Butterfly Caterpillar Host Plants

An Almost Eden exclusive introduction for 2026! The unique, 4" wide, deep cranberry colored, single flowers are heavily edged in a contrasting orchid purple at the ends of the petals and are centered by a contrasting cream colored staminal column. The nectar rich flowers are produced from mid to late spring to fall and attract a variety of pollinators including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Aerial Elixirs™ Cranberry Eclipse™ Althea or Rose of Sharon, a selection of Hibiscus syriacus developed by J. Curran, is a large growing, long flowering, deciduous shrub with a moderate to fast rate of growth. This Rose of Sharon tends to have an upright habit when young, rounding out slightly at maturity to about 8-10' high and about 4-6' wide. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in an average moist, average to well-drained, moderately fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Item# 13581

Large 8"+ wide pink flowers with overlapping petals 'airbrushed' with white extending to near the middle of the flowers and with a deep red eye are produced over an extended period beginning in late spring to summer (depending on your zone) and flowering into fall. Airbrush Effect Perennial or Hardy Hibiscus is an 'indeterminate' flowering selection meaning that it flowers over a longer period than older cultivars. This is a compact 3-4'H x 4-5'W plant with rich green foliage well suited to moist sunny sites in the garden and landscape. Provide a moderately fertile soil to help encourage vigorous growth and flowering. Caterpillar host: Gray Hairstreak. Image courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 11710

Up to 2" wide, deep rosy pink daisies with a complimentary bright yellow eye are produced in abundance over an extended period beginning in late summer and into fall attracting a variety of mainly smaller pollinators but migrating Monarchs may seek these as well. Alma Pötschke New England Aster, a selection of our native Symphyotrichum novae-angliae, is a medium to tall, clump forming, herbaceous perennial growing to about 3-4' high. Its actual full name is Andenken an Alma Pötschke, which translates from the German to Souvenir of Alma Pötschke. An RHS Award of Garden Merit winner, Alma Pötschke is an older German cultivar but it is still one of the best of the larger growing pink flowered forms. Provide a full sun to mostly sunny site in an average to well-drained, fertile soil with average moisture for optimum vigor and flowering. Staking may be needed if plants are grown in overly rich fertile soils. Images courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 13328

In spring, dense clusters of small light pink flowers encircle the stems and are followed by rich purple, rarely white, 1/8" diameter berries that are most noticeable on the bare winter stems. The flowers attract a variety of smaller pollinators, especially bees, and the fruit are prized by songbirds, deer, and small mammals. The American Beautyberry, Callicarpa americana, is a medium-sized, native, deciduous shrub with a moderate branching habit, a relatively fast rate of growth to 4-8' high and 5-8' wide. The plants are cloaked in large, medium green, coarse textured foliage. This easy and reliable native makes an easy addition to the garden or landscape providing weeks of color in late fall and winter. Plants are tolerant of full sun to light shade, but will likely fruit the best with more sun. Provide an average to well-drained, fertile, average moist soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 10688

Wide flat-topped clusters of white flowers are produced in spring atop sturdy stems adorned with deep green finely cut deep green foliage. American Wild Carrot, Daucus pusillus, is a native annual common to roadsides throughout much of the US and is commonly confused with the non-native Queen Anne's Lace, Daucus carota, which is a parent to the common Carrot. The flowers attract bees and other garden beneficials and once through flowering the flattened clusters curl upward at the outer edges creating a protected 'nest' of ripening seeds. Caterpillar host: Black Swallowtail and Anise Swallowtail. The American Wild Carrot makes an easy addition to naturalistic roadside plantings, meadows, and prairies where it readily reseeds on exposed soils. Full sun is preferred in average to well-drained soils. Item# 12027

Amplissimus Rose of Sharon produces 2-3" wide, double, purplish-red flowers throughout much of summer on this easy to grow vigorous shrub, which is very tolerant of heat and most growing conditions. Althea or Rose of Sharon is a hardy Hibiscus that naturally develops into a multi-stemmed, vase-shaped deciduous shrub that can be trained into a tree form if desired. Provide an average moist to moderately moist, fertile soil and full sun for optimum growth and flowering. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Item# 10338.

One of the earliest to begin flowering and new for 2023! The large, to 8" wide, full white flowers are centered by a deep burgundy eye that is surrounded by a halo of contrasting raspberry red veins that fade out toward the edges of the petals. Angel Eyes Perennial Hibiscus develops into a full sized 5' x 5' plant cloaked in rich green foliage that acts as a foil for the contrasting flowers. Provide a full to mostly sunny location in moist to average moist to wet, moderately fertile soils. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 13102

2" wide rounded clusters of pink buds open to white flowers that adorn the tips of stems and are produced throughout the growing season on well-established plants. Arizona Milkweed, Asclepias angustifolia, in many regards is similar to the compact bushy habit of White Milkweed, A. perennis, and while it is from the southern Arizona desert it has done smashingly well as a container plant under average moisture conditions where it flowered and fruited throughout summer and into fall. As the specific eptithet implies, Arizona Milkweed is adorned in narrow foliage which may remain evergreen where winters are mild. Provide a full sun to partly shaded site in well-drained, average moist, fertile soils for optimum vigor and flowering. In drier sites, part shade made be optimum. This species is native to Arizona's 3 southernmost counties. A host plant for Monarch and Queen butterflies. Item# 13361

Masses of 1" wide, bluish purple daisies with a yellow-eye absolutely cover these plants for weeks in late summer and fall attracting bees and other smaller pollinators. The Aromatic Aster, Symphyotrichum oblongifolius, is a low mounding perennial that develops into a compact shrub-like plant by flowering time. Excellent fall color for the garden as well as drought tolerance and pest and disease resistance make this an excellent addition to the perennial or wildflower border as well as for additions to low maintenance landscapes. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in an average moist, well-drained soil.Caterpillar host: Field Crescent, Pearl Crescent, Texan Crescent, Roadside Checkerspot, Hoffman's Checkerspot, and American Lady. Item# 10075

Large clusters of white, late spring flowers produce green berries that ripen to a blue-black. The flowers attract butterflies, bees, and other pollinators and the edible fruits attract a variety of wildlife, especially birds. Arrowwood Viburnum, Viburnum dentatum, is a vigorous growing, naturally rounded, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with rich green foliage and is tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions. Fall color includes yellows, orange, reds, and near purple. Arrowwood Viburnum makes an informal hedge, background specimen, or screen. Easy and reliable. Item# 10922

2-3" wide, yellow sunflowers are born along the tall stems in summer on this durable native perennial. The Ashy Sunflower will spread and develop into a ground covering mass of plants with age. Contrasting soft, gray green foliage. Easy, drought tolerant, and reliable even for tough locations. Use it as a mass planting for large areas or in native gardens and meadows. Native to nearly all of the eastern half of the US. Caterpillar host: Milbert's Tortoiseshells  Item#10418.

4-5" wide flowers with white petals and sepals are topped by a crown of white filaments with a light purple halo surrounding the central portion of these exotic looking flowers. Bahama Blue Passion Flower is a beautiful and vigorous free flowering selection of the Blue Crown Passion Flower, Passiflora caerulea, with all its hardiness and reliability. The nectar rich flowers are adored by larger bees and the foliage is a host to a variety of butterflies. Caterpillar host: Gulf Fritillary, Julia Butterfly, Variegated Fritillary, and Zebra Longwing. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a moderately fertile, average moist, well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Click on "More Details and Growing Info" or the image to learn more about growing Passionvines as perennials in containers or in the garden and landscape. Item# 11222

An unusual conversation starting Milkweed that is eagerly consumed by caterpillars of Monarchs, Queens, and possibly Soldier butterflies. Balloon Milkweed is a vigorous heat and sun loving tropical African shrub that is grown as a dieback perennial except in areas with mild winter climates. It produces clusters of 1/2" wide cream to white star shaped flowers with a purplish 'eye' and the flowers attract butterflies along with a variety of other pollinators. Balloon Milkweed is adaptable to a wind range of soil types as long as they are well-drained and is moderately drought resistant once well established. Item# 10974.

The beautiful, unusual and almost alien looking burgundy, bronze, and green colored dutchman's pipe-like flowers are produced during the growing season atop the smooth and glossy olive green variegated foliage. Bejuco de Santiago, or Contribo in its native Belize, is an easy to grow, evergreen, vigorous twining tropical climber that is small enough to be enjoyed on a 3-4' trellis although it can climb to 12-15'H if given support. The foliage and dense habit are decorative and showy even when the plant is not in flower. Bejuco de Santiago can tolerate full sun but the foliage seems to be at its best where the plant receives some shade or filtered sun during the heat of the day. Caterpillar host: Polydamas and Pipevine Swallowtail. Item# 3123

The extra large flowers of Betty Magnolia can be up to 8" across and are pinkish purple to reddish purple on the outside and are white to near white on the inside. This is a vigorous growing Magnolia that typically grows as wide as it is tall with a naturally rounded habit on mature plants. Like the other 'Little Girls' in this series from the US National Arboretum, Betty flowers later minimizing the chance of freeze damage to the flowers. Caterpillar host: Western Tiger Swallowtail. Item# 11483

Selected at the esteemed Biltmore Estate, Ashville, NC, the summerlong display of 2" wide dangling Chinese lantern-like flowers are a soft yellow-orange heavily overlaid with a strongly contrasting deep red veining. Biltmore Ball Gown Abutilon or Flowering Maple is an exceptionally hardy and reliable upright growing, naturally evergreen shrubby tropical that has proven to be evergreen in mild zone 8 winters but where it is not reliably hardy it makes an easy container plant that can be overwintered indoors near a sunny window. Abutilons are also known as Parlor Maples as this was a reliably flowering indoor plant and a conversation piece. The flowers attract hummingbirds and other garden beneficials. Provide a full sun to partly shaded site in a fertile, average moist soil. Item# 13087

Drooping spike-like clusters composed of numerous, lightly fragrant, small white flowers are produced in spring and are followed by small, 1/4-1/3" diameter red cherries that ripen to black and are consumed by a wide variety of birds and small mammals. The Black Cherry Tree, Prunus serotina, is a moderately fast growing, medium to large, deciduous native tree found throughout much of the eastern, central, and southwestern US as well as into Canada, Mexico, and into Central America. Its medium green serrated foliage is a caterpillar host for the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and Viceroy butterflies as well as a variety of moths. The Black Cherry fairly consistently produces good yellow to red fall color even here in zone 8B in southwestern Louisiana and the white and gray winter bark adds to its interest. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in well-drained, average moist, fertile soils for optimum growth and vigor.Prunus serotina (Black Cherry) is generally considered self-fertile. While a single tree can produce fruit on its own, planting more than one can lead to better pollination and higher fruit yields. Item# 10469

The sweet dark figs of Mission are the number one favorite for drying. Mission is one of the most widely grown figs in California producing heavy crops of medium to large dark purplish-black pear-shaped fruit with a rich, sweet strawberry red pulp. Good fresh or preserved. Black Mission is self-pollinating and may produce a light breba crop. A good choice for the South as well. The small eye makes it resistant to spoiling. Caterpillar host: Ruddy Daggerwing. Item # 832.

The summerlong show of 8" deep dark merlot colored, ruffled flowers unfurl from nearly black buds and are held against a foil of deep green foliage. The darkest of Walter's Gardens intorductions, the large flowers of Blackberry Merlot Hardy Hibiscus are sure to stop traffic and may steal your neighbors hummingbird population! This is a compact well-branched plant on a clump-forming hardy perennial rated into zone 4 with proper winter protection.  Like most other Walter's Gardens introductions, Blackberry Merlot is an indeterminate plant producing flowers from the top to the bottom of the plants creating a knockout display in the garden and landscape. Provide a full to mostly sunny location in moist to average moist to wet, moderately fertile soils. Caterpillar host: Gray Hairstreak. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12492

Clusters of 2" long, orange-red, tubular, trumpet-shaped flowers with an orange throats are produced beginning in early spring with and just before the arrival of the Ruby Throated Hummingbirds and may continue sporadically until fall on mature plantings. Blanche Sandman Coral Honeysuckle, a disease resistant and free-flowering selection of the southeastern native Lonicera sempervirens, is an easy, undemanding, non-invasive, semi-evergreen to deciduous twining vine that works well on fences, trellises, and arbors. Clusters of bright clear red, 1/4" diameter, songbird friendly berries are produced after flowering and can be removed to promote new growth and additional flowering. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a fertile, well-drained, average moist soil for optimum vigor and continuous flowering. Coral Honeysuckle is one of our top recommended vines for attracting hummingbirds who greedily guard the plants from interlopers. Caterpillar host: Chalcedon Checkerspot. Item# 12662

A crown of deep sapphire blue filaments create a striking contrast with the white petals and sepals that are held against the rich green foliage throughout the growing season. The Blue Crown Passionflower is a vigorous growing tropical vine and can easily reach 20' once well-established. This is also one of the most reliably cold hardy Passionvines with foliage remaining evergreen in the mildest 8B winters but dying back to the ground in severe winters and returning readily in spring. The Blue Crown Passionflower may spread somewhat by rhizomes but it is generally much more tame than the Maypop. Cross pollination may produce tropical tasting tangy fruit that surrounds the dark seeds inside. Click on "More Details and Growing Info" or the image to learn more about growing Passionvines as perennials in containers or in the garden and landscape. Caterpillar host: Gulf Fritillary, Julia Butterfly, Variegated Fritillary, and Zebra Longwing. Item# 733