Here's the list of Swallowtail Host Plants, from the Butterfly Forum: SWALLOWTAILS Giant Swallowtail - Citrus family, Rutaceae 1. Ptelea trifoliata - hop tree, wafer ash 2. Zanthoxylum clava-herculis - hercules club 3. Zanthoxylum fagara - wild lime 4. Zanthoxylum americanum - prickly ash 5. Citrus spp. - various species, including cultivated 6. Murraya paniculata - orange jasmine 7. Ruta graveolens - rue Spicebush Swallowtail - Laurel family, lauraceae 1. Persea borbonia - redbay 2. Persea palustris - swampbay 3. Sassafras albidum - sassafras 4. Lindera benzoin - spicebush 5. Cinnamomum camphora - camphor tree Pipevine swallowtail caterpillars will die if raised on tropical pipevines. Please only use the pipevines on the list. Pipevine Swallowtail - Pipevine family, Aristolochia 1. Aristolochia macrophylla - big leaf pipevine 2. Aristolochia tomentosa - woolly pipevine 3. Aristolochia serpentaria - Virginia snakeroot 4. Aristolochia californica - California pipevine 5. Aristolochia fimbriata - white-veined Duchman's pipe 6. Aristolochia trilobata - Dutchman's Pipe 7. Aristolochia clematitis - Birthwort Anise Swallowtail - Carrot family, Apiaceae 1. Pimpinella anisum - anise 2. Foeniculum vulgare - fennel 3. Lomatium  parsnip Eastern Black Swallowtail - Rue family, Rutaceae - Carrot family, Apiaceae 1. Ruta graveolens - rue 2. Anethum graveolens - dill 3. Foeniculum vulgare - fennel 4. Petroselinum crispum  parsley 5. Zizia aurea - golden Alexander Palamedes Swallowtail - Laurel family, lauraceae 1. Persea borbonia - redbay 2. Persea palustris - swampbay 3. Sassafras albidum  sassafras Zebra Swallowtail - Pawpaw family, annonaceae 1. Asimina triloba - common pawpaw 2. Asimina pygmaea - dwarf pawpaw 3. Annona muricata  soursop Polydamas Swallowtail - Pipevine family, Aristolochia 1. Aristolochia elegans - calico flower 2. Aristolochia gigantea - giant pipevine Eastern Tiger Swallowtail - Rose family, Rosaceae - Magnolia family, Magnoliaceae - Olive family, Oleaceae 1. Prunus serotina - wild black cherry 2. Liriodendron tulipifera - tulip poplar 3. Ptelea trifoliata - wafer ash, hoptree 4. Fraxinus velutina - Arizona ash tree Canadian Swallowtail 1. Populus tremuloides - quaking aspen Two-tailed Tiger Swallowtail - Cherry family, Prunus - Ash family, Fraxinus - Citrus family, Ptelea 1. Prunus virginiana - chokecherry 2. Ptelea crenulata - California hoptree 3. Ptelea trifoliata - Common hoptree Pale Swallowtail - Buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae 1. Rhamnus californicus - coffeeberry 2. Ceanothus arboreus - California lilac Western Tiger Swallowtail - Willow family, Salicaceae

Ken...just a bit of info from a butterfly fan. As you say, most flowers may be visited by butterflies, but some contain much more nectar and are like loaded buffet tables to them. Some hybrid flowers have very little nectar and are of little use to butterflies and are seldom visited. I see lots of butterflies visiting my zinnias, butterfly bush, and various species of milkweed. Many other flowers are in the area and few butterflies stop by them. When I survey for butterflies in our county parks I repeatedly find butterflies concentrated in areas with high quality nectar plants. You're right, planting certain plants doesn't guarantee butterflies will come, but it ups your chances tremendously. Other plants/trees are planted to provide food (leaves) for baby butterflies (caterpillars). These may or may not be plants that the adults use for nectar sources. If you plant these hoping to attract butterflies, you should be glad to see chewed up leaves and not use pesticides or you will kill the baby butterflies (caterpillars). Most species of caterpillars can only feed on one or a few closely related species of plants. Plant these "host plants" and there is a good chance the adults will find them and lay eggs there, and you may see the young and adults later in the season....or see birds, spiders, etc. snacking on the critters you tried to lure into the garden :) If you don't have the exact food the young need, you will only see adults that happen to make their way into the area for nectar. More adults show up if you have host plants sending out their scents to the prospective parents looking for egg laying spots. Denninmi, I haven't seen a zebra swallowtail in Michigan either...or anywhere else. Friends of mine have seen a few in Michigan....usually in low areas near rivers where paw paws are growing. Someday, I'm hoping one will fly by as I kayak through their river bottom.

Right now in my garden (starting 2 days ago)I have seed 2 Red Admirals, 1 Painted Lady, 1 Monarch, at least 50 Grass Skippers, 15-20 Long-Tailed Skippers, 1 Pipevine Swallowtail, 4 Southern Dogfaces, 2 Great Southern Whites, 1 White Peacock, 3 Large Orange Sulphurs, and I think 1 Yellow Angled Sulphur! With a lot of Milkweeds can you imagine all the butterflies I would see!? I have an acre backyard. I am also looking for Passifloras and Pipevines too.

Hi Gardenwebers, I am looking for seeds of your best nectar and host plants in your gardens. You see, i am trying to attract butterflies found not in my area of the LRGV (Lower Rio Grande Valley) of Texas but are found right outside it. I was wondering what everyone's opoinion was about their best nectar and host plants. If anyone can share some seeds with me for an SASE or SASBE and I can grow them maybe I can attract the butterflies. The butterflies are: Eastern Tiger Sallowtail Two Tailed Swallowtail Red Spotted Purple Viceroy Mourning Cloak Ruby Spotted Swallowtail Zebra Swallowtail Harvester ( I know they feed of aphids but what plant would do good for getting them) Garcia Tiger Swallowtail Spicebush Swallowtail Palamedes Swallowtail Polydamas Swallowtail AND MORE. I am looking for the best nectar and host plants for them(all butterflies). Here is the link to a page with all the host plants. Note- It does NOT list all nectar plants. Plus I am looking for nectar plants of all over Texas and the U.S. Same goes for hosts. Thank-you, Danny