Top native legumes
86 species, native to the US, ranked by caterpillars, then bees and other hosts, food, flowers and shelter.
-
Thicket Bean
Phaseolus polystachios
keystone
caterpillars
37
food
6
-
Slimjim Bean
Phaseolus filiformis
keystone
caterpillars
35
hosts
1
food
4
-
Tepary Bean
Phaseolus acutifolius
keystone
caterpillars
25
food
2
-
American Vetch
Vicia americana
caterpillars
18
hosts
1
food
7
flowers
124
-
Slender Vetch
Vicia ludoviciana
caterpillars
16
hosts
1
food
11
flowers
89
-
Seaside Pea
Lathyrus japonicus
caterpillars
16
hosts
1
food
7
flowers
32
-
Nevada Sweet Pea
Lathyrus lanszwertii
caterpillars
16
hosts
1
food
5
flowers
21
-
Leafy Pea
Lathyrus polyphyllus
caterpillars
15
hosts
1
food
11
flowers
21
-
Sierra Nevada Peavine
Lathyrus nevadensis
caterpillars
15
hosts
1
food
5
flowers
19
-
Marsh Pea
Lathyrus palustris
caterpillars
14
hosts
1
food
10
flowers
31
-
Pacific Pea
Lathyrus vestitus
caterpillars
13
hosts
1
food
5
flowers
38
-
Sulphur Pea
Lathyrus sulphureus
caterpillars
13
hosts
1
food
4
flowers
17
-
Delta Tule Pea
Lathyrus jepsonii
caterpillars
13
hosts
1
food
4
flowers
17
-
Fewflower Pea
Lathyrus pauciflorus
caterpillars
12
hosts
1
food
5
flowers
18
-
Torrey's Pea
Lathyrus torreyi
caterpillars
12
hosts
1
food
4
flowers
17
-
Aspen Vetchling
Lathyrus laetivirens
caterpillars
12
food
5
flowers
16
-
Bush Vetchling
Lathyrus eucosmus
caterpillars
12
food
4
flowers
25
-
Manystem Pea
Lathyrus decaphyllus
caterpillars
12
food
2
flowers
28
-
Carolina Vetch
Vicia caroliniana
caterpillars
11
food
7
flowers
69
-
Pale Vetchling
Lathyrus ochroleucus
caterpillars
11
food
5
flowers
27
-
Stiff Pea
Lathyrus rigidus
caterpillars
11
food
5
flowers
15
-
Veiny Pea
Lathyrus venosus
caterpillars
11
food
3
flowers
18
-
Silky Beach Pea
Lathyrus littoralis
caterpillars
10
hosts
1
food
4
flowers
19
-
Del Norte Pea
Lathyrus delnorticus
caterpillars
10
hosts
1
food
4
flowers
16
-
Bush Pea
Lathyrus brachycalyx
caterpillars
10
food
5
flowers
23
-
American Wisteria
Wisteria frutescens
caterpillars
10
food
1
flowers
15
-
Hasse Vetch
Vicia hassei
caterpillars
9
hosts
1
food
4
flowers
53
-
Thin-Leaved Peavine
Lathyrus holochlorus
caterpillars
9
hosts
1
food
4
flowers
15
-
Fourvalve Mimosa
Mimosa quadrivalvis
caterpillars
9
food
2
flowers
12
-
Pygmyflower Vetch
Vicia minutiflora
caterpillars
8
food
7
flowers
52
-
American Hog-peanut
Amphicarpaea bracteata
caterpillars
8
food
1
flowers
18
-
Mogollon Mountain Vetch
Vicia leucophaea
caterpillars
7
food
3
flowers
29
-
Wild Cowpea
Vigna luteola
caterpillars
7
food
2
flowers
23
-
Softleaf Mimosa
Mimosa malacophylla
caterpillars
7
food
2
flowers
2
-
Fourleaf Vetch
Vicia acutifolia
caterpillars
6
food
5
flowers
35
-
Grimes' Vetchling
Lathyrus grimesii
caterpillars
6
food
2
flowers
9
-
Littleleaf Sensitive-briar
Mimosa microphylla
caterpillars
6
food
2
flowers
6
-
pride-of-California
Lathyrus splendens
caterpillars
5
hosts
1
food
4
flowers
13
-
Butterfly Pea
Centrosema virginianum
caterpillars
5
food
1
flowers
13
-
Eastern Milkpea
Galactia volubilis
caterpillars
5
food
1
flowers
6
-
Elliott's Milkpea
Galactia elliottii
caterpillars
4
food
1
flowers
10
-
Pineland Butterfly Pea
Centrosema arenicola
caterpillars
4
flowers
4
-
Florida Hammock Milkpea
Galactia striata
caterpillars
4
flowers
3
-
Florida Milkpea
Galactia floridana
caterpillars
4
flowers
3
-
Soft Milkpea
Galactia mollis
caterpillars
4
flowers
3
-
Erect Milkpea
Galactia erecta
caterpillars
4
flowers
2
-
Bullfrog Mountain Pea
Lathyrus hitchcockianus
caterpillars
3
food
4
flowers
10
-
Least Snoutbean
Rhynchosia minima
caterpillars
3
food
2
flowers
1
-
Florida Sensitive Briar
Mimosa floridana
caterpillars
3
food
1
flowers
1
-
Beach Bean
Canavalia rosea
caterpillars
3
flowers
7