SOME RECOMMENDED NECTAR PLANTS FOR BUTTERFLIES
ANN PLATZER, MASTER GARDENER, RIVERSIDE COUNTY
* Califoria native
az Arizona native sw S. West U.S. native us U.S. native |
sp spring bloomer
sm summer bloomer f fall bloomer # blooms most of year |
dt drought tolerant
nh nectar & host plant hb attracts hummingbirds & butterflies w winter bloomer |
Apricot (Globe) Mallow, Sphaeralcea ambigua* dt hb
Angelita Daisy, Tetraneuris acaulis # dt sw Aster species California Aster, Aster chilensis* sm-w dt Western Aster, Aster occidentalis* Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia species sm Bladderpod, Isomeris arborea * # nh hb dt Blanket Flower, Gaillardia species sm dt Indian Blanket Flower G. pulchella # Brittlebush, Encelia farinosa * # w sp dt Buckwheat, Eriogonum species nh dt hb California Buckwheat, E. fasculatum * # Red Buckwheat, E. grande rubescens * # St. Catherine’s Lace, E. giganteum * Butterfly Bush, Buddleia species sm hb Butterfly Bush, B. davidii sm Sagewood, B. salviifolia w White Butterfly Bush, B. asiatica w Wooly Butterfly Bush, B. marrubiifolia az California Four O’clock, Mirabilis laevis * w-sm dt California (Wild) Lilac, Ceanothus species Ceanothus ‘Concha’ * dt sp-sm Ceanothus ‘Dark Star’* dt sp-sm California Sea Lavender, Limonium californicum * w sp dt California Sunflower, Encilia californica * dt Cape Plumbago, Plumbago auriculata # nh Chaparral Honeysuckle, Lonicera subspicata* hb Indigo Bush, Dalea pulchra # nh dt az Chuparosa, Justicia californica* Coneflower, Echinacea species. sm Coral Vine, Antigonon leptopus nh Coreopsis, Coreopsis species. Bigelow Coreopsis, C. bigelovii * Garden Coreopsis, C. lanceolata * Deerweed, Lotus scoparius * w sp # nh dt False Indigo, Amorpha fruticosa * hb nh, lower elev. A. californica * hb nh, higher elevations Gold Coin, Asteriscus maritimus # Golden Crownbeard, Verbesina encelioides dt Goldenrod, Solidago species California Goldenrod, S. californica * dt Heliotrope, Heliotropium species* Hollyhock, Alcea rosea sm |
Jade Plant, Crassula ovata w
Lantana, Lantana species # hb Lavender, Lavandula species English Lavender L. angustifolia sm Fern Lavender, L. multifida # French Lavender, L. dentata # Spanish Lavender L. stoechas sm Sweet Lavender L. heterophylla # Marigold, Tagetes species * Mountain Marigold, T. lemmoni * w sp Milkweed, Asclepias species nh Blood Flower Milkweed, A. curassavica sp-f Narrow-leaf Milkweed, A. fascicularis * dt sm Rush Milkweed, A. subulata * dt sp-f Showy Milkweed, A. speciosa * dt sm-f Swan Plant Milkweed, A. fructicosa Mints, Mentha species hb Parish Goldeneye, Viguiera deltoidea * dt Penstemon Penstemon spp. * hb Pentas (Star Flower), Pentas lanceolata # hb Pincushion Flower, Scabiosa species # Scabiosa ‘Blue Giant’ Prince’s Plume, Stanleye pinnata * nh dt Poinsettia, Euphorbia pulcherrima w Red Valerian, Centranthus ruber w sp Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis w sp Sages, Salvia species Black Sage, S. mellifera * w sp dt hb Cleveland Sage, S. clevelandii * sp dt hb White Sage, S. apiana * sm dt hb Mexican Bush Sage, S. leucantha w sp sm Strawberry Tree, Arbutus unedo Sunflower Helianthus species Slender Sunflower, H. gracilentus * w sp hb Wild Sunflower, H. annuus * hb # Thistles, Cirsium species* (many*) nh Californica Thistle, C. californium* Mohave Thistle, C. mohavense* Trailing Indigo Bush, Dalea greggii # nh hb dt sw Tree Sedum, Sedum dendroideum dt Verbena, Verbena species sm Wishbone Bush, Mirabilis laevis, * # dt Yarrow, Achillea millefolium * sp-f dt hb |
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Plants that attract butterflies
· Alyssum
· Aster · Bee balm · Butterfly bush · Calendula · Cosmos · Daylily · Delphinium · Dianthus · Fennel |
· Globe thistle
· Goldenrod · Hollyhock · Lavender · Liatris · Marigold · Musk mallow · Nasturtium · Oregano · Phlox |
· Purple coneflower
· Queen Anne's lace · Sage · Scabiosa · Shasta daisy · Stonecrop · Verbena · Yarrow · Zinnia |
Plants that attract butterfly larvae (caterpillars)
· Fennel
· Grasses · Hollyhocks |
· Lupine
· Milkweed · Nettle |
· Thistle
· Willow |
Plants that attract hummingbirds
· Ajuga
· Bee balm · Begonia · Bleeding heart · Butterfly weed · Canna · Cardinal flower · Century plant · Columbine · Coral bells (heuchera) · Cleome · Crapemyrtle · Dahlia · Dame's rocket · Delphinium |
· Fire pink
· Four o' clocks · Foxglove · Fuchsia · Gilia · Geranium · Gladiolus · Glossy abelia · Hollyhocks · Impatiens · Iris · Lantana · Liatris · Lily · Lupine |
· Nasturtium
· Nicotiana · Paintbrush · Penstemon · Petunia · Phlox · Sage · Salvia · Scabiosa · Scarlet sage · Sweet William · Verbena · Yucca · Zinnia |
Plants that attract bees
Perennials and Annuals
· Allium
· Aster · Basil · Bee balm · Bee plant · Bergamot · Blanket flower · Borage · Cosmos · Flax · Four o'clock · Gaillardia |
· Geranium
· Giant hyssop · Globe thistle · Goldenrod · Helianthus · Hyssop · Joe-pye weed · Lavender · Lupine · Marjoram · Mint · Mullein |
· Paint brush
· Poppy · Rosemary · Sage · Skullcap · Sunflower · Thyme · Verbena · Wallflower · Wild rose · Zinnia |
Trees, Shrubs and Fruit
· Almond
· Apple · Blackcurrant · Cherry · Gooseberry |
· Hawthorn
· Linden · Locust · Pear · Plum |
· Raspberry
· Strawberry · Wild lilac · Willow |
COMMON BUTTERFLIES & THEIR HOST PLANTS
Cloudless Sulfur, Phoebus sennae: Wing span (WS) ~2 ½”. Bright yellow,
Host plant: Cassia (Senna), native & non-native. Popcorn Plant, Cassia didymobotrya, a non native. Gulf Fritillary, Agraulis vanillae: ). WS ~2 ½”. Overwinters as adult. Orange upper wings (dorsal), large silver spots underneath (ventral Host plant: Passion Vine, Passiflora species . Many varieties e.g. P. “Coral Glow”, P. “Blue Horizon”. Note: not all Passion Vines are host plants for Gulf Fritillary Monarch, Danaus plexippus: WS ~3 ½”- 4”. Overwinters as adult. Large orange BF with black vein markings & black border with double row white dots. Host plant: Milk Weeds, Asclepias species. Some are native. Milk Weeds are both nectar & host plants. Giant Swallowtail, Papilio cresphontes: . WS ~ 5 ½”. Overwinters as pupa. Largest BF in North America. Many broods. Dark dorsally with yellow horizontal band. Ventrally, cream-colored with black veins. Host plant: Citrus. Western Tiger Swallowtail, Papilio rutulus: . WS ~ 4”. Overwinters as pupa. Large, bright yellow BF with ‘tiger-striped’ bands Host plants: many trees e.g. Willow, Poplar, Sycamore, Aspen. Gray Hairstreak, Strymon melinus: . WS ~ 1 ¼”. Overwinters as pupa. Common, small gray with orange patch near hind wing. Host plants: many families (20) e.g. Alfalfa, Clover, Mallow, Buckwheat. Marine Blue, Leptotes marina: WS ~1”. Overwinters as adult Very abundant, small BF. Dorsal wings purplish-blue, ventral pale brown with “zebra-striped” bands. Host plants: many e.g. Plumbago, Deer weed, Locoweed, Trailing Indigo Bush. |
Fiery Skipper, Hylephila phyleus: WS ~1 ¼”. Overwinters as larva or pupa. Common Small, fiery orange color..
Host plants: Native & Non-native Grasses Umber Skipper, Poanes melane: WS ~ 1 ¼”. (Overwinters as ?) Small umber brown. Host plants: Native & non-native grasses Painted Lady, Vanessa cardui: WS ~ 2 ½”. Overwinters as adult or migrates. Most widespread BF in the world. Dorsal orange with many dark markings. Ventral hind wing 5 prominent eyespots. Host plants: many e.g. Buckwheat, Desert Lavender, Sunflowers, Thistles, Lupine. Common Buckeye, Junonia coenia: WS ~ 2 ½”. Overwinters as adult. Brown with prominent eyespots. Host plants: Monkey Flower, Plantain, Snapdragon. California Dogface, Colias (Zerene) eurydice: WS ~ 2 ½”. Overwinter as adult. STATE INSECT. Only occurs in California, When the wings are closed males & females appear yellow. But when the wings are open the male has the profile of a dog’s head on the fore wings. Host plant: False Indigo Bush. Cabbage White, Pieris rapae: Medium sized BF , WS 1-1 ½”. Overwinters as a pupa. BFs are almost white. Male has one black spot on the forwing, the female has two. Host plants: Many such as wild radish mustard & nasturtium. It is not a native butterfly. Sleepy Orange, Eurema nicippe: WS ~ 1 ½ -2”. Overwinters as adult. Bright orange color with fine black dots on wing margins. Smaller than Cloudless Sulfur & flight more erratic & faster. Host plants: Senna (Cassia), like the Cloudless Sulfur, & also clover. |
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