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Top Trees for Attracting Butterflies

4/18/2020

8 Comments

 

In honor of Arbor Day coming up on April 24th, we thought we would talk about some of the top butterfly-supporting trees! The trees we have chosen wear multiple hats, so to speak. These trees will support more than one species of caterpillar in its development to becoming a full-fledged butterfly!

​Trees play a vital role in supporting butterflies because they provide shelter, food, and water! If you look at the Oyamel Fir forest in Mexico or the Eucalyptus trees in California in the winter, you will notice that Monarchs spend most of their time on these trees. 


Something to consider when planting trees to support pollinators is that butterflies will lay their eggs on the leaves of these trees and the leaves may fall off so it is important to not immediately rake these leaves up!

Oak (Quercus spp.)

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Oaks might arguably be the most valuable host tree for butterflies because they support so many different species of butterflies.

Butterflies that consider Oak trees a host plant are : Striped Hairstreak, Banded Hairstreak, Mourning Cloak, Edwards Hairstreak, Red Banded Hairstreak, White M Hairstreak, and Horace's Duskywing.

Distribution: Oaks include any of about 450 species of ornamental and timber trees and shrubs  distributed throughout the north temperate zone and at high altitudes in the tropics.
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Mourning cloak caterpillar and chrysalis.

Cherry Tree (Prunus avium)

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Not only are Cherry trees a beautiful blooming tree but they also host a huge variety of butterflies and moths including: the American Snout,  Red-spotted Purple, Spring Azure, Viceroy, Coral Hairstreak, Hummingbird Clearwing, Cecropia Silk Moth, and White Admiral. 

​Distribution: Though not native to North America, most of the sweet cherry crop in North America is grown in the Pacific Coast states and in Michigan and Ontario.
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Viceroy caterpillar.

Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana )

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Sweetbay magnolias are a host tree for the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Palamedes Swallowtail,  Sweetbay Silkmoth and Spicebush Swallowtail. In spring,  sweetbay magnolias produce a profusion of creamy white flowers that carry a light lemon scent. 
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Distribution: Sweetbay grows along the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains from Massachusetts south to Florida, west to Texas, and north to Tennessee.
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Spicebush swallowtail caterpillar.

Elms (Ulmus spp.)

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Elms are a host plant for several butterflies such as the Question Mark, Eastern Comma, Hackberry Butterfly, Tawny Emperor, and Mourning Cloak.  
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This tall, popular much-loved Elm tree has beautiful lustrous green leaves throughout the summer that change to a lovely shade of yellow in the fall.  Dutch elm disease has been fatal to many elm trees in the past and with new Elm varieties on the market, saving the Elm trees will bring back a part of American history that has been missing from our landscapes. Planting Elms are essential to the conservation of trees and to many butterflies that rely on them as a food source.

Distribution: Elm trees are a species native to eastern North America, naturally occurring from Nova Scotia west to Alberta and Montana, and south to Florida and central Texas. 
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Tawny Emperor caterpillar.

Willows (Salix spp.)

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Yes, beautiful Willows provide food in the larval stage for the Striped Hairstreak, Compton Tortoise Shell, Northern Pearly Eye, Cecropia Moth, Mourning Cloak, Red-spotted Purple, and Viceroy butterflies.

​Willows are fast growing and will tolerate many soil types. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes. These trees are an important host plant to butterflies and are an impressive addition to your landscaping.

Distribution: Willows originated from China, but can be found throughout the northern hemisphere (Europe, Asia and North America). Willow inhabits temperate areas that provide enough moisture and direct sunlight. They are often found near the lakes and ponds or planted in gardens and parks because of its ornamental morphology.
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Cecropia moth caterpillar. This is the largest moth in North America.

Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)

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Is there a perfect tree? Consider the magnificent Hackberry tree, Celtis occidentalis. Many species of butterflies consider it the perfect caterpillar food plant, including the Question Mark, Mourning Cloak, Hackberry Emperor, Tawny Emperor and the darling American Snout. 

Birds also celebrate Hackberry trees as well! Winter residents such as yellow-bellied sapsuckers, wild turkeys, and mockingbirds depend on the persistent berries.

Distribution: Common hackberry is most common in the midwestern United States. It is sparingly distributed in Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec, rare along the Atlantic coast from Massachusetts to Virginia, occasional in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia, and restricted to Hemphill County in the Texas panhandle.
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American snout caterpillar.

Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea)

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The Serviceberry is a host plant for​ Red-spotted Purple and Viceroy caterpillars. Fruits are also eaten by songbirds, small mammals, and large mammals.

Serviceberry is a deciduous tree that may grow 20 to 40 feet tall. In spring, 5-petaled, white flowers mature. The small tree produces a red to purple berry that matures in the fall.
​
Distribution: Common serviceberry occurs from the southern tip of Newfoundland south to the northern tip of the Florida Panhandle and west to southern Ontario and Quebec, eastern Kansas, the eastern edge of Nebraska, and southern Mississippi and Alabama.



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Red-spotted purple caterpillar.

Paw Paw  (Asimina triloba)

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Zebra swallowtail butterfly.
This is the one exception to our list of versatile host trees because it only supports one type of butterfly. However, this is the ONLY host plant for the spectacular Zebra Swallowtail. In addition, the Paw Paw fruit is often compared to bananas, but with hints of mango, vanilla, and citrus. Despite its diminutive size, it produces the largest edible fruit to North America. 

Distribution: Asimina triloba, the pawpaw, is native to the Eastern, Southern, and Midwestern United States and adjacent Ontario, Canada, from New York west to southeastern Nebraska, and south to northern Florida and eastern Texas.
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Zebra swallowtail caterpillar.
8 Comments
Jane Schildge link
4/21/2020 08:39:10 am

This article is fantastic information for those of us working to reestablish environments friendly to pollinators and I thank you very much. I will share with our local church, Red Bank United Methodist Church in Red Bank, NJ. Will Arbor Day seedlings be available this year?

Reply
Anneli Kelley
4/21/2020 08:39:28 am

Very good article! I learned a lot!

Reply
Bonnie Hill
4/21/2020 08:41:39 am

fabulous source of info. thanks. sharing.

Reply
Cathy Streett
4/21/2020 08:43:34 am

Thanks for the great reference and for encouraging planting trees that support wildlife.

Reply
Michelle link
4/21/2020 09:59:16 am

This was both interesting and educational. I had no idea that trees were so important to butterflies. Next time I plant a tree I will consider the butterflies. Thank you!!

Reply
Cindy
4/21/2020 03:35:25 pm

This article is great and all the featured trees look wonderful. Thank you.

My only caveat is that eucalyptus, mentioned in the intro, is not native to North America, has limited wildlife value here, and is invasive in parts of California and some other parts of the world. It can also be a serious fire hazard, which is why thousands of eucalyptus trees are being removed from parts of the Bay area along with other non-native trees. Native animals, including butterflies, evolved with native plants, which is why ecologists generally recommend planting natives.

Reply
Susan Wilson
4/21/2020 05:49:31 pm

I recently have made the choice to "go to the beginning" taking the time to trace back to my earliest happy memories. The monarchs are among some of my happiest childhood memories. Climbing trees with my friend across the street was also a favorite pastime. My friend had a mimosa tree that was divided into probably five separate areas. We each would declare which part of the tree was our "house" and visit each other. Great fun. My tree was an enormous papershell pecan tree. Of course we were threatened with our lives if we climbed this tree, because it would knock the pecans off, but of course we did. The pecan was much more difficult to manuever, but oh the rewards of reaching the top and putting my head above the top limbs. I could see forever. This allowed my to survive some very difficulty times.
I live in Canadian County in Oklahoma and am planning on planting trees. I would really like at least one that is good for climbing. I have heard that the mimosa is not good for air conditioners as the flowers fall but I can get a cover for my ac. Are the mimosas good for monarchs?

Thank you for your assistance.
sjw

Reply
L Wolfe
10/24/2020 08:10:53 pm

I believe there are some inaccuracies here, as there often are on articles on host plants.
The snout does not use Cherry trees as a host, it uses Hackberry. Also, it is unlikely butterflies will use non-native cherry trees as hosts. The suggestions should be for native trees in the Prunus family; popular host trees are Black Cherry (Prunus serotina), and Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana).

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    Author

    Rebecca Chandler
    Garden Educator, Naturalist and Ethnobotanist

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