TMMSH - Butterfly Gardening

Central Texas Butterfly Gardening

Plants useful as food for butterfly larvae in Central Texas

Mountain cedar & Red cedar - for Green hairstreaks
Kentucky bluegrass, Northern crabgrass, Saint Augustine grass (grown long), Sugarcane, maize, Bermuda grass, Side-oats grama grass, Bamboo - for Branded skippers and Satyrids
Twist-leaf yucca (Yucca rupicola), Palmella (Y. constricta) - for Kendalls' yucca skipper
Banana, Canna (for Brazilian skipper)
Hoja santa (Piper sanctum) - for Thoas swallowtail
Black willow, Eastern cottonwood - for Tiger swallowtail, Viceroy, Mourning cloak, Red-spotted admiral
Pecan, Walnuts - for Hairstreaks
Durand oak (Quercus sinuata), Texas liveoak (Q. fusiformis) - for Skippers, Hairstreaks, Orangetip admiral
Texas red oak (Q. buckleyi), Blackjack oak (Q. marilandica) - for Skippers, Hairstreaks, Admirals
Granjeno - for Snout butterflies, Empress leila
Sugarberry - for snout butterflies, emperors, question mark
American elm, Asiatic elm - for question mark, comma, mourning cloak, painted lady
Mulberries (Morus), Figs (Ficus) - for dagger wings
Nettles - for red admiral, painted lady, American painted lady, question mark, comma
Mistletoe - for great blue hairstreak
Dutchman's pipe, Swan flower - for blue swallowtail, palamede swallowtail
Wild buckwheat (Eriogonum annuum) - for Mormon metalmark, hairstreaks
Pigweed - for skippers, pigmy blue, painted lady
Scarlet spiderling (Boerhavia coccinea) - for variegated fritillary
Purslane (Portulaca umbraticola) - for variegated fritillary
Old man's beard (Clematis drummondii) - for fatal metalmark
Sassafrass - for palamedes swallowtail, spicebush swallowtail, tiger swallowtail
Redbay - for palamedes swallowtail, spicebush swallowtail, tiger swallowtail, giant swallowtail
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) - for spicebush swallowtail, tiger swallowtail
Bracted twist-flower (Streptanthus bracteatus) - for orangetip
Sickle pod, Mouse-ear cress, Hairy butter cress - for orangetip
Rock cress (Arabis petiolaris - for olympia marble
Tansy mustard (Descurainia pinnata), India mustard - for olympia marble, cabbage white, checkered white
Watercress (Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum), Charlock - for great southern white
Shepherd's purse, Peppergrass (Lepidium virginicum) - for orangetip, whites
Clammy weed (Polanisia dodecandra) - for cabbage white, checkered white, great southern white
Yellow stonecrop (Sedum nuttallianum) - for gray hairstreak, buckeye, variegated fritillary
Hawthorn (Crataegus) - for gray hairstreak, banded hairstreak, tiger swallowtail, viceroy, red spotted admiral
Escarpment black cherry (Prunus serotina eximia) - for banded hairstreak, azure blue, tiger swallowtail, two-tailed tiger swallowtail, painted lady, viceroy, red spotted admiral
Ebano (Pithecellobium flexicaule) - for cassius blue, ceraunus blue, orange-barred sulphur, orange sulphur
Catclaw acacia (Acacia roemeriana) - for mesquite blue, Mexican sulphur
Fern acacia (A. hirta) - for outis skipper, mesquite blue, ceraunus blue
Sensitive briar (Schrankia) - for little sulphur, mimosa yellow
Honey mesquite - for marine blue, mesquite blue, ceraunus blue
Redbud (Cercis) - for Henry's elfin
Anacacho orchid-tree (Bauhinia congesta) - for common longtail skipper
Two-leaved senna (Cassia roemeriana) - for tailed orange, orange sulphur, statira sulphur
Partridge pea (Cassia fasciculata) - for little sulphur, sleepy orange, cloudless sulphur, Mexican clouded sulphur
Lindheimer senna (Cassia lindheimeri) - for gray hairstreak, orange sulphur, giant brimstone, Mexican sulphur, sleepy orange, cloudless sulphur
Texas mountain laurel (Sophora secundiflora) - for gray elfin wild blue indigo - for wild indigo dusky wing, tailed blue, orange sulphur
Texas bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis) - for suffused cloudy wing, gray hairstreak, Henry's elfin, painted lady, American painted lady, orange sulphur
White sweet clover (Melilotus albus) - for gray hairstreak, tailed blue, orange sulphur
White clover (Trifolium repens) - for gray hairstreak, tailed blue, mesquite blue, painted lady, orange sulphur, dogface
Lindheimer scarlet pea - for gesta dusky wing, gray hairstreak, cassius blue, mesquite blue, dogface
lead plant (Amorpha fruticosa) - for silver flash skipper, gray hairstreak, marine blue, dogface
Kidneywood (Eysenhardtia texana) - for dogface
Lindheimer hoary pea (Tephrosia lindheimeri) - for whitestripe longtail skipper
Rattlebush - for funereal skipper, gray hairstreak, orange sulphur
Black locust - for zarucco dusky wing, Mexican sulphur
Loco weed (Astragulus lotiflorus) - for gray hairstreak, marine blue, tailed blue, ceraunus blue, orange sulphur
Desmodium tortuosum - for common longtail, dorantes longtail, gray hairstreak, cassius blue, tailed blue, variegated fritillary, tailed orange
Slender bush clover - for gray hairstreak, tailed blue, orange sulphur
Winter vetch - for gray hairstreak, tailed blue, orange sulphur
Bean (Phaseolus polystachios) - for silver flash skipper, painted lady, orange sulphur
Range ratany (Krameria lanceolata) - for mormon metalmark
Yellow wood sorrel (Oxalis dillenii) - for tiny grass blue
Flax (Linum) - for variegated fritillary
Guayacan - for gray hairstreak, yellow leaf butterfly
Rue (Ruta graveolens), Dutchman's breeches (Thamnosma texana) - for black swallowtail, desert black swallowtail
Wafer ash - for tiger swallowtail, two-tailed tiger swallowtail, giant swallowtail, thoas swallowtail
Prickly ash - for tiger swallowtail, two-tailed tiger swallowtail, giant swallowtail
Colima - for sicklewing skipper, giant swallowtail, thoas swallowtail
Allthorn - for tropical white
Barbados cherry - for cassius blue
Encinilla croton - for gray hairstreak, American leaf butterfly, Mexican leaf butterfly
Oreja de raton (Bernardia) - for Lacey's hairstreak
Ortiga (Dalechampia), noseburn (Tragia) - for handkerchief, bandanna, blue-eyed greenwing
Pringa-moza (Tragia volubilis) - for handkerchief, bandanna
Mula (Drypetes) - for tropical white
Poison ivy, Evergreen sumac - for poison ivy haurstreak
Cashew - for ruddy daggerwing
Yaupon - for poison ivy hairstreak
Boxelder - for banded hairstreak, mourning cloak
Soapberry (Sapindus drummondii) - for alcestis hairstreak
Redroot (Ceanothus herbaceus) - for azure blue
Mexican buckeye (Ungnadia speciosa) - for gray elfin
Carolina buckthorn - for gray hairstreak, azure blue, painted lady
Coyotillo (Karwinskia) - for flashing astraptes
Basswood - for white-m hairstreak, comma, mourning cloak, red spotted admiral
Cotton - for painted lady
Winecup (Callirhoe involucrata) - for gray hairstreak
Common mallow, hollyhock - for painted lady, American painted lady
Velvet-leaf mallow (Wissadula holosericea), Indian mallow (Abutilon incanum) - for powdered skipper, streaky skipper
Globe mallow (Sphaeralcea angustifolia) - for streaky skipper, gray hairstreak, painted lady
Dollar weed - for gray hairstreak, columella hairstreak
Lindheimer's sida (Sida lindheimeri) - for checkered skipper, white skipper
Field pansy, Green violet - for variegated fritillary
Turnera - for variegated fritillary, Mexican fritillary
Slender-lobe passionflower (Passiflora tenuiloba) - for gulf fritillary
Yellow passionflower (P. lutea), (P. suberosa) - for flambeau, sierran fritillary, gulf fritillary, zebra
(P. affinis) - for gulf fritillary, zebra
Maypop (P. incarnata) - for variegated fritillary, gulf fritillary
Corona de Cristo (P. foetida) - for variegated fritillary, Mexican fritillary, gulf fritillary
Granadilla (P. quadrangularis) - for gulf fritillary, small tiger
P. adenopoda, P. capsularis - for sierran fritillary
P. platyloba - for flambeau, small tiger
Tetrastylis lobata - for sierran fritillary, zebra
Celery, Parsley, Wild carrot (Daucus pusillus), Dill - for blackswallowtail
Rough-leaf dogwood (Cornus drummondii) - for azure blue
Hierba de alacran (Plumbago scandens) - for cassius blue, marine blue
Black persimmon - for gray hairstreak, gray elfin
Sycamore-leaf snowbell (Styrax platanifolia) - for tiger swallowtail
Red ash - banded hairstreak, tiger swallowtail, two-tailed tiger swallowtail
White ash - mourning cloak
Texas ash - tiger swallowtail
Pink root (Spigelia) - for tropic queen
Antelope horns (Asclepias asperula), A. amplexicaulis - for queen
Green milkweed (A. viridis) - for monarch
Purple milkweed (A. purpurascens) - for monarch
Butterfly weed (A. tuberosa) - for gray hairstreak, monarch
Veintiunilla (A. curassavica) - for monarch, queen
Texas milkweed (A. texana) - for monarch
Swamp milkweed (A. incarnata) - for monarch
Talayote (Cynanchum unifarum) - for queen, tropic queen
Cynanchum (C. barbigerum) - for variegated fritillary
Wavy-leaf milkweed vine (Sarcostemma crispum) - for queen, tropic queen, monarch
Climbing milkweed (Sarcostemma cynanchoides) - for tropic queen
Plateau milkvine (Matelea edwardsensis) - for queen
Purple bindweed (Ipomoea trichocarpa) - for variegated fritillary
Blue-curls (Phacelia congesta) - for painted lady
Scorpion grass - for painted lady
Texas vervain (Verbena halei) - for buckeye
Texas lantana (Lantana horrida) - for painted lady
Bushy lippia - for white peacock, Mexican buckeye
Redbrush lippia - for Mexican buckeye
Northern frogfruit, common frogfruit (Phyla incisa) - for phaon crescent
Shade betony, Tropical sage (Salvia coccinea), applemint - for painted lady
Water hyssop - for white peacock
Stemodia tomentosa - for black buckeye
False pimpernel - for white peacock
Cenizo (Leucophyllum frutescens - for Boll's checkerspot
Foxglove (Penstemon cobaea), Texas toadflax (Linaria texana), snapdragon vine (Maurandya antirrhiniflora) - for buckeye
Prairie agalinis (Agalinis heterophylla) - for black buckeye
Plateau agalinis (Agalinis edwardsiana), Prairie paintbrush (Castilleja purpurea), Texas paintbrush (Castilleja indivisa) - for common buckeye
Common catalpa - for tiger swallowtail
Callichamys latifolia - for statira sulphur
Snake herb (Dyschoriste linearis) - for common buckeye
Ruellia occidentalis - for common buckeye, Mexican buckeye, white peacock
Common wild petunia (Ruellia nudiflora) - for common buckeye
Ruellia carolinensis - for Texan crescent
Drummond's wild petunia (Ruellia drummondiana) - for common buckeye
Flame acanthus (Anisacanthus wrightii) - for janais patch
Dicliptera brachiator - for Texan crescent
Tube-tongue (Siphonoglossa pilosella) - for least checker, vesta crescent, Texan crescent
Ribwort plantain - for common buckeye, painted lady, variegated fritillary
Western ironweed (Vernonia baldwinii) - for painted lady
White boneset (Eupatorium serotinum), crucita - for lost metalmark
Eupatorium greggii - for Rawson's metalmark
E. betonicifolium - for lost metalmark
Shrubby boneset (Eupatorium havanensis) - for Rawson's metalmark, lacinia patch
Seepwillow - for fatal metalmark, least checker
Camphor weed (Heterotheca latifolia) - for lacinia patch
Tall goldenrod (Solidago altissima) - for silvery crescent
Texas aster (Aster texanus), tall aster (Aster praealtus), white aster (Aster ericoides) - for pearl crescent
Horseweed - for silvery crescent
Cat-foot, Cudweed, Everlasting - for American painted lady
Rosinweed (Silphium), False ragweed - for lacinia patch
Giant ragweed - for lacinia patch, gorgon crescent
Short ragweed, abrojo - for lacinia patch
Brown-eyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta) - for silvery crescent
Goldeneye (Viguiera dentata) - for lacinia patch
Jerusalem artichoke - for lacinia patch, silvery crescent
Maximillian sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani) - for lacinia patch
Common sunflower (Helianthus annuus) - for lacinia patch, gorgon crescent, silvery crescent, painted lady, American painted lady
Plains sunflower - for gorgon crescent
Bush sunflower (Simsia calva) - for lacinia patch
Zexmenia (Wedelia hispida) - for sierran metalmark, lacinia patch
Wingstem - for silvery crescent
Cowpen daisy (Verbesina encelioides) - for lacinia patch
Frostweed (Verbesina virginica) - for lacinia patch, silvery crescent
Tickseed sunflower, Cosmos - for dainty sulphur
Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) - for lacinia patch
Yellow bitterweed (Helenium amarum), Dogweed (Dyssodia tagetoides)
Dainty sulphur palafoxia (Palafoxia callosa) - for lacinia patch, dainty sulphur
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) - for painted lady
White sage (Artemisia ludovicianus) - for painted lady, American painted lady
Texas groundsel (Senecio ampullaceus) - for American painted lady
Basket flower (Centaurea americana) - for painted lady
Musk-thistle (Carduus nutans), yellow-spine thistle - for painted lady, American painted lady
Milk thistle - for American painted lady
Dead leaves - for poison ivy hairstreak
Wooly aphids - for harvester