Top native panicums, bluestems, paspalums, and allies
264 species, native to the US, ranked by caterpillars, then bees and other hosts, food, flowers and shelter.
-
Witch Grass
Panicum capillare
keystone
caterpillars
16
food
30
-
Smooth Witchgrass
Panicum dichotomiflorum
keystone
caterpillars
16
food
28
-
Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
keystone
caterpillars
16
food
18
flowers
17
-
Bitter Panicgrass
Panicum amarum
keystone
caterpillars
16
food
14
-
Wiry Witch Grass
Panicum flexile
keystone
caterpillars
15
food
14
-
Philadelphia Panic Grass
Panicum philadelphicum
keystone
caterpillars
15
food
14
-
Gattinger's Panic Grass
Panicum gattingeri
caterpillars
14
food
14
-
Big Bluestem
Andropogon gerardi
caterpillars
14
food
10
flowers
9
shelter
1
-
Saint Augustine Grass
Stenotaphrum secundatum
caterpillars
13
food
3
flowers
13
shelter
1
-
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
caterpillars
12
food
15
flowers
5
-
Maidencane
Panicum hemitomon
keystone
caterpillars
12
food
15
-
Hall Panicum
Panicum hallii
keystone
caterpillars
11
food
14
-
Fall Witchgrass
Digitaria cognata
caterpillars
10
food
18
-
Hilograss
Paspalum conjugatum
caterpillars
10
food
9
flowers
1
-
Sand Bluestem
Andropogon hallii
caterpillars
10
food
3
-
Knot Grass
Paspalum distichum
caterpillars
9
hosts
1
food
11
flowers
1
-
Thin Paspalum
Paspalum setaceum
caterpillars
9
food
12
flowers
1
-
Four-rowed Bead Grass
Paspalum pubiflorum
caterpillars
8
food
10
flowers
1
-
Florida Paspalum
Paspalum floridanum
caterpillars
8
food
10
flowers
1
-
Field Paspalum
Paspalum laeve
caterpillars
8
food
10
flowers
1
-
Seashore Paspalum
Paspalum vaginatum
caterpillars
8
food
10
flowers
1
-
Water Paspalum
Paspalum repens
caterpillars
8
food
10
flowers
1
-
Early Paspalum
Paspalum praecox
caterpillars
8
food
10
flowers
1
-
Rustyseed Paspalum
Paspalum langei
caterpillars
8
food
9
flowers
1
-
Brownseed Paspalum
Paspalum plicatulum
caterpillars
8
food
9
flowers
1
-
Longtom
Paspalum denticulatum
caterpillars
8
food
9
flowers
1
-
Gulfdune Paspalum
Paspalum monostachyum
caterpillars
8
food
9
flowers
1
-
Deertongue
Dichanthelium clandestinum
caterpillars
7
hosts
2
food
8
flowers
7
-
West Indian Panicgrass
Panicum diffusum
keystone
caterpillars
7
food
13
-
Mudbank Crowngrass
Paspalum dissectum
caterpillars
7
food
10
flowers
1
-
Brook Crowngrass
Paspalum acuminatum
caterpillars
7
food
10
flowers
1
-
Shaggy Crabgrass
Digitaria villosa
caterpillars
7
food
6
-
Longbeak Panicgrass
Panicum capillarioides
keystone
caterpillars
6
food
11
-
Pitchfork Paspalum
Paspalum bifidum
caterpillars
6
food
9
flowers
1
-
Slender Crabgrass
Digitaria filiformis
caterpillars
6
food
6
-
Forked Witchgrass
Dichanthelium dichotomum
caterpillars
5
hosts
2
food
8
flowers
1
-
Mexican Panicgrass
Panicum hirticaule
keystone
caterpillars
5
food
13
-
Matted Paspalum
Paspalum minus
caterpillars
5
food
9
flowers
1
-
Bull Crowngrass
Paspalum boscianum
caterpillars
5
food
9
flowers
1
-
Florida Reimar Grass
Paspalum eglume
caterpillars
5
food
9
flowers
1
-
Pearl Millet
Cenchrus americanus
caterpillars
5
food
8
shelter
1
-
Sourgrass
Digitaria insularis
caterpillars
5
food
6
-
Dwarf Crabgrass
Digitaria serotina
caterpillars
5
food
6
-
Arizona Cottontop
Digitaria californica
caterpillars
5
food
5
-
Carolina Crabgrass
Digitaria pubiflora
caterpillars
5
food
5
-
Coastal Sandbur
Cenchrus spinifex
caterpillars
5
-
Mat Sandbur
Cenchrus longispinus
caterpillars
5
-
Southern Sandbur
Cenchrus echinatus
caterpillars
5
-
Seaside Bluestem
Schizachyrium littorale
caterpillars
5
-
Dune Sandbur
Cenchrus tribuloides
caterpillars
5