Butterfly Caterpillar Host Plants

In summer arching spikes of showy green, flattened seed heads, reminiscent of fish hanging on a fishing pole, are produced which eventually fade to tan and remain showy until late winter or early spring. The seed heads flutter even in the slightest of breezes providing motion and interest for months. One of our most recognizable, useful, and adaptable native grasses, Inland Sea Oats, Chasmanthium latifolium, is a deciduous, small to medium-sized perennial that readily develops into a groundcover via both rhizomes and seed. Its shade and moisture tolerance lend it to use as a tallish groundcover in both full sun to lightly shaded, wet to average moist, naturalistic garden and landscape settings. The decorative seedheads are used both fresh and dried in cut flower arrangements and the foliage is utilized by the Northern Pearly-Eye, Salt and Pepper Skipper, Bell's Roadside Skipper, and the Bronzed Roadside Skipper butterflies. This rhizomatous native grass is widely distributed throughout the central and eastern US from near central and eastern Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas to Illinois, Indiana, and Pennsylvannia. Tough, adaptable, provides late summer, fall, and winter color, and it's deer resistant. Item# 13108

We fell in love instantly with this gorgeous Hibiscus! The summerlong display of large, 8"+ wide, ruffled and textured, deep rose pink flowers have an inner halo of lavender purple and are set against a backdrop of dark olive green foliage all on a heavy flowering well-branched plant. Inner Glow Perennial or Hardy Hibiscus is a vigorous clump-forming perennial that develops into a full, but compact well-branched plant with exceptional flower power. Like most other Walter's Gardens introductions, Inner Glow is an indeterminate plant producing flowers from the top to the bottom of the plants creating an amazing summer into fall display in the garden and landscape. Provide a full to mostly sunny location in moist to average moist to wet, moderately fertile soils. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Item# 12843

With honey sweet amber flesh and a lightly tart yellow green outer skin the Blanche Fig (its original name according to Dr. Ira Condit) has long been a favorite for fresh eating or drying. A vigorous fig that produces even in areas with short growing seasons it is known to produce two good crops where summers are longer. In the Southern US it is known as the Lemon Fig and is popular in the Northwest and California for home orchards where it is known as White Marseille or Lattarula. A compact tree which can be adapted for container production. Caterpillar host: Ruddy Daggerwing. Images courtesy of Agristarts, Inc. Item# 11023

An Allen Armitage 'no-brainer' perennial! The white full daisies are held atop and among the rich green foliage beginning in mid to late spring to early summer and continuing into fall. The nectar laden flowers are composed of multiple outer rows of white ray petals that have a light tinge of lavender surrounding a dense rounded mass of lemon tinged disc flowers. Japanese Aster, now classified as Aster iinumae previously Asteromea mongolica or Kalimeris mongolica, is a slowly spreading rhizomatous herbaceous bushy perennial growing to about 12-24"H x 18-24"W though some sources suggest that it may reach 36"H. This plant's reliability and flower power have garnered it a top spot among Dr. Armitage's list of "no-brainer" perennials. Provide a full sun to partly shaded site in average moist, average to well-drained, fertile soils for optimum vigor and flowering. Use this easy perennial in both the garden and landscape as a tall groundcover or specimen as well as for easy and free flowering container specimens. Caterpillar host: Field Crescent, Pearl Crescent, Texan Crescent, Roadside Checkerspot, Hoffman's Checkerspot, and American Lady.

Images courtesy of North Creek Nurseries, all rights reserved. Item# 13150

The fringed recurving coral-red petals are unique to this Hibiscus species. The bright tropical flowers hang like Japanese lanterns from the vigorous branches throughout much of the year. An easily grown, free-flowering tropical, and a definite conversation piece. The flowers attract a variety of pollinators including Hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies.Still one of our favorites! Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Item # 9246.

The large, double pink, carnation-like flowers are produced in great abundance all summer long on this easily grown deciduous shrub. The Rose of Sharon, a cold hardy shrubby Hibiscus species, has a naturally vase shaped habit when young but becomes rounded and full with age and it can also be trained into a tree form with careful pruning. These heirloom pass-a-long plants are quite tolerant of most well-drained, fertile soils in sunny sites and are resistant to periodic, short term drought once well-established. Jimmy's Double Pink Althea or Rose of Sharon is a much loved plant that came to us via John's mother's prized Althea bush when Jimmy, their 4 year old son, picked his mother, Bonnie, a flower and she rooted the cutting some 40 years ago and it still graces our gardens to this day. The flowers, even though double, attract bees, hummingbirds and the occassional butterfly. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Item# 810

The large pink, dark-eyed flowers of Lady Baltimore Hibiscus are sure to make a statement in the late spring and summer garden. This root hardy, die-back perennial has a compact 5' x 5' habit and is tolerant of soil moisture levels ranging from average moist to wet soils. Lord and Lady Baltimore Hibiscus are the earliest flowering cultivars that we grow. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Item# 10318.

Spring and summer offer up a mound of dark purplish-black foliage that covers up in late summer and fall with contrasting white daisies with a purplish-red eye. The flowers of Lady in Black Calico or Woodland Aster attract a myriad of pollinators like bees, smaller butterflies, and other garden beneficials at a time when many are stock piling for winter. This is an easy and reliable clump forming native perennial selected for its deep dark foliage. Lady in Black Woodland Aster is tolerant of light shade but will have the darkest foliage where it receives the most direct sunlight. May reseed on exposed soils. Caterpillar host: Field Crescent, Pearl Crescent, Texan Crescent, Roadside Checkerspot, Hoffman's Checkerspot, and American Lady.. Images courtesy of North Creek Nurseries, all rights reserved. Item# 12114

An exceptionally free flowering passionvine, Lady Lavender produces 3-4" wide, lightly fragrant flowers with purple sepals and petals that fade to near white near their base. The flowers are topped by a corona of blue filaments that fade to white and then darken to deep burgundy at their base. Lady Lavender Passionflower is a sterile Patrick Worley cultivar considered to be hardy to near 10oF. It is large and vigorous enough to cover a medium to large trellis easily in one season or it can be enjoyed as a container plant where not hardy. Provide a full to mostly sunny location and a moderately fertile soil with average drainage for the best 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. Caterpillar host: Gulf Fritillary, Julia Butterfly, Variegated Fritillary, and Zebra Longwing. Item# 11444

An impressively cold hardy fig producing medium-sized amber, brown to near burgundy colored fruit with rich sweet amber flesh. Letizia Fig is sometimes compared to Chicago Hardy with which it shares exceptional hardiness into zone 6 but the fruit may be slightly smaller. It is also known to produce a breba or early crop along with the typical main fruit crop. This is an heirloom Italian fig that was brought from the Marche region of Italy in the early 1900's by the family of Steve and Peg Castorani and was named in honor of Steve's mother Letizia. Steve's family has grown and fruited this plant in Hockessin, Delaware since about 1965 and Steve brought cuttings to their North Creek Nursery near Landenberg, Pennsylvania where it apparently has done well in a semi-protected 'hot garden'. Burpee suggested that they name it and propagate and it quickly sold out. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a well-drained, average moist, fertile soil for optimum vigor and fruit production. Protect young trees for the first few years especially in zones 8A and colder while they become established. Caterpillar host: Ruddy Daggerwing. Item# 12727

Little Volcano Lespedeza adds loads of color to the fall garden in shades of purple, pink, and near red. The arching branches of Little Volcano Japanese Lespedeza are covered by large clusters of dainty pea-shaped flowers over an extended period in September and October with spring flowering on plants that are not frozen back hard. A durable pest and disease resistant shrub-like perennial that may freeze to the ground in the northern portions of its range, where winters are milder it will act as a deciduous shrub. A popular plant for native bees and honeybees. Caterpillar host: Silver Spotted Skipper. Item# 10672.

When most plants are fading this delicate looking plant is blooming. You will not be disappointed with this garden gem!!, says one savvy gardener !!

Intense pure red, massive, dinner plate sized flowers are produced beginning in early summer and continuing until fall on this vigorous and free flowering perennial Hibiscus. Lord Baltimore is one of the first widely cultivated Hardy Hibiscus developed by Robert Darby in the 1950's and it is still popular to this day! Perennial Hibiscus produce the largest flowers of any perennial in the garden and the rich red of Lord Baltimore may even stop traffic, if accidentally. It is a vigorous upright to spreading perennial that easily fits into the back of the perennial border or as a specimen in moist sites. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Item# 11017

Clusters of rich orange, 2" long, tubular flowers with yellow throats are produced in late winter or early spring and continue cyclically throughout summer and into fall attracting mainly hummingbirds and potentially other pollinators. Magnifica Coral or Trumpet Honeysuckle, a selection of Lonicera sempervirens, is a deciduous to semi-evergreen, twining, woody, native vine that grows to about 10' high and is cloaked in blue-green to deep green rounded foliage. The flowers are followed by 1/4" red berries that are a treat for songbirds. This is a mannerly and manageable vine and will happily twine through a 6' high chain link fence or up an 8-10' arbor, trellis, or post. Few other native woody vines can boast such a long flowering season as the Coral Honeysuckles making them our #1 pick for attracting hummingbirds. Provide a sunny, average moist, well-drained site for optimum vigor and flowering. Caterpillar host: Chalcedon Checkerspot. Item# 9573

Magnolia or Brunswick produces a good crop of medium to large bronze to purple figs with good quality pink to amber flesh with tiny seeds and open eye. The fruit ripens over a long season. Magnolia is considered a good choice for the drier portions of the South and Southwestern US. Caterpillar host: Ruddy Daggerwing. Item# 1113.

Clusters of deep red, 2" long, tubular flowers are produced beginning in late winter or early spring and continue cyclically through summer and into fall attracting mainly hummingbirds but potentially other pollinators as well. Major Wheeler Coral or Trumpet Honeysuckle, a selection of Lonicera sempervirens, is considered by many to be the best of the deep red flowering selections of this native vine. This is a twining, woody vine cloaked in bluish-green to deep green rounded foliage. Flowers are followed by 1/4" red berries that are a treat for songbirds. This is a mannerly and manageable Honeysuckle that will happily twine through a 6' high chain link fence or up an 8-10' arbor, trellis, or post. Few other native woody vines can boast such a long flowering season as the Coral Honeysuckles making them our #1 pick for attracting hummingbirds. Provide a sunny, average moist, well-drained site for optimum vigor and flowering. Caterpillar host: Chalcedon Checkerspot. Image courtesy of North Creek Nurseries. Item# 9719

Tall spikes of glowing red to purplish-red, 2-3" tubular blooms are born in summer above the foliage of this tough native perennial. A drought tolerant and hardy shrublet that freezes back to the ground to return in spring. The flowers are followed by dark colored bean pods that split open to display their brilliant red-orange beans that can remain on the plant all winter. Excellent for Hummingbirds. Caterpillar host: Holly Blue. Item# 9408.

Intense dark magenta-red 6-8" wide heavily textured flowers have a compimentary deep red halo surrounding the burgundy eye with the summer to fall display held against a foil of purple and bronzed tinged young maple-like foliage that matures to deep green. Mars Madness Perennial or Hardy Hibiscus is a vigorous clump-forming perennial that develops into a full, well-branched plant with great flower power!  Like most other Walter's Gardens introductions, Mars Madness is an indeterminate plant producing flowers from the top to the bottom of the plants creating an amazing summer into fall 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# 12499

A rare color among Hardy Hibiscus, Marshmallow Moon produces medium to large, solid white, 6" wide saucer-shaped flowers with good substance and are produced in abundance from summer to fall. The flowers are a stand out against the backdrop of deep green foliage. Marshmallow Moon Hardy or Perennial Hibiscus is an indeterminate type meaning that they both begin flowering earlier and flower all up and down the stems instead of just on the upper half of the plant 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# 13299

The Maypop Passionvine or Passion Flower produces a summer long display of 2-3" wide white, lavender, and purple exotic flowers that are held against medium green tropical foliage. Pollinated flowers are followed by round passion fruit that ripen to yellow and contain a tangy tropical tasting clear flesh that surrounds each of the small black inedible seeds. This easy to grow perennial native vine can grow to 15-18' each year if given a suitable support but it is also happy to clamber along a fence, trellis, or any other support that it can grasp with its strong tendrils. Provide a well-drained soil and a full to mostly sunny position for the best results. Caterpillar host: Gulf Fritillary, Julia Butterfly, Variegated Fritillary, and Zebra Longwing. 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# 500

Imagine Celeste on steroids as Mega Celeste produces medium to large figs with a flavor nearly as rich and sweet as its namesake. The large pear shaped to turbinate figs have a dark violet skin with white flesh and a dark purplish-red pulp. The eye is small but open and the figs are resistant to spoiling and splitting. Mega Celeste is known to produce a breba crop. This is a likely, but as of yet unconfirmed, unofficial LSU release from Dr. O'Rourke's breeding program. Caterpillar host: Ruddy Daggerwing. Item# 9918.

The typical Mexican Butterfly Weed that produces clusters of orange to red-orange flowers with contrasting sunny yellow centers are produced from mid to late spring to frost or nearly year round under warm tropical conditions. An excellent host plant for Monarch, Queen, and Soldier Butterflies. It has a naturally upright to vase shaped habit and the stems are adorned with medium sized deep green narrow foliage. Mexican Butterfly Weed can be grown as a short-lived (2-3 years usually) die-back perennial in zones 8-9, it should remain evergreen in zone 10, and is commonly grown as an annual in colder zones. Makes a wonderful heat and sunloving plant with something of a tropical look. Use Mexican Butterfly Weed at the back of the perennial border or in mixed combination pots. Item# 502

2-3" wide rounded clusters of white to light rose pink flowers, sometimes with green to purple tones, are produced in late spring and summer attracting bees and other smaller pollinators. Mexican Whorled Milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis, is considered one of the better native Milkweeds for garden culture. This West Coast native, rhizomatous perennial grows to about 2-3' high and spreads to about 2-3' wide with its many stems adorned in narrow medium green foliage and are readily utilized by Monarch butterflies as a larval food source. It is highly drought resistant once fully established though plants tend to look and flower best under average moisture conditions. Mexican Whorled Milkweed is found in all West Coast states including into Idaho, Utah, and Nevada as well as into Baja Mexico. Provide a full to mostly sunny site, in a well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Naturally enters dormancy in late summer returning in spring. Caterpillar host: Queen and Monarch. Item# 12974