Top native plants
29 species, native to the US, ranked by caterpillars, then bees and other hosts, food, flowers and shelter.
-
Black Willow
Salix nigra
keystone
caterpillars
372
bees
10
hosts
29
food
91
flowers
169
-
Water Oak
Quercus nigra
keystone
caterpillars
342
hosts
97
food
121
flowers
29
shelter
2
-
Willow Oak
Quercus phellos
keystone
caterpillars
341
hosts
99
food
123
flowers
38
shelter
2
-
River Birch
Betula nigra
keystone
caterpillars
287
hosts
15
food
47
flowers
31
shelter
1
-
Eastern Cottonwood
Populus deltoides
caterpillars
269
hosts
22
food
74
flowers
17
shelter
4
-
Carolina Willow
Salix caroliniana
keystone
caterpillars
255
bees
6
hosts
24
food
63
flowers
109
-
Smooth Alder
Alnus serrulata
caterpillars
183
hosts
4
food
29
flowers
8
-
Red Maple
Acer rubrum
caterpillars
179
hosts
20
food
72
flowers
71
shelter
2
-
American Elm
Ulmus americana
caterpillars
135
hosts
10
food
79
flowers
76
shelter
4
-
Creeping Juniper
Juniperus horizontalis
caterpillars
30
food
22
flowers
3
-
American Sweetgum
Liquidambar styraciflua
caterpillars
29
hosts
3
food
25
flowers
18
shelter
1
-
Sugar Hackberry
Celtis laevigata
caterpillars
24
hosts
17
food
36
flowers
3
-
Swamp Rose Mallow
Hibiscus moscheutos
caterpillars
18
bees
1
hosts
1
food
11
flowers
37
-
Groundsel Tree
Baccharis halimifolia
caterpillars
17
bees
9
hosts
6
food
7
flowers
80
-
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
caterpillars
17
hosts
1
food
11
flowers
77
-
Winterberry Holly
Ilex verticillata
caterpillars
14
bees
2
hosts
3
food
27
flowers
84
-
Broadleaf Cattail
Typha latifolia
caterpillars
13
food
22
flowers
7
-
Sweetbay Magnolia
Magnolia virginiana
caterpillars
13
food
4
flowers
11
-
Gallberry
Ilex glabra
caterpillars
12
bees
3
hosts
4
food
11
flowers
63
shelter
1
-
Dahoon Holly
Ilex cassine
caterpillars
7
bees
3
hosts
3
food
27
flowers
38
-
Saw Palmetto
Serenoa repens
caterpillars
6
food
5
flowers
73
-
Sweet Pepperbush
Clethra alnifolia
caterpillars
6
food
3
flowers
179
-
American Bittersweet
Celastrus scandens
caterpillars
3
food
7
flowers
18
-
California Bay
Umbellularia californica
caterpillars
2
hosts
1
food
12
flowers
7
shelter
1
-
Moss Phlox
Phlox subulata
caterpillars
2
food
1
flowers
49
-
Herb-of-Grace
Bacopa monnieri
caterpillars
1
food
1
flowers
3
-
Carolina Sea Lavender
Limonium carolinianum
caterpillars
1
flowers
34
-
Coastal Witch-Alder
Fothergilla gardenii
flowers
6
-
Honey-cup
Zenobia pulverulenta