Top native sunflower family members
18 species, native to the US, ranked by caterpillars, then bees and other hosts, food, flowers and shelter.
-
Canada Goldenrod
Solidago canadensis
keystone
caterpillars
101
bees
41
hosts
23
food
73
flowers
610
shelter
4
-
Common Blue Wood Aster
Symphyotrichum cordifolium
keystone
caterpillars
77
bees
24
hosts
5
food
15
flowers
260
-
Late Purple Aster
Symphyotrichum patens
keystone
caterpillars
72
bees
21
hosts
2
food
15
flowers
218
-
Walter's Aster
Symphyotrichum walteri
caterpillars
41
bees
9
hosts
2
food
11
flowers
151
-
Dogfennel
Eupatorium capillifolium
caterpillars
35
hosts
1
food
8
flowers
140
-
Common Ragweed
Ambrosia artemisiifolia
caterpillars
34
hosts
2
food
54
flowers
28
-
Muck Sunflower
Helianthus simulans
keystone
caterpillars
26
bees
19
hosts
1
food
35
flowers
91
shelter
1
-
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
caterpillars
23
bees
3
hosts
1
food
83
flowers
726
shelter
1
-
Groundsel Tree
Baccharis halimifolia
caterpillars
17
bees
9
hosts
6
food
7
flowers
80
-
Bitter Fleabane
Erigeron acris
caterpillars
14
bees
10
hosts
1
food
16
flowers
156
-
Bearded Beggarticks
Bidens aristosa
caterpillars
8
bees
7
hosts
2
food
7
flowers
141
-
Plains Coreopsis
Coreopsis tinctoria
caterpillars
5
bees
19
food
4
flowers
139
-
Whorled Coreopsis
Coreopsis verticillata
caterpillars
5
bees
12
food
2
flowers
95
-
Rocky Mountain Zinnia
Zinnia grandiflora
caterpillars
5
food
7
flowers
113
-
American Burnweed
Erechtites hieraciifolius
caterpillars
4
food
5
flowers
101
-
Straggler Daisy
Calyptocarpus vialis
caterpillars
2
flowers
11
-
Slender Goldentop
Euthamia caroliniana
caterpillars
1
bees
8
hosts
4
food
2
flowers
93
-
False Daisy
Eclipta prostrata
caterpillars
1
flowers
3