Keystone Plants for Butterflies and Moths
Keystone Plants
Keystone plants, a term brought into common use by Dr. Douglas Tallamy, refers to those most productive native plants that serve as host plants for the caterpillars of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), and thus provide the foundation of our entire food web.
did you know?
Caterpillars of most Lepidoptera require specific native host plants for food and cannot digest exotic plants. If we do not support those caterpillars, we will not have those butterflies.
Native Northeastern Plants which Benefit Lepidopera
Keystone plants native to the greater northeastern region listed here were selected as a guide to those trees, shrubs, perennials and other plants that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also provide the most ecological benefits as host plants for Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), thus providing the foundation for the entire food web. The underlying data was generated according to Genus rather than species, so while the list may say Top 10, that number refers to the Genus, rather than the species. As there may be many more individual species than those listed for any given Genus (for example, oaks), gardeners actually have a wider range of choices than may at first appear.
Numbers refer to number of Lepidoptera supported. The “+” symbol indicates plants that also provide pollen for specialist bees.
(List compiled by C. Summers, January 2021)
Top 15 Native Trees
Oaks (Quercus) – 521
ex. Quercus rubra, red oak
ex. Quercus palustris, pin oak
Cherry (Prunus) – 455
Prunus serotina, black cherry
Willow (Salix) – 431
+Salix nigra, black willow
Birch (Betula) – 410
Betula nigra, river birch
Betula papyrifera, paperbark birch
Aspen (Populus) – 360
Populus populifolia, quaking aspen
Maples (Acer) – 295
Acer rubrum, red maple
Acer saccharum, sugar maple
Alders (Alnus) – 261
Alnus serrulata, smooth alder
Hickories (Carya) – 238
Carya ovata, shagbark hickory
Elms (Ulmus) – 201
Ulmus americana, American elm
Basswood (Tilia) – 160
Tilia americana, American basswood
Walnut (Juglans) – 137
Juglans nigra, black walnut
Sycamore (Platanus) – 43
Platanus occidentalis, American sycamore
Tupelo (Nyssa) – 35
Nyssa sylvatica, black tupelo
Sweetgum (Liquidambar) – 34
Liquidambar styraciflua, American sweetgum
Tuliptree (Liriodendron) – 19
Liriodendron tulipifera, American tulip tree
Top 15 Flowering Trees
Chokecherry, Prunus virginiana – 455
Hawthorns (Crateagus) – 173
Crateagus viridis, green hawthorn
Dogwood, Cornus florida – 129
Juneberry (Amelanchier) – 124
exs. Amelanchier laevis, Amelanchier x grandiflora
Blackhaw, Viburnum prunifolium – 115
Mountain Ash (Sorbus) – 74
Sorbus americana, mountain ash
Sorbus decora, showy mountain ash
Black locust, Robinia pseudoacacia – 64
Redbud, Cercis canadensis – 24
Sweetbay magnolia, Magnolia virginiana – 18
Carolina silverbell, Halesia carolina – 10
Top 5 Evergreen Trees
Pines (Pinus) – 259
Pinus strobus, white pine
Pinus virginiana, Virginia pine
Spruces (Picea) – 156
Picea glauca, white spruce
Picea rubens, red spruce
Arbor-vitae, Thuja occidentalis – 46
Holly, Ilex opaca – 45
Eastern red-cedar, Juniperus virginiana – 40
Top 5 Vines
Grapes (Vitis) – 75
Vitis riparia, river grape
Vitis vulpina, fox grape
Honeysuckles (Lonicera) – 39
Lonicera sempervirens, trumpet honeysuckle
Lonicera hirsuta, yellow honeysuckle
Virginia creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia – 31
American wisteria, Wisteria frutescens – 18
Leatherflower (Clematis) – 10
Clematis viorna
Clematis virginiana
Top 10 Shrubs
Native plums (Prunus) exs. beach plum, Canada plum, American plum – 455
+Pussy willow, Salix discolor (many other native willows, but hard to find) – 431
Blueberry (Vaccinium) – 295
Vaccinium corymbosum, highbush blueberry
Vaccinium angustifolium, lowbush blueberry
Raspberries (Rubus) – 164
Rubus odoratus, flowering raspberry
Roses (Rosa) – 130
Rosa palustris, swamp rose
Rosa viginiana, Virginia rose
Viburnums (Viburnum) – 115
Viburnum dentatum, arrowwood
Viburnum lentago, nannyberry
Steeplebush, Spiraea tomentosa – 95
Witchhazel, Hamamelis virginiana – 66
Sweetfern, Comptonia peregrina – 66
Native azaleas (Rhododendron) exs. swamp azalea, flame azalea, pinxter – 55
Sumacs (Rhus) – 52
Rhus coppalina, winged sumac
Rhus aromatica, fragrant sumac
New Jersey tea, Ceanothus americanus – 48
Elderberry (Sambucus) – 37
Sambucus canadensis, common elderberry
Sambucus racemosa, red elder
Common ninebark, Physocarpus opulifolia – 36
Buttonbush, Cephalanthus occidentalis – 23
St. John’s Wort (Hypericum) – 22
Hypericum prolificum
Hypericum frondosum
Hypericum kalmianum
Spicebush, Lindera benzoin – 12
Sweet pepperbush, Clethra alnifolia – 11
Hydrangea, Hydrangea arborescens – 10
Bush honeysuckle, Diervilla lonicera – 4
Top 5 Evergreen Shrubs
Rhododendrons (Rhododendron) – 55
Rhododendron maximum, great laurel
Rhododendron catawbiense, mountain rosebay
Holly (Ilex) – 45
Ilex glabra, inkberry
Juniper (Juniperus) – 40
Juniperus horizontalis, creeping juniper
Juniperus communis, common juniper
Mountain laurel, Kalmia latifolia – 35
Canada yew, Taxus canadensis – 7
Top 5 Grasses
Switchgrass, Panicum virgatum – 25
Broom sedge, Andropogon glomeratus & Andropogon virginicus – 14
Little bluestem, Schizachyrium scoparium – 7
Indiangrass, Sorghastrum nutans – 6
Prairie dropseed, Sporobolus heterolepis – 1
Top 15 Best Flowers for Sunny Sites
+Goldenrods (Solidago) ex. early, showy and seaside goldenrod, many others – 138
+Sunflowers (Helianthus) ex. swamp sunflower, ashy sunflower – 70
Bonesets (Eupatorium) – 37
Eupatorium maculatum, Eupatorium purpureum, joe-pye
Eupatorium perfoliatum, common boneset
Spotted St. John’s wort, Hypericum punctatum – 22
Dogbanes (Apocynum) – 20
Apocynum androsaemifolium, spreading dogbane
Apocynum cannabinum, Indian hemp
Wild indigo, Baptisia australis – 20
+Evening primrose, Oenothera biennis – 19
+Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia fulgida – 17
+Tall white aster, Doellingeria umbellatus – 17
Tall meadow rue, Thalictrum pubescens – 15
+Asters (Symphyotrichum) ex. New England aster, calico aster, NY aster – 12
Beebalm/Bergamot (Monarda) – 12
Monarda didyma, scarlet beebalm
Monarda fistulosa, wild bergamot
Milkweed (Asclepias) ex. common milkweed, swamp milkweed, orange milkweed – 12
Mountain Mints (Pycnanthemum) ex. P. muticum, P. incanum. P. virginianum – 4
Culver’s root, Veronicastrum virginicum – 3
Top 5 Groundcovers for Sunny Sites
Strawberries, Fragaria vesca; F. virginiana – 84
+Robin’s plantain, Erigeron pulchellus – 21
Cinquefoil, Potentilla canadensis; P. simplex – 15
Moss Phlox, Phlox subulata – 7
Pussytoes, Antennaria plantaginifolia 6
Top 10 Groundcovers for Shady Sites
+Common violet, Viola cucullata; many other native violets – 31
Note: Viola odorata, commonly sold in nurseries, is NOT native
Wild geranium, Geranium maculatum – 27
+White wood aster, Eurybia divaricata – 12
Mayapple, Podophyllum peltatum – 7
Toothworts (Cardamine) – 5
Cardamine diphylla, common toothwort
Cardamine concatenata, cutleaf toothwort
Virginia bluebells, Mertensia virginica – 3
Alumroot, Heuchera americana – 2
Golden groundsel, Packera aurea, P. obovatus – 2
Canada ginger, Asarum canadense – 1
Jacob’s ladder, Polemonium reptans – 1
Top 10 Flowers for Shady Sites
Goldenrods (Solidago) – 138
+Solidago caesia, wreath goldenrod
Solidago flexicaulis, zigzag goldenrod
+Woodland sunflowers, Helianthus decapetalus; H. divaricatus – 70
Early meadow rue, Thalictrum dioica – 15
Jewelweed, Impatiens capensis – 14
Rock bells, Aquilegia canadensis – 12
Spikenard, Aralia racemosa – 7
Stoneroot, Collinsonia canadensis – 6
Bugbane/Baneberry (Actaea) – 4
Actaea racemosa, black bugbane
Actaea rubra, red baneberry
Blue cohosh, Caulophyllum thalictroides – 3
Thimbleweed, Anemone virginiana – 2
Top 10 Ferns
Bracken, Pteridium aquilinum – 15
Osmunda – 7
Osmunda cinnamomea, ostrich fern
Osmunda regalis, royal fern
Hayscented fern, Dennstaedtia punctilobula – 5
Maidenhair fern, Adiantum pedatum – 5
Sensitive fern, Onoclea sensibilis – 5
New York fern, Thelypteris novaboracensis – 5
Christmas fern, Polystichum acrostichoides – 4
Ladyfern, Athyrium filix-femina – 4
Wood ferns (Dryopteris) ex. marginal fern, evergreen wood fern – 4
Ostrich fern, Matteucia struthiopteris – 4
Top 10 Aquatics (and pond-edge)
Rosemallow, Hibiscus moscheutos – 25
Water parsnip, Sium suave – 24
Blue flag, Iris veriscolor – 14
Woolgrass, Scirpus cyperinus – 13
Waterlily, Nymphaea odorata – 9
Broadleaf arrowhead, Sagittaria latifolia – 7
Soft rush, Juncus effusus – 7
Cardinal flower, Lobelia cardinalis – 6
Pickerelweed, Pontederia cordata – 5
Turtlehead, Chelone glabra – 5