Butterfly Food and Nectar Plants of Travis and Williamson Counties TX USA


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COMMON  NAME


Latin name


FOOD PLANT FOR


NECTAR PLANT FOR

OCCURS IN AREA

A - A
B - D
F - G
I  -  L

M - N
P - Q
R - S
T - W






OCCASIONAL indicates non-native species


Acanthus


family: Acanthaceae


Anicia Crescentspot, Boll's Theona Checkerspot, Field Crescentspot, Gorgone Cxrescentspot, Pearly Crescentspot, Silvery Crescentspot


FLAME ACANTHUS


FLAME ACANTHUS, HUMMINGBIRD BUSH or WRIGHT ACANTHUS


Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii





COMMON
perennial


Agave


family: Nolinaceae


Long-tailed Skipper, Golden Banded Skipper, Silver-spotted Skipper, Yucca Giant Skipper


DEVIL'S SHOESTRING

DEVIL'S SHOESTRING


Nolina lindheimeriana





COMMON
perennial
TWISTLEAF YUCCA

TWIST-LEAF YUCCA


Yucca rupicola





COMMON
perennial


Alfalfa


family:  Fabaceae


Marine Blue
Eastern Black Swallowtail, Orange Sulphur, Dogface Butterfly, Tawny-edged Skipper
ALFALFA

ALFALFA


Medicago sativa L.





RARE
perennial


Aster


family: Asteraceae


Guadaloupe Fatal Metal Mark, Little  Metal Mark, Lost Metal Mark, Rawson's Metalmark


TEXAS ASTER

TEXAS ASTER


Aster texanus





COMMON
perennial
HEATH ASTER

WHITE HEATH ASTER


Aster ericoides





COMMON
perennial
WHITE WOODLAND ASTER

WHITE WOODLAND ASTER


Aster lanceolatus





COMMON
perennial
HIERBA DEL MARRANO

HIERBA DEL MARRANO


Aster subulatus var. ligulatus





COMMON
perennial

Top


COMMON NAME


Scientific name


FOOD PLANT FOR


NECTAR PLANT FOR

OCCURS IN AREA



Beggar-ticks


family: Asteraceae




Gulf Fritillary, Red Admiral, Fiery Skipper, Sleepy Orange, Viceroy, Monarch, Queen, Common Checkered Skipper


bearded beggarticks

BEARDED BEGGARTICK


Bidens aristosa





RARE
perennial
DEVIL'S BEGGARTICK

DEVIL'S BEGGARTICK


Bidens frondosa L.





OCCASIONAL
perennial (moist areas)
SMOOTH BEGGARTICK

SMOOTH BEGGARTICK


Bidens laevis





OCCASIONAL
perennial (moist areas)


Browneyed Susan


family: Asteraceae




Pearly Crescentspot
BROWNEYED SUSAN

BROWNEYED SUSAN


Rudbeckia hirta L. var. pulcherrima





COMMON
perennial


Chicory


family: Asteraceae




Tawny-edged Skipper, Buckeye
CHICORY

CHICORY


Cichorium intybus L.





OCCASIONAL
perennial (european native)


Clover


family: Fabaceae




Cabbage White, Red Admiral, American Lady, Painted Lady, Checkered Skipper, Tawny-edged Skipper, Silver-spotted Skipper

RED CLOVER

RED CLOVER


Trifolium pratense L.





RARE
perennial
BEJAR CLOVER

BEJAR CLOVER


Trifolium bejariense





RARE
perennial


Crossvine


family: Bignoniaceae






CROSSVINE

CROSSVINE


Bignonia capreolata








Dandelion


family: Asteraceae




Cabbage White, Common Sulphur, Red Admiral
DANDELION

DANDELION


Taraxacum officinale





COMMON
perennial
REDSEED DANDELION

ROCK or REDSEED DANDELION


Taraxacum laevigatum





LESS COMMON
perennial


Dogbane


family: Apocynaceae




Gray Hairstreak, Common Sulphur, Silver-spotted Skipper, Painted Lady, Buckeye, Spring Azure, Field Crescentspot, Mourning Cloak, Checkered White
INDIAN HEMP

INDIAN HEMP


Apocynum cannabinum





RARE
perennial


Dutchman's Pipe


family: Aristolochia


Pipevine Swallowtail



TEXAS DUTCHMAN'S PIPE

TEXAS DUTCHMAN'S-PIPE


Aristolochia reticulata





UNCOMMON
perennial
herb

Top


COMMON NAME


Scientific name


FOOD PLANT FOR


NECTAR PLANT FOR

OCCURS IN AREA



False indigo


family: Fabaceae


Dogface Butterfly, Marine Blue


DESERT FALSE INDIGO

DESERT FALSE INDIGO or

BASTARD INDIGO


Amorpha fruticosa L.





OCCASIONAL
perennial
TEXAS AMORPHA

 

ROEMER'S FALSE INDIGO

or TEXAS AMORPHA


Amorpha roemeriana





RARE
perennial


Goldenrod


family: Asteraceae


Clouded Sulphur,  American Painted Lady, Monarch
Red Admiral,  Common Sulphur, Orange Sulphur, Gray Hairstreak,
American Painted Lady, Monarch, Viceroy

TALL GOLDENROD

TALL GOLDENROD


Solidago altissima





COMMON
perennial
GIANT GOLDENROD

GIANT GOLDENROD


Solidago gigantea var. serotina





perennial
TALL GOLDENROD

JULIA'S GOLDENROD


Solidago juliae





COMMON
perennial
GRAY GOLDENROD

GRAY GOLDENROD


Solidago nemoralis (3 sps.)





COMMON
perennial
SWEET GOLDENROD

SWEET GOLDENROD


Solidago odora





perennial
WESTERN ROUGH GOLDENROD

DOWNY RAGGED GOLDENROD


Solidago petiolaris





RARE
perennial
TALL GOLDENROD

WESTERN ROUGH GOLDENROD

or CAT-TONGUE GOLDENROD


Solidago radula (4 sps.)





COMMON
perennial


Grass


family: Alismataceae


Tawny-edged Skipper, Fiery Skipper



SIDEOATS GRAMA

SIDEOATS GRAMA


Bouteloua curtipendula





    COMMON
perennial
TX State Grass
PRAIRIE WILDRYE

PRAIRIE WILDRYE or CANADIAN WILDRYE


Elymus canadensis L.





COMMON
perennial
moist, shade
GRASSY ARROWHEAD

GRASSY ARROWHEAD


Sagittaria graminea





RARE
perennial
CARDINALFLOWER

CARDINALFLOWER


Lobelia cardinalis L.





RARE
perennial
SWITCHGRASS

SWITCHGRASS


Panicum virgatum L.





RB NAS
perennial
wetland
DELTA ARROWHEAD

DELTA ARROWHEAD


Sagittaria platyphylla





COMMON
perennial
LITTLE BLUESTEM

LITTLE BLUESTEM


Schizachyrium scoparium





COMMON
perennial
dry-moist
INDIANGRASS

INDIANGRASS


Sorghastrum nutans L.





COMMON
perennial
dry-mois
PURPLETOP TRIDENS

PURPLETOP TRIDENS


Tridens flavus





RARE
perennial
EASTERN GAMAGRASS

EASTERN GAMAGRASS


Tripsacum dactyloides L.





NativeAS
perennial
wetland

Top


COMMON NAME


Scientific name


FOOD PLANT FOR


NECTAR PLANT FOR

OCCURS IN AREA



Ironweed


family: Asteraceae


American Lady

Fiery Skipper, Monarch


BALDWIN'S IRONWEED


Vernonia baldwinii (2 sps.)





OCCASIONAL
perennial
MISSOURI IRONWEED

MISSOURI IRONWEED


Vernonia missurica





perennial

TEXAS IRONWEED


TEXAS IRONWEED


Vernonia texana





RARE
perennial
WOOLLY IRONWEED

WOOLLY IRONWEED or SILVER IRONWEED


Vernonia lindheimeri 





COMMON
perennial


Knapweed


family: Asteraceae


Painted Lady


Common Sulphur, Common Checkered Skipper, American Lady, Fiery Skipper

BASKETFLOWER

BASKETFLOWER or AMERICAN STAR THISTLE


Centaurea americana





UNCOMMON
perennial


MALTESE STAR-THISTLE


Centaurea melitensis L.





OCCASIONAL
perennial


YELLOW STAR-THISTLE or BARNABY'S THISTLE


Centaurea solstitialis L.






OCCASIONAL
perennial


Lantana


family: Verbenaceae




Giant Swallowtail, Gulf Fritillary, Fiery Skipper, Cloudless Giant Sulphur, Cabbage White

PURPLE LANTANA

PURPLE LANTANA, POLECAT GERANIUM, SHRUB VERBENA, TRAILING SHRUB VERBENA or TRAILING LANTANA


Lantana montevidensis





OCCASIONAL
perennial
TEXAS LANTANA

TEXAS LANTANA, CALICO-BUSH or WEST INDIAN SHRUBVERBENA


Lantana urticoides





OCCASIONAL
perennial
WEST INDIAN LANTANA

WEST INDIAN LANTANA


Lantana camara





OCCASIONAL
perennial


Lupine


family: Fabaceae


Frosted Elfin

Eastern Pine Elfin, Orange Bordered Blue



TEXAS LUPINE

TEXAS LUPINE or TEXAS BLUEBONNET


Lupinus texensis





COMMON
annual
(state flower)

Top


COMMON NAME


Scientific name


FOOD PLANT FOR


NECTAR PLANT FOR

OCCURS IN AREA



Marbleseed


family: Boraginaceae






MARBLESEED

HELLER'S MARBLESEED


Onosmodium helleri






perennial


Mallow


family: Malvaceae


Gray Hairstreak, Painted Lady

American Lady, Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Monarch
COMMON MALLOW

CHEESEWEED or COMMON MALLOW


Malva neglecta





RARE
perennial
CHEESEWEED

CHEESEWEED MALLOW or LITTLE MALLOW


Malva parviflora L.





OCCASIONAL
perennial


Milkweed


family: Asclepiadaceae


Monarch, Queen

Question Mark, Monarch, Viceroy, Pipevine Swallowtail, Eastern Black Swallowtail, Giant Swallowtail, Cabbage White, Checkered White, Common Sulphur, Orange Sulphur, Gray Hairstreak, Spring Azure, Pearly Crescentspot, Mourning Cloak, Fiery Skipper, Painted Lady, American Lady, Red Admiral
ANTELOPE-HORN

ANTELOPEHORN MILKWEED


Asclepias asperula ssp. capricornu





COMMON
perennial
ZIZOTES

ZIZOTES MILKWEED or HIERBA DE ZIZOTES


Asclepias oenotheroides





OCCASIONAL
perennial
AQUATIC MILKWEED

AQUATIC MILKWEED or MARSH MILKWEED


Asclepias perennis





perennial
TEXAS MILKWEED

TEXAS MILKWEED


Asclepias texana





RARE
perennial
BUTTERFLY MILKWEED

BUTTERFLY MILKWEED, BUTTERFLYWEED or ORANGE MILKWEED


Asclepias tuberosa L.





RARE
perennial
WHORLED MILKWEED

WHORLED MILKWEED


Asclepias verticillata L.





RARE
perennial
WAND MILKWEED

GREEN COMET MILKWEED or WAND MILKWEED


Asclepias viridiflora





OCCASIONAL
perennial
GREEN MILKWEED

GREEN MILKWEED or GREEN ANTELOPEHORN


Asclepias viridis





RARE
perennial


Mist flowers


family: Asteraceae






BLUE MISTFLOWER

BLUE MISTFLOWER


Conoclinium coelestinum





perennial
GREG'S MISTFLOWER

GREG'S MISTFLOWER


Conoclinium greggii or Eupatorium greggii





perennial


Nettle


family: Urticaceae


Question Mark




STINGING NETTLE

STINGING NETTLE


Urtica chamaedryoides





COMMON
perennial

Top


COMMON NAME


Scientific name


FOOD PLANT FOR


NECTAR PLANT FOR

OCCURS IN AREA



Passionflower


family: Passifloraceae


Gulf Fritillary



BRACKETED PASSIONFLOWER

BRACKETED PASSIONFLOWER or YELLOW PASSIONFLOWER


Passiflora affinis





OCCASIONAL
perennial
PASSIONVINE

PASSIONVINE

Passiflora alatocaerulea





OCCASIONAL
perennial
COTTONLEAF PASSIONFLOWER

CORONA DE CRISTO, FETID PASSIONFLOWER or  COTTONLEAF PASSIONFLOWER


Passiflora foetida L. var. gossypifolia





OCCASIONAL
perennial
PURPLE PASSIONFLOWER

PURPLE PASSIONFLOWER or MAY-POP PASSION-FLOWER

Passiflora incarnata L.





RARE
perennial
YELLOW PASSIONFLOWER

YELLOW PASSIONFLOWER


Passiflora lutea L. var. glabriflora





OCCASIONAL
perennial
BIRDWING PASSIONFLOWER

BIRDWING PASSIONFLOWER or SPREADLOBE PASSIONFLOWER


Passiflora tenuiloba





RARE
perennial


Peppermint


family: Lamiaceae




Pearly Crescentspot


Peppermint

PEPPERMINT


Mentha ×piperita L





RARE
perennial


Pickerelweed


family: Pontederiaceae




Palamedes Swallowtail


PICKERELWEED

PICKERELWEED


Pontederia cordata L.





RARE
perennial


Pigweed


family: Chenopodiaceae


Western Pygmy Blue


Western Pygmy Blue


LAMBSQUARTERS

LAMBSQUARTERS


Chenopodium album L.





OCCASIONAL
perennial
MEXICAN TEA

EPAZOTE or MEXICAN TEA


Chenopodium ambrosioides L.





OCCASIONAL
perennial


PITSEED GOOSEFOOT


Chenopodium berlandieri var. berlandieri





UNCOMMON
perennial


CLAMMY GOOSEFOOT or RIDGED GOOSEFOOT


Chenopodium pumilio






OCCASIONAL
perennial

NARROWLEAF GOOSEFOOT


NARROWLEAF GOOSEFOOT or THICKLEAF GOOSEFOOT


Chenopodium pratericola





RARE
perennial
MAPLELEAF GOOSEFOOT

MAPLELEAF GOOSEFOOT or BIGSEED GOOSEFOOT


Chenopodium simplex






RARE
perennial
STANDLEY'S GOOSEFOOT

STANDLEY'S GOOSEFOOT


Chenopodium standleyanum





RARE
perennial


Plantian


family: Plantaginaceae


Buckeye


Buckeye




LARGEBRACKETED PLANTAIN BOTTLEBRUSH PLANTAIN


Plantago aristata





RARE
perennial
HELLER'S PLANTAIN

CEDAR PLANTAIN or HELLER'S PLANTAIN


Plantago helleri






COMMON
perennial
SLENDER PLANTAIN

SLENDER PLANTAIN or SLIMSPIKE PLANTAIN


Plantago heterophylla





RARE
perennial
TALLOW WEED

TALLOW WEED, CALIFORNIA PLANTAIN or HOOKER PLANTAIN


Plantago hookeriana





RARE
perennial
NARROWLEAF PLANTAIN

NARROWLEAF PLANTAIN or ENGLISH PLANTAIN


Plantago lanceolata L.





RARE
perennial
"noxious weed"
COMMON PLANTAIN

COMMON PLANTAIN or BROADLEAF PLANTAIN


Plantago major L.





RARE
perennial
WOOLLY PLANTAIN

WOOLLY PLANTAIN or BRISTLEBRACT PLANTAIN


Plantago patagonica





RARE
perennial
REDSEED PLANTAIN

REDSEED PLANTAIN


Plantago rhodosperma





MOST COMMON
perennial
VIRGINIA PLANTAIN

VIRGINIA PLANTAIN or PALESEED PLANTAIN


Plantago virginica L.





RARE
or overlooked, sim. to redseed plantain
WRIGHT'S PLANTAIN

WRIGHT'S PLANTAIN


Plantago wrightiana





OCCASIONAL
perennial


Queen Anne's lace


family: Apiaceae


Eastern Black Swallowtail
Eastern Black Swallowtail, Gray Hairstreak


QUEEN ANNE'S LACE

QUEEN ANNE'S LACE or WILD CARROT


Daucus carota L.





RARE
perennial


AMERICAN WILD CARROT, SOUTHWESTERN CARROT or RATTLESNAKE WEED


Daucus pusillus





COMMON
perennial

Top


COMMON NAME


Scientific name


FOOD PLANT FOR


NECTAR PLANT FOR

OCCURS IN AREA



Rock Cress


family: Brassicaceae


Falcate Orangetip, Spring Azure, Checkered White, Mourning Cloak



ROCKCRESS

ROCKCRESS


Arabis L.






BRAZOS ROCKCRESS

ROCK-CRESS or BRAZOS ROCK-CRESS


Arabis petiolaris





RARE
annual


Sagebrush




American Lady


Monarch, Fiery Skipper




WHITE SAGEBRUSH or WESTERN MUGWORT


Artemisia ludoviciana Nutt. subsp. mexicana






UNCOMMON
perennial


Salt heliotrope


family: Boraginaceae




American Lady, Orange Sulphur
SALT HELIOTROPE

SALT HELIOTROPE


Heliotropium curassavicum L.





RARE
perennial


Scabiosa

only similar native plant:

family: Asteraceae




American Lady, Painted Lady
OLD PLAINSMAN

OLD PLAINSMAN or CAROLINA WOOLLYWHITE


Hymenopappus scabiosaeus var. corymbosus





COMMON
perennial


Spearmint


family: Lamiaceae




Cabbage White, Gray Hairstreak, American Lady, Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Monarch
SPEARMINT

SPEARMINT


Mentha spicata L.





RARE
perennial
introduced








Painted Lady, Red Admiral


YELLOW STONECROP


Sedum nuttallianum





COMMON
annual
WIDOWSCROSS

WIDOWSCROSS or PINK STONECROP


Sedum pulchellum





RARE
annual

Top


COMMON NAME


Scientific name


FOOD PLANT FOR


NECTAR PLANT FOR

OCCURS IN AREA



Thistle


family: Asteraceae


Painted Lady
Little Metal Mark, Dogface Butterfly, Pearly Crescentspot, Gulf Fritillary, Fiery Skipper, Silver-spotted Skipper, Tawny-edged Skipper, American Lady, Red Admiral, Monarch, Pipevine Swallowtail, Viceroy

YELLOW THISTLE

YELLOW THISTLE or

YELLOW BULL-THISTLE


Cirsium horridulum





RARE
annual or bi-annual
TEXAS THISTLE

TEXAS THISTLE


Cirsium texanum





COMMON
perennial
WAVYLEAF THISTLE

WAVYLEAF THISTLE


Cirsium undulatum





RARE
perennial


Tickseed


family: Asteraceae




Common Sulphur, Orange Sulphur, Pearly Crescentspot, Buckeye, Monarch

GOLDEN TICKSEED

GOLDEN TICKSEED or PLAINS COREOPSIS


Coreopsis tinctoria var. tinctoria





COMMON
perennial


ROCK TICKSEED or WRIGHT GOLDENMANE


Coreopsis wrightii





RARE
perennia


Verbena


family: Verbenaceae


Buckeye



BIGBRACT VERBENA

BIGBRACT VERBENA or BIGBRACT VERVAIN


Verbena bracteata





RARE
annual
BRAZILIAN VERVAIN

BRAZILIAN VERVAIN


Verbena brasiliensis





COMMON
perennial
(moist soil)
GRAY VERVAIN

GRAY VERVAIN


Verbena canescens





COMMON
perennial
(limestone)


TEXAS VERVAIN


Verbena halei





COMMON
perennial
(all soil)
HILLSIDE VERVAIN

HILLSIDE VERVAIN or NEW MEXICO VERVAIN


Verbena neomexicana





RARE
perennial
FANLEAF VERVAIN

FANLEAF VERVAIN


Verbena plicata





RARE
perennial
TUBEROUS VERVAIN

TUBEROUS VERVAIN or VEINY VERVAIN


Verbena rigida





RARE
perennial
SANDPAPER VERVAIN

SANDPAPER VERVAIN


Verbena scabra





RARE
perennial
(moist soil)
GULF VERVAIN

GULF VERVAIN or COARSE VERVAIN


Verbena xutha





RARE
annual


Vetch


family: Fabaceae


Common Sulphur, Orange Sulphur, Gray Hairstreak, Silvery Blue
American Lady
NARROWLEAF VETCH

NARROWLEAF VETCH


Vicia angustifolia L.







RARE
perennial
(moist soil)


LEAVENWORTH VETCH


Vicia ludoviciana subsp. leavenworthii





COMMON
annual
LOUISIANA VETCH

LOUISIANA VETCH


Vicia ludoviciana subsp. ludoviciana





UNCOMMON
annual


Violet


family: Violaceae




Spring Azure


FIELD PANSY

FIELD PANSY


Viola bicolor





RARE
annual
MISSOURI VIOLET

MISSOURI VIOLET


Viola missouriensis





COMMON
perennial
VIOLET

VIOLET


Viola pratincola





RARE
perennial
SISTER VIOLET

SISTER VIOLET or FRECKLES


Viola sororia var. sororia





RARE
perennial


Wedelia








HAIRY WEDELLA

HAIRY WEDELLA


Wedelia texana





COMMON
perennial














This checklist is primarily modified from data in the following publications:






1. Travis plants as defined in Travis County Flora.doc 

2. Trail Guide of Ann & O.J.Weber Butterfly Garden - LBJ Wildlife Center Judy Walther and Christopher J. Durden

3. U.S. Geological Survey Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Butterflies of Texas












 

  List compiled by Tim Davis
  Key:  
  X - To be developed.
  butterfly and caterpillar preferences from "Butterflies" ©1991 Marcus Schneck
 
 
 
http://www.wildflower.org/ama/orig/butterfly-1.pdf

  + - From list of U.S. Geological Survey Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Butterflies of Texas
  p - Photographic Record by the author.

 

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