

Machaeranthera species

Field Crescent

Malva

Gray Hairstreak
Painted Lady
Common Checkered-Skipper

Malvastrum
BUSH MALLOW

West Coast Lady

Malvella leprosa
ALKALI MALLOW

West Coast Lady
Common Checkered-Skipper

Medicago sativa
ALFALFA

Clouded Sulphur

Melilotus alba
WHITE SWEET CLOVER

Western Sulphur
Silvery Blue

Menziesia glabella
MOCK AZALEA

Hoary Comma

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Botanical Name
Common Name

Caterpillars

Orthocarpus
OWL'S CLOVER

Edith's Checkerspot

Oxytropis
CRAZYWEED

Western-tailed Blue
Silvery Blue

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Botanical Name
Common Name

Caterpillars

Parietoria pennsylvanica
PELLITORY

Red Admiral

Parvisedum

Moss Elfin

Pedicularis
LOUSEWORT

Edith's Checkerspot

Penstemon
BEARD TONGUES

Variable Checkerspot
Edith's Checkerspot

Petroselinum
PARSLEY

Old World Swallowtail
Anise Swallowtail

Phalaris
CANARY GRASS

Woodland Skipper

Phaseolus
BEANS

Gray Hairstreak

Pinus species
PINE

Pine White

Pinus contorta
LODGEPOLE PINE

Western Pine Elfin

Pinus flexilis
LIMBER PINE

Western Pine Elfin

Pinus ponderosa
PONDEROSA PINE

Western Pine Elfin

Pipturus albidus
MAMAKI

Red Admiral

Pisum sativum
PEA

Clouded Sulphur

Plantago
PLANTAIN

Edith's Checkerspot

Poa pratensis
BLUEGRASS

Juba Skipper
Common Branded Skipper
Common Roadside-Skipper

Polygonum species
KNOTWEEDS

Purplish Copper

Polygonum bistortoides
FALSE BISTORT

Titania Fritillary

Polygonum douglasii
DOUGLAS KNOTWEED

Lilac-bordered Copper

Polygonum viviparum
ALPINE SMARTWEED

Titania Fritillary

Populus
POPLAR

Dreamy Duskywing

Populus deltoides
COTTONWOOD

Western Tiger Swallowtail
Compton Tortoiseshell
Mourning Cloak
Lorquins Admiral

Populus Tremuloides ASPEN

Western Tiger Swallowtail
Compton Tortoiseshell
Mourning Cloak
Lorquins Admiral
Dreamy Duskywing

Potentilla species

Purplish Copper

Potentilla canadensis
CANADIAN CINQUEFOIL

Grizzled Skipper

Potentilla diversifolia
VARILEAF CINQUEFOIL

Grizzled Skipper

Potentilla drummondii
DRUMMOND'S POTENTILLA

Two-banded Checkered-Skipper

Prunus
CHOKECHERRY

Two-tailed Swallowtail

Prunus WILD
CHERRY

Western Tiger Swallowtail
Lorquins Admiral

Pseudotsuga menziesii
DOUGLAS FIR

Pine White

Ptelea
HOP TREE

Two-tailed Swallowtail

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Botanical Name
Common Name

Caterpillars

Quercus species
OAK

California Sister

Quercus agrifolia
COAST LIVE OAK

Propertius Duskywing

Quercus chrysolepis
CANYON LIVE OAK

Golden Hairstreak

Quercus garryana
GARRY OAK

Propertius Duskywing

Quercus vaccinifolia
OAK

Golden Hairstreak

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Botanical Name
Common Name

Caterpillars

Rhododendron occidentale
WESTERN AZALEA

Green Comma
Hoary Comma

Ribes
GOOSEBERRY

Green Comma
Hoary Comma
Oreas Comma

Robinia pseudacacia
BLACK LOCUST

Silver-spotted Skipper

Rubus chamaemorus
CLOUDBERRY

Grizzled Skipper

Rumex
DOCKS

Purplish Copper

Rumex pauciflorus
ALPINE SORREL

Lustrous Copper

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Botanical Name
Common Name

Caterpillars

Salix species
WILLOW

Sylvan Hairstreak
Titania Fritillary
Compton Tortoiseshell
Lorin's Admiral
Dreamy Duskywing

Salix babylonica
WEEPING WILLOW

Mourning Cloak

Salix humilis
PUSSY WILLOW

Green Comma

Salix nigra
BLACK WILLOW

Mourning Cloak

Salix sericea
SILKY WILLOW

Mourning Cloak

Saxifraga bronchialis
SPOTTED SAXIFRAGE

Astarte Fritillary

Sedella

Moss' Elfin

Sedums

Moss' Elfin
Rocky Mountain Parnassian

Sidalcea

West Coast Lady

Silybum marianum

Mylitta Crescent

Sphaeralcea
GLOBE MALLOWS

West Coast Lady
Common Checkered-Skipper

Spiraea salicifolia
MEADOWSWEET

Spring Azure

Stenotaphrum secundatum
ST. AUGUSTINE GRASS

Sachem

Stipa
NEEDLEGRASS

Juba Skipper
Common Branded Skipper

Symphoricarpos
SNOWBERRY

Variable Checkerspot

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Botanical Name
Common Name

Caterpillars

Thermopsis rhombifolia
MOUNTAIN FALSE LUPINE

Western-tailed Blue

Thermopsis villosa
CAROLINA LUPINE

Persius Duskywing

Tridens flavus
PURPLETOP

Common Wood Nymph

Trifolium
CLOVER

Gray Hairstreak
Greenish Blue
Northern Cloudywing

Trifolium hybridum
ALSIKE

Greenish Blue

Trifolium repens
WHITE CLOVER

Clouded Sulphur

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Botanical Name
Common Name

Caterpillars

Ulmus americana
AMERICAN ELM

Mourning Cloak

Urtica species
NETTLES

Satyr Comma

Urtica dioica
STINGING NETTLE

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Red Admiral

Urtica gracilis
TALL WILD NETTLE

Red Admiral

Urtica procera

Milbert's Tortoiseshell

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Botanical Name
Common Name

Caterpillars

Vaccinium species

Pink-edged Sulphur
Mariposa Copper

Vaccinium vacillans

Brown Elfin

Vernonia
IRONWEED

American Lady

Vicia angustifolia
VETCH

Western Sulphur
Western-tailed Blue
Silvery Blue

Viola species

Great Spangled Fritillary
Titania Fritillary

Viola adunca Zerene

Fritillary
Atlantis Fritillary
Hydaspe Fritillary
Mormon Fritillary

Viola beckwithii

Coronis Fritillary
allippe Fritillary

Viola canadensis

Atlantis Fritillary

Viola cuneata

Zerene Fritillary

Viola douglasii

Coronis Fritillary
Callippe Fritillary

Viola glabella

Hydaspe Fritillary
Pacific Fritillary

Viola lobata

Zerene Fritillary

Viola nephrophylla

Atlantis Fritillary
Mormon Fritillary

Viola nuttallii

Coronis Fritillary
Zerene Fritillary
Callippe Fritillary
Hydaspe Fritillary
Mormon Fritillary

Viola ocellata

Pacific Fritillary

Viola orbiculata

Hydaspe Fritillary

Viola palustris

Mormon Fritillary

Viola pedunculata

Callippe Fritillary

Viola purpurea

Coronis Fritillary
Zerene Fritillary
Callippe Fritillary
Atlantis Fritillary
Hydaspe Fritillary

Viola sempervirens

Pacific Fritillary

Viola septentrionalis

Atlantis Fritillary

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W, X, Y, Z

Butterfly Plants
Create a landscape of nectar-rich plants for butterflies. Not only will you enjoy their flittering about but your garden will benefit also. Here is a list of plants that provide food for the butterfly.

Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More

By co-authors Debbie Teashon (Rainy Side Gardeners) and Wendy Tweton

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