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Butterfly Nectar Sources: Nectar-Rich Connecticut Native1
Plants
The following species are native1 in
Connecticut. Many are rather large for garden settings and some spread
aggressively. The symbol % indicates plants that are exceptionally unruly in
gardens.
- When purchasing these plants for use in restoring natural areas, it is
important to make sure to get plants grown from local seed stock, as well as
from site types similar to the intended planting site.
- The addition of a variety or subspecies to the Scientific Name indicates
additional varieties or subspecies exist in the USDA, but those other ones are
not native in Connecticut. Be aware that plants imported from other parts of
the country may not be labeled down to variety or subspecies because it is
already known to the locals what variety is locally native.
- Note that cultivars (with names in single quotes) do not represent the
full genetic diversity of typical natives.
In the list below, heights are given in feet (') or inches (") for plants
growing in natural habitats.
| Common Name |
Scientific Name |
Height |
| Shrubs/Trees |
Blueberries; e.g.,
Highbush-blueberry
Low Bush Blueberry |
Vaccinium spp.
V. corymbosum
V. angustifolium |
6' – 15'
6" – 24" |
| Buttonbush |
Cephalanthus occidentalis |
(3'-) 5' – 6' (-10') |
| Meadowsweet2 |
Spiraea alba var. latifolia2 |
2' – 5' |
| New Jersey Tea |
Ceanothus americanus |
2' – 4' |
| Steeplebush (Hardhack)2 |
Spiraea tomentosa var. tomentosa2 |
2' – 4' |
Sumacs; e.g.,
Smooth Sumac
Staghorn Sumac |
Rhus spp.
R. glabra
R. typhina |
2' – 20'
Max. 40' |
| Sweet Pepperbush |
Clethra alnifolia |
3' – 10' |
Wild Azaleas; e.g.
Pinxter-flower
Swamp Azalea |
certain Rhododendrons
R. periclymenoides (formerly
R. nudiflorum)
R. viscosum |
2' – 8'
3' – 8' |
Wild Cherries; e.g.,
Fire (= Pin) Cherry
Wild Cherry
(Note: Wild Cherry leaves, twigs,
seeds, toxic if ingested) |
Prunus pensylvanica var. pensylvanica
Prunus serotina var.
serotina |
Max. 35'
Max. 90' |
| Perennials |
Asters; e.g.,
Calico Aster
Heath Aster
New England Aster
New York Aster
Smooth Aster
Stiff Aster |
Formerly Aster spp.
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum var.
lateriflorum (formerly
Aster lateriflorus)
Symphyotrichum ericoides var.
ericoides (formerly
Aster ericoides)
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
(formerly Aster novae-angliae)
Symphyotrichum novi-belgii (formerly
Aster novi-belgii)
Symphyotrichum laeve (formerly
Aster laevis)
lonactis linariifolius (formerly
Aster linariifolius) |
1' – 5'
1' – 3'
1' – 3'
3' – 7'
1' – 3'
6" – 18" |
| Bergamot, Wild |
Monarda fistula ssp. fistulosa |
2' – 3' |
Blackberries; e.g.,
Highbush (or Sow-teat) Blackberry% |
Rubus spp.
R. allegheniensis |
2' – 8' |
| Boneset |
Eupatorium perfoliatum var.
perfoliatum |
2' – 4' |
| Butterfly-weed (Orange) |
Asclepias tuberosa ssp. tuberose
or A. tuberosa ssp. interior |
1' – 2' |
Coneflower, Green-headed
(= Tall or Cut-leaved Coneflower
(Note: no other Coneflowers are
native to Connecticut) |
Rudbeckia laciniata var. laciniata |
3' – 12' |
Dogbane%; e.g.,
Indian Hemp% {poisonous}
Spreading Dogbane% {poisonous} |
Apocynum spp. {poisonous}
A. cannabinum
A. androsaemifolium |
1' – 4'
1' – 4' |
Goldenrods; e.g.,
Blue-stemmed Goldenrod
Gray Goldenrod
Rough-leaved (= Square-stem) G.
Seaside Goldenrod Sweet Goldenrod
Zigzag Goldenrod |
Solidago spp.
S. caesia var. caesia
S. nemoralis var. nemoralis
S. patula var. patula
S. sempervirens var. sempervirens
S. odora var. odora
S. flexicaulis |
1' – 3'
6" – 30"
2' – 7'
1' – 8'
2' – 4'
1' – 3' |
Joe-Pye Weeds
Hollow Joe-Pye Weed
Joe-Pye Weed
Purple Joe-Pye Weed
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed |
certain Eupatoriums
E. fistulosum
E. dubium
E. purpureum var. purpureum
E. maculatum var. maculatum |
2' – 7'
2' – 5'
3' – 10'
2' – 6' |
Milkweeds; e.g.,
Butterfly-weed (Orange)
Common Milkweed%
Swamp Milkweed |
Asclepias ssp.
A. tuberosa var. tuberose or
A. tuberosa ssp. interior
A. syriaca
A. incarnata var. incarnate or var. pulchra
(a hairy variety) |
1' – 2'
2' – 5'
2' – 4' |
| Pearly Everlasting |
Anaphalis
margaritacea |
1' – 3' |
| Strawberry, Wild% |
Fragaria virginiana var. virginiana |
3" –
6" |
| Vervain, Blue |
Verbena hastata var. hastata |
2' – 6' |
| Grasses |
| Purpletop |
Tridens
flavus (very often planted from non-local sources) |
2' – 5' |
NOTES:
1Used in an ecological sense, the word
"native" refers to species that are a part of the native (sometimes called
"indigenous") ecosystems in which ecological relationships among plants and
animals and their environment (including pollination, food chains, and nutrient
cycling; etc.) developed into a balance over many generations. In contrast to
these native species, many familiar plants of New England roadsides are
non-native, "naturalized" species. "Naturalized" refers to the descendants of
introduced plants that were able to survive, reproduce, and spread without human
help. Even though naturalized plants often grow quite well in their new
territories, they are not part of the indigenous ecosystems in the places where
they have been introduced (and, in fact, certain naturalized plants are
disruptive of native ecosystems). The above list of plants includes only plants
actually native to Connecticut.
2The genus
Spiraea has been described as not attractive to butterflies in
eastern Massachusetts and the New York City area.
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