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Back to Butterfly Gardening
New England
These are some of the common, showy butterflies of this region and the food plant (or plants) appropriate for caterpillars of each species.
Butterfly Species
Caterpillar Plants
Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes
Various members of the carrot family

Red-spotted Purple
Limenitis arthemis astyanax
Willow, poplar, cherry

Baltimore Checkerspot
Euphydryas phaeton
Penstemon, plantago, ash, viburnum
Great Spangled Fritillary
Speyeria cybele
Various violets (Viola species)
Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa
Willow, poplar, elm
Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui
Various mallows, thistles

White Admiral
Limenitis arthemis arthemis
Willow, birch, poplar

Striped Hairstreak
Satyrium liparops
Oak, willow, blueberry, cherry
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus
Willow, poplar, alder
Monarch
Danaus plexippus
Milkweeds


Nectar Plants
These are the best flowers to plant in this region to attract a wide variety of butterfly species. The plants listed here have been shown to be tolerant of the local climate and particularly attractive to the butterflies mentioned above.

Butterfly Weed (native) Asclepias tuberosa
Wild Indigo (native) Baptisia tinctoria
Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia serotina
Thistles (some native) Cirsium species
Common Milkweed (native) Asclepias syriaca
Queen Annes Lace Daucus carota
Common Boneset (native) Eupatorium perfoliatum
Lance-leaved Goldenrod (native) Solidago graminifolia









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