Preferred Hosts for Larvae (Caterpillars) of Butterflies
| Host Plant | Butterfly Species |
| Pawpaw | Zebra Swallowtail |
| Sassafras | Palamedes (Laurel) Swallowtail & Spicebush Swallowtail |
| Red Bay | Palamedes (Laurel) Swallowtail |
| White Bay | Palamedes (Laurel) Swallowtail |
| Spicebush | Spicebush Swallowtail |
| Citrus, Hopwafer, Toothache Tree, & Trifoliate Orange | Giant Swallowtail |
| Hibiscus | Checkered Skipper & Gray Hairstreak |
| Maypops | Gulf Fritillary & Variegated Fritillary |
| Pipevine | Pipevine Swallowtail |
| Legumes (Clover, Partridge Pea, etc.) | Tailed Blue, Sulphurs, Sleepy Orange, Gray Hairstreak, Silver Spotted Skipper, Long Tailed Skipper & Funeral Skipper |
| Parsley, Dill, Fennel, & Queen Anne’s Lace | Eastern Black Swallowtail |
| Thistle | American Painted Lady, Painted Lady, Question Mark, & Red Admiral |
| Milkweeds* | Monarch & Queen |
| Indian Grass | Georgia Satyr |
| Monarda* | Gray Hairstreak |
| Pycnanthemum* | Gray Hairstreak |
| Oak | Dusky Wings & Gray Hairstreak |
| Willow | Viceroy, Tiger Swallowtail, & Red Spotted Purple |
| Cherry | Viceroy & Red Spotted Purple |
| Elm | Question Mark |
| Plaintain | Buckeye |
| Purple False Foxglove (Agalinis) | Buckeye |
| Aster | Pearl Crescent |
| Mustard family (cabbage, broccoli, collards, peppergrass) | Checkered Whit |
(* = also a larval host)
Some excellent hosts for adult butterflies (nectar/non-specific)
| Herbaceous: | |
| (Species) | (Common Name) |
| Achillea millefolium | Yarrow |
| Pycnanthemum spp. | Mountain Mint* |
| Asclepis tuberosa | Butterfly Weed* |
| Soldago spp. | Goldenrod |
| Asclepias curassavica | Mexican Milkweeds* |
| Stachytarpheta urticifolia | Porter Weed |
| Cirsium spp. | Thistle* |
| Thunbergia alata | Climbing Black eyed Susan |
| Coreopsis spp. | Tickseed |
| Trifolium pratense | Red Clover* |
| Cosmos spp. | Cosmos |
| Verbena | Verbena/Vervain (Homestead Purple and Verbena bonariensis) |
| Echinacea purpurea | Purple Coneflower |
| Eupatorium fistulosum, purpureum | Joe Pye Weed Zinnia spp. |
| Gaillardia spp. | Indian Blanket |
| Shrubs: | |
| (Species) | (Common Name) |
| Gomphrena globosa | Globe Amaranth |
| Abelia chinensis | Chinese Abelia |
| Ipomoea quamoclit | Cypress Vine |
| Buddleia X davidii | Royal Purple Butterfly Bush |
| Liatris spp. | Blazing Stars |
| Ceanothus americana | New Jersey Tea |
| Monarda spp. | Bee Balm* |
| Cephalanthus occidentalis | Button Bush |
| Pentas lanceolata | Penta |
| Malvaviscus arboreus | Turkโs Cap |
| Phlox spp. | Phlox |
| Vitex agnus-castus | Chaste Tree Lantana |
(* = also a larval host)