Larval Host Plants

Butterfly host plants: These plants serve as a great place for young caterpillars to hatch and feed.

All About

Product Ideas

By Jill Slater

These plants are popular with butterflies: the foliage and flowers are a refuge in which to lay eggs, and the young caterpillars can feed on the leaves. There are many more larvae-friendly plants that host butterfly eggs and feed caterpillars. Check out native plants that thrive in your area. They are easy to grow and butterflies dig them!

Annuals, Perennials, Grasses

yarrow (Achillea millefoliu)
hollyhock (Alcea rosea)
snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus)
butterfly weed (Asclepias)
aster
broccoli
cabbage
mustard
bleeding heart (Dicentra)
foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)
wild buckwheat (Eriogonum)
common fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
sunflower ( Helianthus)
toadflax (Linaria purpurea)
sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritime)
lupine (Lupinus)
mallow (Malva)
sticky monkey flower (Mimulus aurantiacus)
penstemon
rue (Ruta graveolens)
checkerbloom (Sidalcea malviflora)
nasturtium (Trapaeolum majus)
veronica

Ground Covers, Vines

common hope (Humulus lupulus)
honeysuckle
passionvine (Passiflora)
strawberry

Shrubs

cassia
wild lilac (Ceanothus)
coffee berry (Rhamnus californica)
coyote bush (Baccharis pilularis)
hibiscus
ocean-spray (Holodiscus discolor), Zones 4-10
tree mallow (Lavatera)
cape plumbago (Plumbago auriculata)
currant gooseberry ( Ribes)
rose
spirea
viburnum

Trees

horsechestnut (Aesculus)
birch (Betula)
citrus
dogwood (Cornus)
hawthorn (Crataegus)
flowering crabapple (Malus)
pine
sycamore (Platanus)
poplar (Populus)
mesquite (Prosopis)
Prunus
Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
oak
willow (Salix)