Top native sunflower family members
39 species, native to the US, ranked by caterpillars, then bees and other hosts, food, flowers and shelter.
-
Swamp Goldenrod
Solidago patula
keystone
caterpillars
97
bees
33
hosts
22
food
47
flowers
477
shelter
3
-
Bog Goldenrod
Solidago uliginosa
keystone
caterpillars
96
bees
29
hosts
21
food
45
flowers
459
shelter
3
-
Swamp Aster
Symphyotrichum puniceum
keystone
caterpillars
77
bees
24
hosts
3
food
15
flowers
233
-
Pine Barren Bog Goldenrod
Solidago stricta
keystone
caterpillars
76
bees
16
hosts
20
food
27
flowers
374
-
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
-
Leavenworth's Goldenrod
Solidago leavenworthii
keystone
caterpillars
54
bees
14
hosts
18
food
29
flowers
327
-
Giant Sunflower
Helianthus giganteus
keystone
caterpillars
48
bees
36
hosts
4
food
43
flowers
125
shelter
1
-
Narrowleaf Sunflower
Helianthus angustifolius
keystone
caterpillars
40
bees
35
hosts
3
food
42
flowers
124
shelter
1
-
Common Boneset
Eupatorium perfoliatum
caterpillars
35
hosts
3
food
14
flowers
291
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
-
Tall Blue Lettuce
Lactuca biennis
caterpillars
22
bees
1
hosts
3
food
5
flowers
9
-
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
-
Coastal Plain Joe-Pye Weed
Eutrochium dubium
caterpillars
13
hosts
1
food
1
flowers
157
-
Rough Cocklebur
Xanthium strumarium
caterpillars
12
food
15
flowers
14
-
Texas Coneflower
Rudbeckia texana
caterpillars
9
bees
10
food
2
flowers
116
-
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
-
Smooth Ironweed
Vernonia fasciculata
caterpillars
7
bees
8
hosts
1
flowers
98
-
Rose Coreopsis
Coreopsis rosea
caterpillars
5
bees
11
food
2
flowers
95
-
Coastal Plain Tickseed
Coreopsis gladiata
caterpillars
4
bees
8
food
3
flowers
73
-
Georgia Tickseed
Coreopsis nudata
caterpillars
4
bees
7
food
2
flowers
65
-
Swamp Tickseed
Coreopsis palustris
caterpillars
4
bees
7
food
2
flowers
59
-
Cup Plant
Silphium perfoliatum
caterpillars
3
bees
7
food
11
flowers
173
-
Climbing Hempvine
Mikania scandens
caterpillars
3
hosts
1
food
3
flowers
98
-
Marsh Elder
Iva frutescens
caterpillars
3
food
4
flowers
2
-
Southern Sneezeweed
Helenium flexuosum
caterpillars
2
bees
6
food
1
flowers
41
-
Slender Goldentop
Euthamia caroliniana
caterpillars
1
bees
8
hosts
4
food
2
flowers
93
-
Northern Mule's Ears
Wyethia amplexicaulis
caterpillars
1
bees
5
food
3
flowers
23
-
False Daisy
Eclipta prostrata
caterpillars
1
flowers
3
-
Maryland Golden-aster
Chrysopsis mariana
bees
12
flowers
16
-
Owlsclaws
Hymenoxys hoopesii
bees
3
food
1
flowers
11
-
Climbing Aster
Ampelaster carolinianus
food
2
flowers
36
-
Broadleaf Arnica
Arnica latifolia
flowers
22
shelter
1
-
Smallhead Doll's Daisy
Boltonia diffusa
flowers
6
-
Grassleaf Barbara's-Buttons
Marshallia graminifolia
flowers
4
-
Decurrent False Aster
Boltonia decurrens
flowers
4