Top native sunflower family members
28 species, native to the US, ranked by caterpillars, then bees and other hosts, food, flowers and shelter.
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Common Wrinkle-leaved Goldenrod
Solidago rugosa
keystone
caterpillars
98
bees
33
hosts
21
food
60
flowers
514
shelter
3
-
Bluestem Goldenrod
Solidago caesia
keystone
caterpillars
98
bees
31
hosts
21
food
57
flowers
478
shelter
3
-
Northern Seaside Goldenrod
Solidago sempervirens
keystone
caterpillars
94
bees
31
hosts
21
food
50
flowers
508
shelter
2
-
Hairy White Oldfield Aster
Symphyotrichum pilosum
keystone
caterpillars
76
bees
24
hosts
3
food
26
flowers
333
-
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed
Eutrochium maculatum
caterpillars
55
hosts
1
food
6
flowers
212
-
Narrowleaf Sunflower
Helianthus angustifolius
keystone
caterpillars
40
bees
35
hosts
3
food
42
flowers
124
shelter
1
-
Round-leaved Boneset
Eupatorium rotundifolium
caterpillars
32
hosts
1
food
9
flowers
123
-
Muck Sunflower
Helianthus simulans
keystone
caterpillars
26
bees
19
hosts
1
food
35
flowers
91
shelter
1
-
Groundsel Tree
Baccharis halimifolia
caterpillars
17
bees
9
hosts
6
food
7
flowers
80
-
Woodland Lettuce
Lactuca floridana
caterpillars
17
bees
1
hosts
3
food
4
flowers
37
-
New York Ironweed
Vernonia noveboracensis
caterpillars
14
bees
8
hosts
1
food
2
flowers
102
-
Sweet Joe-Pye-weed
Eutrochium purpureum
caterpillars
13
hosts
1
food
3
flowers
173
-
Hollow Joe-Pye Weed
Eutrochium fistulosum
caterpillars
13
hosts
1
food
1
flowers
157
-
Coastal Plain Joe-Pye Weed
Eutrochium dubium
caterpillars
13
hosts
1
food
1
flowers
157
-
Silver Wormwood
Artemisia ludoviciana
caterpillars
10
hosts
6
food
14
flowers
1
-
Smooth Beggarticks
Bidens laevis
caterpillars
8
bees
8
hosts
2
food
7
flowers
126
-
Bearded Beggarticks
Bidens aristosa
caterpillars
8
bees
7
hosts
2
food
7
flowers
141
-
Tall Ironweed
Vernonia gigantea
caterpillars
6
bees
8
hosts
3
food
2
flowers
84
-
Common Sneezeweed
Helenium autumnale
caterpillars
5
bees
10
food
1
flowers
151
-
Coastal Plain Tickseed
Coreopsis gladiata
caterpillars
4
bees
8
food
3
flowers
73
-
Southern Sneezeweed
Helenium flexuosum
caterpillars
2
bees
6
food
1
flowers
41
-
Blue Mistflower
Conoclinium coelestinum
caterpillars
2
food
1
flowers
196
-
Golden Ragwort
Packera aurea
caterpillars
1
bees
1
hosts
1
food
1
flowers
57
-
False Daisy
Eclipta prostrata
caterpillars
1
flowers
3
-
Stokes' Aster
Stokesia laevis
food
4
flowers
49
-
Climbing Aster
Ampelaster carolinianus
food
2
flowers
36
-
False Aster
Boltonia asteroides
food
1
flowers
124
-
Decurrent False Aster
Boltonia decurrens
flowers
4