Welcome, Caterpillars

Grow host plants to help the next generation of butterflies and moths survive and thrive.

- Kelsey Roseth

WORTH THE WAIT

Gas plants may take a few years to get established, but the showy result is so rewarding.

1 Gas plant

DICTAMNUS ALBUS, ZONES 3 TO 8

This novelty plant is a stunner. From May to June, white, pink or lilac flowers top vertical stems that reach 3 feet tall. The plant is low maintenance but needs full sun and well-draining soil. Wear gloves when handling gas plants to avoid any adverse skin reactions.

Why we love it: On windless summer nights, light the flammable oil from the gas plant’s old flowers or seedpods to emit a brief vapor. 

Host to: giant swallowtail

2 Little bluestem

SCHIZACHYRIUM SCOPARIUM, ZONES 3 TO 9

A blue-stemmed beauty, this tufted warm-season grass provides wonderful winter interest. It’s also a resilient host plant that grows best on dry upland sites such as hilltops or ridges, though it is very adaptable to nearly all soil conditions.

Why we love it: The USDA says little bluestem is one of the best grasses for nesting and roosting birds, such as finches, sparrows and juncos. 

Host to: common wood nymphs and skippers

3 Prairie blazing star

LIATRIS PYCNOSTACHYA, ZONES 3 TO 9

In late summer and autumn, blazing star’s radiant rose purple flowers spike skyward, providing vivid color in your backyard. This hardy prairie favorite grows up to 4 feet tall, especially in damp environments. 

Why we love it: It’s a low-maintenance, plant-it-and-leave-it bloom that reseeds readily, and it makes excellent fresh-cut flowers. 

Host to: glorious flower moth